Traces of Wearmouth
My name is Ian Potts. I am an artist, curator and teacher who
works in collaboration with other artists and schools, developing
community based art works to facilitate art practice and increase
participation at all levels, while at the same time utilising art in a
restorative context. I aim to promote intergeneration involvement,
education, social mobility and an increased sense of wellbeing for
the participants.
My intention for making this piece of work, Traces of Wearmouth, was to
illustrate and give credit to the influence of the monks of Wearmouth-Jarrow
on untold religious manuscripts throughout the world. The recent exhibition
at Durham displayed for the first time both the Lindisfarne Gospels together
with its example text, the Durham Gospels, which were written not at
Durham as the name suggests, but at Wearmouth-Jarrow.
As a starting point, I took
images from ancient carvings
found on the weathered west
arch of
St. Peter’s
Church at Monkwearmouth. I
embellished these faint
drawings with colour and
texture, and then morphed
them into the cat symbol found
in the Lindisfarne Gospels.
This acknowledges that the
work from Lindisfarne has its
roots not only from the site at
St. Peter’s Church, but
possibly from the Venerable
Bede himself.
The original ink drawing
was too small; I wanted
to give it more gravitas.
So I invited the
internationally renowned
rug maker and
Sunderland lass, Heather
Ritchie, to oversee the
making of a large
community rug to be
made by people from
Sunderland in homage to
the work of Benedict
Biscop, our patron saint,
and the monks from his
monastery.
Heather Ritchie
Rugmaker
So the rug was started by Heather and two friends at St. Peter’s on a hot
day in August. The next day was again sunny and warm and the eager
hooky rookies were joined by ladies from the ‘Durham Matters’ group, who
took control of the rapidly progressing project. I then decided that, to keep
the momentum going, I would take the rug out into the community and visit
as many churches, community groups, care homes and possibly schools
as I could. This, I thought, would make the rug an intergenerational and
fully inclusive piece of art.
St. Peter’s Church,
Monkwearmouth 674 AD.
The Buzz
St. Bede’s
A Day at the Donnison School.
Sunderland Antiquarian & Heritage Centre
Mam and Dad (Margaret and Rongie Potts) relive past mat making at their Roker home.
St. Aidan’s Catholic Academy.
St Aidan’s world’s biggest coffee morning, in aid of the McMillan Cancer charity.
Lydia and Jen at Fulwell WI, Chapman St.
A talk given on behalf of A Hug in a Bag, Cancer Charity
Fulwell Mill circa 1812.
Textile artist Kath Price gives the rug a MOT at her Roker cottage.
Sunderland Museum and
Winter Garden
Back to St. Bede’s at Town End Farm.
The rug was made in the memory of Sylvia Thompson, a tireless fund raiser for
St. Peter’s who had sadly and unexpectedly passed away prior to its completion.
Sylvia campaigned and worked so hard with the church, community initiatives
and in supporting the Traces of Wearmouth project in order to promote St.
Peter’s Church. I believe she would have wanted to have been involved further
with the rug and would like to think that it will be used to help unite the church
groups with the wider community.
If you would like the rug to be brought to your church or group please contact me
at hawaythelads@outlook.com to make arrangements.
If you have never made a hooky mat before click on this link and see how easy it
can be, with the right teacher. Heather is available for demos and workshops,
contact her on 0174 8884435
http://www.stpeters-wearmouth.org.uk/rugmakingevent.html
IAN POTTS WOULD LIKE TO THANK…
St Peter’s Church
St Bede’s Church
Donnison School
Sunderland Antiquarians
St Aidan’s Catholic Academy
Tesco, Monkwearmouth
WI. Chapman St Community Centre
And a special mention to the ladies of the Durham Matters Textile Group
A comprehensive list of all helpers and contributors will be finalised when the
rug is finished.
Music by George Colclough (featuring vocals by Thomas Potts).