And so we come to the lace doilies. These date back either to 1976 and our wedding when we received a gift from the family friends from Malta, the Critiens, or to the set that came our way from Granny, my mother’s mother. I know that in my inventory of goods made a couple of years ago I discovered these two sets of lace doilies buried away in a chest and a drawer.

How easy it is to lose the memory of why materials can have such significance – and how thrilling it was to reconnect with those memories through seeing and touching this lacework again. Maltese ladies had made one set nearly a half-century ago; Granny’s set may have been bought by her – or given to her as a wedding gift; I will never know now. What I did know was that these pieces of lace had become part of my life as an artist and were beckoning to me to make good use of them.

Lunar Lace on Purple was created in January this year. The idea was simple and bold. My artistry and the skills of the lace worker from yesteryear, linked together in an arresting image suggesting the full moon set against the quilted purple. A tactile and visual experience.

My Granny was full of wisdom. She taught me that the response to a moral dilemma should be found in asking yourself ‘What will I best be able to live with when I reflect on these matters at the end of my life.’ Granny also said to me one day in her room, ‘To be a good person, meet with good people’. Simple advice, but a very helpful guide in making the journey through a lifetime.

My Lunar Lace on Purple piece measures 25.5” x 30.5”.