Documentary Process Weaving Vow

Weaving Vow was created from my visit to the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life in Castlebar, Co. Mayo. I was moved by the community spirit of the people and their faith in rituals and myths to keep their spirits alive. The unity of the community was an important element in the labour of the people, which were skills shared amongst each other. This shared ritual of craftsmanship was passed on through the community and generations, it was in essence a way of survival, at a time where materials, food and wealth were scarce. I was particularly fascinated by their resourcefulness of using vernacular material to create everyday objects. Hay is an example of a vernacular organic material being used as many dierent disciplines, it has been displayed in various forms such as; chicken coops, thatched roofs and cribs. For my project I wanted to focus on Irish vernacular materials such as linen and wool to create household objects. “Weaving Vow” is a table light centre piece that provides an atmospheric sacred space for a person, or community to come together. I wanted to keep a rustic feel to the piece which weaving in raw linen provided. I kept the steel bent rods exposed as I felt polishing them would take away from their natural state. Adding the delicate fairy lights created a warm softness to the centrepiece which provides an ethereal mystical experience to the piece.