Tina Francis Tapestry

This little heart will be accompanying me over the next few weeks as I take Connect More,my stitch tool that uses the act of shared making to connect, care and communicate, on tour.

Firstly I am taking part Birmingham Public Health Healing Arts Birmingham festival. I’ll be Midlands Arts Centre - MAC on 25th June 3-5

On 26th and 27th June I’ll be providing a quiet space Birmingham Settlement using Connect More to talk and listen about all things local

Moving into July I’ll be Birmingham Museums in the gallery, come along and stitch with me and maybe talk about what you love in the museum.

Everyone who stitches with me will have the chance to also stitch their own heart, either whilst waiting quietly or at home as a reminder of the day.

Connect More was created for me by right here in

Love to this ! we really did create a project with participant equity at its core.

A tapestry we all added to and individual art works.

Loved this project and the care behind it so much.

Hope to work with you all again real soon

The underlying theme for me Birmingham Design Festival

I’ll be today listening to some great talks, running a workshop with and generally having a great time in Analogue District in design centre.

A little throw back from 2021 I’ll be taking this piece (Ownership of an IKEA basket”) along with some other examples of what I’m stitching now.

I’m going to a great talk by “Are we performing monkeys or artists for real change?”, thinking it’s going to give me some serious thinking.

I love this tree, it’s in the middle of the and just gets on with growing year after year.

It brings a smile to my day every time I see this tenacious tree, bringing joy to an industrial part of the city.

I think about this tree a lot especially when the red brick and sky shine bright making a great image.

It’s a week of joy for me as it’s from tomorrow. The festival has been around for a while now but always brings something different. Getting on with it but always growing and looking spectacular.

Come visit! (Link in bio)

This week is all about learning and being interested in people, no different to any other week then!!

From 10-12 June it is a biennial design festival. Last time I talked about process and met some fantastic people along the way. This time I’m running a workshop with and under our collective banner.

I’ll be going to a lot of the talks over the three days, learning what people think of the word Change, this years theme. As a creative practitioner I’m interested in how small changes can create good, I’ll be looking out for these people at the festival.

There’s still time to book on to the workshop “Wasting for Change” link in bio and also to many other festival events

I’ve been commissioned by to bring as part of their involvement in in June.

The festival will include workshops across the city, sandpits on creative health, talks about public and creative health and much more.

I will be stitching, listening and talking using craft as a meeting place.

Image by for

I love using materials that are used in other crafts for stitch.

As resources start to diminish what tools can we share so that our traditional skills continue?

Jewellers will recognise this base material.

Absolutely over the moon with how Louise Deakin has created the Fragments exhibition using care, heart and respect.

On display are the artworks created by participants alongside the communal tapestry. But there is so much more.

The Rest House (just opposite the little parade of shops in Bournville) is a great space to exhibit, it’s light and bright, has a history all of its own and is accessible.

If you are in the area or fancy a little trip over that way do pop along, everything is so well curated. If you are thinking of visiting Selly Manor Museum which is just round the corner there are 4 mystery trails where you take on a character and solve the clues.

Thanks again, Louise it is such a great testimony to everyone who joined in.

Delightful setting for todays stitch workshop