Friday 1 September 2023

CREATIVE ARTISTE MIXED MEDIA - ANYTHING GOES



Welcome to another month's challenge at Creative Artiste Mixed Media.

Some time ago I had an interesting find in a charity shop.  It was a replica package from the British Museum regarding the Suffragettes.  This little packet of treasures sparked my interest -we all have heard of one or two of the ladies who gave so much so that we could benefit years down the line but I don't think we really know that much about what they had to put up with.  It has made for fascinating reading both from the little replica pack and the further research I have been doing.  

I decided I wanted to use this little pack in some way and decided that I would do a set of Suffragette Tags which has some photo images of some of the ladies, who I personally had never heard of.  So let me introduce you to two of them.

Our first tag is of Miss Grace Roe - born 1885 in Surrey England and died in 1979. I am glad she survived to see Women's Votes being given.  She joined the Campaign in 1908 having heard Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel speaking.  The image of her on the tag is from 1914 when she was arrested for being a member of the Women's Social and Political Union and she was imprisoned in Holloway Prison Here she endured hunger strike and forced feeding until there was an amnesty from the Government of the time due to WW1. After the War she opened a opened a bookshop and metaphysical library in Santa Barbara, California. She stayed in close contact with Christabel Pankhurst.






I've used Tim Holtz Tag dies for both of my tags.  The background has been made with Distress Ink and Texture Paste.  I've used the Rosemary Edition by Alison Bomber PapertArtsy stamps to emboss the background with the words and I fussy cut the rosemary sprig.  The Hope embellishment is an old one from my Stash and I've added some calico ribbon.




My second tag shows a lady called Mary Gawthorpe - she was born in 1881 in Leeds, England and died in 1973 in New York. She was a teacher and left teaching to join the WSPU in 1906.  She was arrested many times over the years and eventually left the UK to emigrate to New York City in 1916 where she became active in the American Suffrage movement.


The second tag uses Distress Ink in Milled Lavender, Wilted Violet and Peeled Paint to match the colour of the ticket from the pack.  I've added some texture paste through a brick stencil to represent the brick walls that these ladies faced and also how they built their way to success.  I've used some pieces from Taperlogy also.






These are obviously just very short snippets of what these ladies did but I have found it fascinating and will continue to create some mixed media tags with the contents of the little replica pack.  





4 comments:

Tracey@Hotchpotchcreations said...

What a treasure of a find Fiona and you have made those wonderful courageous ladies stand out even prouder with your inspiring tags. Lovely accompanied with Alison's fabulous stamps, I'm very partial to those myself. I'm sure making these themed tags can be very addictive, you will soon have a grand collection to reflect back on. Wonderous work.
Happy Creative September Hugs TRacey x

Anita said...

Fiona, these are awesome! I love the powerful statements in your tags, and the vintage look. Your backstory and mini-intros makes the tags even more meaningful. I wonder if these women, if they were alive now, would rise up again in the current climate. I look forward to the rest of your tags!

Anke said...

WOW your tags are so beautiful ...

Ina G said...

Love how you have shared with us the story of these two Ladies that we knew nothing about but what powerful women they were. Thanks for telling us this story and how you have done so in a small way with these fabulous tags. Looking forward to the next episode Fiona.