Folk lore and rituals
Meeting internet archaeologist Erin Jackson Raynes- a new artist to our events
Hello,
life lately
I hope you had a beautiful long weekend. I soaked up the sun wandering through Sharrow on Saturday, with an Eve’s kitchen doughnut to go and headed to the lovely new nursey from Greystones in millthorpe picking up two dahlia’s all leafy and beyond that tuber bit, which i seem to be terrible at nurturing, fingers crossed this year I have tons of Cafe au lait living there best flowery life. When you’re in the city (sheffield in my case) and its bustling isn’t that feeling just incredible, Sharrow is full of indie’s and it just completely fills my cup. Did you see that post on instagram about ‘if we spend £20 more a week on small business’, over big corporations it would add 29 Billion annually to our local economies” an absolute mic drop from the Re:Directory .
summer festival countdown
and on that note our Summer Festival will be blissfully independent,I’ve gathered 50 gorgeous artist/maker/crafter/shop owner’s, to share their work, and Victoria and Mowbray will be creating a seasonal menu and fresh bakes in house with local produce. It’s a save the whole day not just the date, with the cafe opening from 9am, market at 10.30 and closing at 4pm, there’s even a BBQ and alfresco bars, plenty of seating, and perfect for catching up with friends.
We’re just 12 days away ( Sunday 7th of June, depending on when you read this) It’s a little different to usual with advance tickets being £2, and on the day tickets being £3, so I’m softly suggesting to grab one in advance, it also guarantee’s entry. find them here on The Victoria’s event page.
Meeting internet archaeologist Erin Jackson Raynes- a new artist to our events - joining us this summer
My practice explores themes of folklore, ritual and tradition through archival imagery, and I like to work with a mix of contemporary and traditional craft to showcase the weird and the wonderful things that I find.
I’m a printer and bookbinder by profession and I’ve been printing my own books for the last 12 years. I make all of my books myself and I love every part of the book making process, from the intensity of the research to the freedom of the design, to the mathematical precision of printing and the therapeutic repetition of binding.
I like to work with historic artwork and texts that are in the public domain, and look to reanimate them through research and reproduction. I see my work as a facilitation of these materials, making them easier to discover and explore for others. Contemporary book arts creates a space for me to process my ideas, and allows me to bring niche subjects and content to new audiences.
New ideas for a book usually start when I come across a little nugget of information that I find intriguing. This could be a new fact or a new word, a story of something weird or a rumour of something mysterious, traditions long forgotten or rituals reemerging in new ways. Inspiration can come from all over — folk tales, archeology, architecture, fashion, textiles, interior design, traditional craft, astrology, religion. I feel most drawn to material that highlights social and community history, how we might see ourselves in that history, how stories can connect people across time, and how that might inform or reflect the way we live now. I guess the common thread that runs through my work is the idea of preserving ideas and knowledge that I think shouldn’t be forgotten.
My primary sources for material are digital archives, really old blogs, reddit pages, going through hashtags. I have recently been describing my practice as that of an ‘Internet Archeologist’. I just love the process of scouring an archive to see what could be there. There’s something about discovering a long-forgotten image or phrase or symbol in the dusty back corridors of a museum’s online collection that drives my love of the research and the need to share it — the thrill of the chase and the sweet victory of finding an original source or high definition image that might have otherwise remained buried in the digital depths.
The process for designing a book is different every time. Sometimes it feels immediately visual and I can picture every detail, sometimes the ideas literally come to me in a dream (must spend a bit too much time thinking about books), and sometimes I have to put the project down a few times before I can get all the pieces to fit together. As much as possible though I like to let the subject matter lead me on the look and feel of the book, as well as the materials, print processes, binding styles etc. This could exploring historically accurate forms of the book, using paper that evoke a certain feeling or using typefaces specific to a certain time period. For example, Black Shuck (2024) explores the legend of the demon dog of East Anglia which appeared one night in a church with a clap of thunder, only to tear through the congregation and kill two worshippers. The book incorporates a tactile, almost furry paper stock as the cover, and sections printed on bible paper to provide a physical connection to the materials that those worshippers would have been holding on that fateful night.
Discover Erin’s collection on Sunday 7th June, at Victoria, for the @endlesslovecreative Summer Festival 🎟️ entry £2 in advance here
and find there work online here
Workshop’s at the festival (selling fast)
Hand Printed Wrapping Paper Workshop with Izzy Williamson - 10.30am - 12.30pm - 📍 Victoria - £45 🎟️ here
Book Binding Workshop with Clementine from Concrete Nature Studio - 11.30 - 12.30pm - 📍The Mowbray - £35 🎟️ here
Corn Dolly Workshop With Lu from Braided Grain - 2pm - 4pm - 📍Victoria - £30 🎟️ here
Hope you have a lovely rest of the week, Wednesday i’m off to see Natalie to get photo’s of Victoria and The Mowbray, cute photo booth pictures incoming.
Char