A Catch Up Email to Dab Hands Embroiderers /
The Dab Hands Anatomical Embroidery project gets off to a flying start! /
More than 180 people have signed up to embroider the beautiful anatomical sculptures of hand surgeon and artist, Donald Sammut.
They are 73 members of the Embroiderer’s Guild; 28 young people (11-25) who are receiving education outside of mainstream schools- 13 at Project Inc. Specialist Creative College for neuro-diverse young people and 15 at The New Broadwalk, Salford’s Pupil Referral Units; 68 Medical students and medical practitioners (national and international) and 15 others including local and international artists and Manchester’s Culture Champions.
That means that kit making is the new cottage industry in our house!
And trips to the Post Office are interesting…
Some amazing examples are already being send back to me! Can’t wait to incorporate them into a sculpture of a working hand.
Animating Gary 'The One Armed Potter' Fulton /
Gary Fulton is the only person I know of who throws pots with one hand. Those of you who have ever tried to centre a lump of clay as is wobbles chaotically on a spinning wheel will understand just what an achievement this is. Gary lost the use of his right arm in a motorcycle accident and has learnt to throw, by sheer determination, in the time since his accident. I’m so pleased that Gary has agreed to play a part in Dab Hands!
You can read more about Gary’s story in this BBC interview.
If you want to see more of Gary’s work, please visit his Instagram @OneArmedPotter or Gary’s Facebook page and Etsy Shop.
Gary and I will be working together to create a ceramic zoetrope that will illustrate his hand movements in the act of ‘pulling up’ the clay, one of the trickier parts of throwing a pot. I have pared down this movement to twelve frames. A gif of those frames looks like this:
Zoetropes were forerunners to cinema, dating from Victorian times. They are spinning drums that fool the eye into seeing a series of images as a movement. I can’t wait to add my drawings of his hands to the ceramic zoetrope that Gary has made for the project!
Embroidering Anatomy /
The start of 2021 is all about the anatomical embroidery!
“I am interested in helping you to create an artwork that celebrates the skills and dexterity which are developed when one spends time doing craft activities and how they are reflected, both in movement and skill acquisition, in surgical practice. This part of the project will be based upon the anatomical hand drawings of hand surgeon and artist, Mr Donald Sammut. ”
Please visit the Dab Hands Embroidery page to find out more!
The Dab Hands/Donald Sammut Anatomical Embroidery Kit
Manchester Museum Welcomes Barry Bate /
This article was first published in the Manchester Museum Virtual Advent Calendar on 16th December 2020.
Exploring dexterity and celebrating identity
by Jamilla
Artist in residence Lucy Burscough is currently working with Manchester Museum on Dab Hands. This is a two-year project exploring our relationship with our hands through creative approaches, especially for those whose dexterity has been deeply affected by disease, trauma and medical intervention. A wonderfully profound venture, it is inspiring to know that Lucy has discovered so much in our collections that can form a connection with her subjects. She will capture this through portraits of those taking part, celebrating their identities and incredibly unique dexterous traits.
Towards the end of summer, we were asked by Lucy to arrange a visit for one of her participants, wooden spoon-maker, Barry Bate. Present circumstances have made it a challenge to organise collections visits, however time was of utmost importance for Barry as, quite openly, he shared that he has terminal cancer. As such, I was keen to arrange a session in the Museum’s Collections Studio, during which he could handle and explore wooden spoons from our collections, with his extraordinary hands and inquiring mind.
Barry brought with him his own tools and examples of his work, including the individual stages of creating a spoon, from a single wooden block to a beautifully carved piece. Listening to Barry talk about his craft, the impact his illness has had on his skills, and the complex practice of carving wooden spoons, was inspirational and utterly captivating; something I feel very privileged to have been a part of. His vast knowledge of wood-work was demonstrated through his thoughts on the Museum’s collections. With profound enthusiasm, he discoursed with particularly admiration on the complexities of Japanese tea dredgers. He handled the delicate pieces with care, and utmost respect for their historic significance; describing the intricate techniques that would have been used to create the spoons.
Had it not been for the exhaustion caused by his illness and medication, I feel that Barry could have spoken about his passion for wood-work far beyond the time we had, and I would have listened for hours. The experience and creative talent he communicated in that single session were unquestionably those of a true craftsman. What an honour for the Museum to play a role in Barry’s life-story, and what an incredibly poignant time to be telling that story.
Jamilla Briggs
Images: Barry Bates, craftsman and wooden spoon spoon-maker, in the Collections Studio, Manchester Museum
Dab Hands : Corinne Hutton /
One of the joys of working on Dab Hands is the opportunity to talk to fascinating people about their relationship with their hands. Two such people are Professor Simon Kay of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, who led the team that performed the UK’s first double hand transplant, and the recipient of those hands, quadruple amputee Corinne Hutton. Those conversations led to the creation of this film in which Corinne shares her experiences of living with transplanted hands. I’m sure you will come away from seeing the film with a feeling for Corinne’s tenacious resilience which she has channelled not only into her recovery, but also into creating a charity, Finding Your Feet, which supports fellow amputees. Please consider making a donation to contribute to its sterling work by visiting Finding Your Feet.
Dab Hands at Home #2 /
Carving, Just Carving in the Rain
Dab Hands, otherwise in residence at the Manchester Museum, remains under lock-down so over the last few weeks I have been cracking on with painting from the sofa and woodcarving outside, in glorious sunshine one minute, and torrential rain the next. This British summer, after a beautiful spring, is nothing if not changeable.
The carving has been a joy and I have learned loads, exploring which blades to use for each curve and just how sharp they need to be to work well. Sharpening has become a bit of an obsession, as has discovering the language and tools of the wood-carver: ‘skew’, ‘sloyd’, ‘riffler’ and (one for the surgeons) ‘veiner’, are particular favourites!
The carving I am working on is of my partner Gee’s hand, holding one of his growing collection of succulent plants. It originally started life as a practice piece, but I have decided to include it in the Dab Hands exhibition, which will take place at Manchester Museum in 2022. I came to that decision as I realised that the sculpture tells a story very particular to the time it was made: of battling the lock-down blues by communing with nature, gardening and nurturing house plants. These pastimes are where so many of us have found solace and a boost to well-being during the time of Covid 19, furloughs and social bubbles. Gee assures my son Alf and I that he is not just staring at his plants, but watching them, and there’s a difference.
For the portrait, Gee chose to hold a cutting of a crassula cultivar, ‘Morgan’s Beauty’. It is a beautiful plant with vertical repetitions of its four leaf form, which reminds me of the stacked hands of children playing ‘one potato, two potato’. I hope to show the sculpture alongside images from the museum’s wonderful Herbarium collection.
Work in progress: Gee’s Hand with Crassula, English lime.
Painting Sue
I have also been working on a painting of Sue Peel, a regular at my Maggie’s Manchester Facing Out and Hearty Arts craft workshops, who has become a good friend over the past few years. Sue’s portrait is of her making some macrame, one of the workshops that went particularly well- they are always fun when Sue is around!
I asked Sue to be part of the project because she was born with a number of physical problems, including clenched fists that required physio to open up. She was left with limited mobility in her left hand but really enjoys crafting and particularly loves the social life that comes with crafting together. Sometimes Sue’s hand means that she finds some elements of the activities challenging, but she has lived a life of challenges and is a wonderful woman in spite of, and I suspect because of, all the challenges that she has experienced.
Work in progress, ‘Sue Making Macrame’, Oil on linen
Sue was kind enough to write about her physical challenges for this project:
I was born with Spina-Bifida which means my spinal cord didn’t develop properly in the womb, Scoliosis which is an S shaped curvature of the spine, a club foot and my hands in a fist like position. The scoliosis restricted some movement in my left arm. From birth my Mum and Nan did a lot of physio on the hands to uncurl them. It was noticeable that my left hand wasn’t quite right in that my thumb always sat inwards and the movement wasn’t as fluid. At just under 2 years old I had an operation on my club foot to fuse it as I was walking on the inside of my foot. Apparently even when I was in plaster cast I walked upstairs and rode my trike so my parents and grandparents knew I was going to be trouble! I also had some spine surgery to try to slow my curvature and release my shoulder then had to wear a Milwaukee back brace.
I was encouraged to do everything that my older brother did at my age which I am very thankful for. We climbed trees, ran around, roller-skated, played knock and run and generally tumbled around. I dressed myself including putting shoes on and tying laces. The noticeable thing was I had a wonky back and a bit of a limp!
I had to go for regular check ups for my spine curvature as it was getting worse and affecting my lungs. There was an operation they did to fuse the spine at age 14 but I was only coming to the age of 10 when my parents were requested to consider me having the surgery as they felt I may not make it to my 11th birthday without surgery. A few months after my 10th birthday I had my spine fusion surgery. It didn’t quite go to plan because my left leg was paralysed and I lost sensation to my left side and was unable to control my bladder. But I was alive!
I spent almost 4 months in hospital and I was sent home with a full length leg calliper and in plaster cast from my head to my bum. I worked hard with physio and soon got rid of the calliper walking with a rollator. I went from the plaster cast to 2 years in a moulded plastic body brace. I was now realised I was restricted in a different way, unable to bend or twist my spine, unable to duck and still restrictions using my left arm. I did manage to get back on my feet with splints and used crutches sometimes and a wheelchair sometimes.
Age 17 I started having problems with extreme pain in my right leg (the club foot leg). After numerous trips to A&E were unsuccessful I had an appointment with my hospital consultant and he gave me an ultimatum… Use a wheelchair permanently or look into below the knee amputation and use a prosthetic limb. I chose the wheelchair, it’s not the best leg in the world but it’s mine and I probably wouldn’t be on my feet much longer anyway. I don’t think I had realised how restricted my left arm and spine made me until I couldn’t just jump out of the wheelchair or climb in the same way as before. I knew my hand restricted me using a knife and fork but didn’t really take on board its limitations until I came up against obstacles.
I started going to Maggies Manchester November 2017 with my friend to support her as her mum was being treated at the Christie and she thought it may be good for me too because I had had a tough couple of years. On our first day we joined a craft session with Lucy.
Sue, giving her Lady Liberty with her hand-made origami star.
I’m so pleased that Sue agreed to become the first Dab Hands portraiture subject. She is such a star! Thanks Sue!
Notes on plans that are afoot…
-I spoke recently to Prof. Simon Kay (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Kay), consultant plastic surgeon at Leeds. He has performed the first UK full hand transplants and is also Director of Medicine at The Thackray Medical Museum. He will be putting me in touch with some of his patients so I may request that they become portrait subjects.
-I have also spoken to Donald Sammut, hand surgeon and artist (based in Bath) about his use of drawing in his practice. He speaks beautifully about 'the dance of the hands' (see the first bit of https://youtu.be/a9m35utiPd0?t=90 ) and he’s happy to be involved with the project’s engagement programme, talking to medical students or the general public. He suggested that the project needs more movement of the hand so am considering working on a drawn animation. I will be painting his hands as he makes a drawing of a patient's hand and will travel to Bath for a seminar/anatomy workshop in February if it goes ahead. Donald has made a programme for BBC4 about the anatomy of the hand which looks fantastic. I am waiting for it to be repeated! https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/5MZvtQvLHd1Q8zyMD38wrJl/hand-surgeon-donald-sammut
-I was contacted by a recently qualified medical student Shahjahan Aslam, who is an aspiring hand surgeon and was Student Chair of Surgery at Stoke. He is very enthusiastic about being involved and very happy to help however he can. He will teach me suturing and hopefully help with the micro-embroidery workshops and the 'in recovery' painting (see below). He told me that the largest international conference for Hand Surgery takes place in June 2022 in London (good timing for the exhibition!) https://www.ifssh-ifsht2022.co.uk/
- 'In Recovery' painting: I’m thinking about the outrage that occurred when some of my paintings which were on display in a hospital were punched through by a disgruntled patient. Imagining the internal outrage when one’s actual hand is damaged. I’m thinking about making a beautiful portrait of a hand, damaging it then working with both conservators and medical students to repair it with surgical and conservation techniques. The process will be documented with photography/film and shown alongside the finished, 'repaired' piece.
-I’m trying to learn the anatomy of the hand. It’s hard.
All very enjoyable but looking forward to talking to people in the Manchester Museum as I work. Am gathering fascinating snippets from all of the above which need sharing!
Dab Hands at Home #1 /
Having received funding from the National Lottery and Arts Council England, Dab Hands is launching, like much of the world’s current activities, from a quieter, more domestic setting than was originally envisioned! Rather than surrounded by the myriad of wonders housed at Manchester Museum, and chatting with its visitors as I work, plans are instead being hatched from my sofa, with more input from the skinny dogs than from the general public.
Take a look at the project’s intro page to get an overview of the variety of activities that are planned. In the meantime, I will be working at home to create the first portraits - I have some wonderful sitters lined up and can’t wait to share the portraits with you as they get underway!
Despite the quiet start, I feel incredibly lucky to be well and embarking on a funded project when so many artists and craftspeople find their work and worlds upended by the whirlwind that is coronavirus. Barry Bate, a wonderful woodworker and spoon carver, who will be Dab Hands’ first portraiture subject, reminded me when we chatted on the phone late last week, that for many artists and craftspeople, it should be now that work is picking up after the post-Christmas lull, and a summer without craft-fairs and festivals doesn’t bear thinking about. If you want to help, it may be worth considering sending gifts, or buying home-ware and even face masks from local makers on sites like Etsy.
I am having some fascinating conversations with the museum’s curators and project collaborators to make sure that, when the project does take up residence in Manchester Museum, there will be loads to share with you and its visitors. I’m really looking forward to talking with Deputy Head of Collections and Curator of Living Cultures, Stephen Welsh next week. When I first started working with Manchester Museum it was Stephen who gave me a fascinating tour of the stored collection. His passion for the objects, respect for the craftspeople who made them and willingness to ask difficult questions relating to the morality of owning a ‘post-colonial’ collection really struck a chord. He will be telling me about the Nigerian spoons that are in the museum’s collection, relating to Barry the spoon-maker’s participation as a portraiture subject. Stephen has also suggested that we look at North American and South African bead-work which requires a great deal of manual skill to create. I think that some of the project’s take-away dexterity challenges might end up a bit beady!
When the museum reopens, Dab Hands will be setting up studio on the third floor, just opposite the cafe, so please pop by to say hello!
Yesterday I kicked off the Dab Hands outreach programme with a really enjoyable question and answer session conducted online with Manchester University post graduate students who are taking a health communication module lead by medical historian, Elizabeth Toon. Most of the group were from the Science Communication MSc, while others are studying medical humanities. They were a lively group with lots of questions and it was a pleasure to talk to them about communicating medical narratives through art. One of them even offered to help me with learning how to suture- what a bonus! If this experience was anything to go by, Dab Hands is going to be a full of fascinating chats and exciting surprises. Can’t wait to crack on. Next up, directing a remote photo-shoot online!