Jemima Fisher has been a practicing artist since graduating from Falmouth Art College in 1995.
She studied a degree in Fine Art Sculpture where she learned a large range of skills and techniques. From there Jemima went into community arts in the North East of England, working in schools, running workshops and working collaboratively on large scale temporary sculptures in sand and fire. It was an exciting time!
Jemima has always strived to be creative, whether it be painting, printmaking, casting, small wire sculptures, portrait work or, more recently, textiles, despite time restraints with other work commitments or being a full time mother.
Skylark Urns is a relatively new venture for Jemima and they are perfect pieces for our new textile exhibition, FIBRE
However, the idea behind them began a few years ago after she was making a fabric coiled vessel to hold her mother’s ashes following her death. You can read more about this on Jemima’s Skylark Urn website.
Skylark Urns are beautiful, contemporary textile pieces which combine art and craft, form and function, with an added environmental awareness. Each piece has a strong sculptural and aesthetic presence whilst being technically challenging. The urns blend new and recycled and repurposed fabrics and, upon request, be made completely biodegradable for burial.
Although these urns are made entirely from textiles, the process ensures they are strong and hold their shape well. The flexibility of colour, form and bird design means each and every one is different and unique and can be custom made to order. Some people have purchased a pre-made Skylark Urn because the colours and style really spoke to them, with a view to their ashes residing in the urn at some point in the (hopefully distant) future!
As previously mentioned, the first urn Jemima made was to hold her mother’s ashes in 2012, whilst living near Hebden Bridge; from this starting point she has developed a range of elegant and ornate urns.
The addition of the birds came about due to their symbolism of the journey of the soul after death, throughout history and across cultures. Jemima’s background is in Fine Art Sculpture and she has always enjoyed textiles, sewing and fabric; skills passed down to her by my mother. These urns combine Jemima’s Fine Art background with traditional craft.
This textile exhibition, FIBRE, hosted by Heart Gallery is the first time Skylark Urns have been exhibited formally, and it feels right that this should happen in their birth place.
The ethos behind the show perfectly describes Jemima’s urns and what she hopes to achieve by making them; turning a very traditional and sombre functional object into something which is contemporary, vibrant and beautiful.
Call in to see Jemima’s beautiful urns soon. All urns are handmade with love and care, and each and every one is unique – just like the person who has sadly passed away. To be able to pay tribute to such a special person is important; like a celebration of that person’s life.
