01905936025
Quilting Tales
The story of the Diaghilev Coat
Imagine this my creative friends
The villa of Picasso in the South of France.
A lively, almost riotous and colourful gathering of the most prominent creative pleasure seekers and thinkers of the early 20’s.
Artistic discussions by many of the artists of the Avant-garde can be heard. Musicians, painters, artists. writers, poets, all experimental and innovative, they push the boundaries within their specific art disciplines.
In walks Diaghilev, the flamboyant impresario of the Ballet Russe. Accompanying him is his Muse – a stunningly beautiful adventurous woman from a wealthy background. The room goes quite as she strolls into the crowd. They are all transfixed not least with her beauty but at the coat that adorns her shapely body. Gasps and expletives can be heard from the lips of the very best creative minds of the era. Suddenly the crown burst into a noisy applause at the wonder of the garment before them.
Diaghilev smiles, Picasso draws him aside and offers him a glass of absinth.
Diaghilev says, “Come and sit my good friend and let me tell you of the story of the coat”
“Recently I happened upon a mermaiden sitting on the rocks in the Aegean Sea. She was a thing of beauty with glowing burnished golden hair and a manner to stun any red-blooded man, she was covered in what I can only be described as a coat fashioned from corals, sea weeds, and fishy scales. Depicted on the surface of this special cloth were the flora and fauna of the watery underworld. She tells me the garment had been created by the dressmaker to the Queen of the Seas, Amphitrite, and that she has borrowed it for a fleeting trip to the upper world”.
We sat for several hours talking, recalling and discussing our different lives in separate worlds. As she laughed at a quip I had said, I knew I had fallen hopelessly in love with this adorable creature. But alas I also knew that it would be an impossible future for us both. We lingered on a kiss and as our tears flowed, she was gone- disappearing back into her watery world. I sat for a while considering that I may have imagined all that has gone on in the past hours of my life. About to walk away I spied a small scrap of cloth that had been caught in the swirling rock pool at my feet. It was at this moment I knew that a new ballet was to be born. One that told the story of the sea and the land, to encompass all of the creatures that lived there – a surreal world of colour and fun, frolics and furbelows. The coat of my Muse is the beginning of an adventure in spectacular dance, inspiring music and outrageous costume.
“Feast your eyes Picasso and study the skirt where you will see all manner of fishy things. Sea horses galloping. Sea urchins smiling out of the flowers. Fish teas at four o’clock”
“Yes, Yes I see all of those things and much more my creative fellow” exclaims Picasso as he pours yet another glass of the green potent drink for each of them. “I do see all of those amazing motifs but what of the numbers Serge, what significance are they?”
Diaghilev smiled and with a wry look commented “You know nothing for such an intelligent man Pablo. They are of course representations or choreographic devices, musical scores, orchestral instruction - crotchets and quavers, Think of it as the paint for the colour of music! Painting by numbers Pablo, just painting by numbers!!!”
“Do you see the chocolate sardines? What a ridiculous thing they are my drinking companion. And have you spied the fish and chips among the poker game? There are yachts and boats that sail from place to place and of course there are Plaice – and Cod – and Sole – and Mackerel. Have you spotted the huge and majestic Fish Cake and what do you make of the Fish Fingers? Oh, and the pom poms are merely a mermaid’s plaything”
The bells represent the tinkling of ice as a ship ploughs and crashes through the frozen surface. The measure talks of Jules Verne and his epic tale of 10,000 Leagues under the Sea. Imagine the triangles as the huge mountains that lay sleeping in the depth of the great oceans, waiting for some brave intrepid explorer to discover. Oh, and speaking of explorers let’s remember the brave Captains and sailors on their sailing ships coursing the waterways of the world finding new lands where elephants, tigers and monkeys resided. Such a wonder Pablo, to come upon new things, exciting discoveries, to find new life in this rich world of ours. Oh, and look, look - the enormous wooden buttons have been cut from the masts of sailing ships that have succumbed to the wrath of Neptune who cast them to a watery grave, buried in the sands of Davey Jones locker”
“Now concentrate on the top half or the coat. You will see plants and foliage from the sea, sea grasses and leaves. Watch carefully and see them sway and swirl and meander around the rocks and undergrowth of the sea bed. In the elegant sleeves you will notice the bottles and bags lost to the briny sea, perhaps fallen from the decks of vast ocean liners or slipped from the grips of drunken sailors?"
“I am nearing the end of my tale now my friend, just one more interesting explanation to reveal, and yes I will partake of another glass of absinth please dear fellow, if you join me. In life, just as in the sea, there is flotsam and jetsam, a tumbleweed of possessions that make up our existence. Property and artefacts that belong to us and tell others who we are. Decorating the lapels of the costume are the relics of treasures found from a sunken pirate ship captained by the infamous 17th century female pirate Charlotte de Berry the poor daughter of an English fisherman. Special things, badges, brooches, a corsage, a timepiece, mementos of past lives kept by a female treasure hunter and collector of such stuff. Items that inspire and fascinate. Articles that tell stories Pablo – just like all of us artists do with our work”.
Both men sat and pondered for a while, their thoughts mingled by absinth until Diaghilev said; “This magical coat is a story of love and passion, a combination of cloth, colour utilising character and techniques. A ballet, don’t you agree Picasso? "
“Oh, I whole heartily agree my dearest friend. You are a master storyteller, a painter of tales. What a fascinating and absorbing allegory you weave Serge, but tell me I must know, is it true about the Mermaid.?” Frowning Picasso finally said “Or is it just the absinth talking?"
Laughing Diaghilev said “That is for me to know and the world and you to wonder my friend - but if you look at this you might just find the answer."
Picasso was handed a sleek and shimmering piece of fabric!
Sally Hutson c
A clean house is the sign of a broken
sewing machine.
2025 here we come!
Utoxiter show 25-27 April
Utoxiter race course
Malvern spring show 15-18 May
Slimbridge Exhibition with Art 2 Stitch 16 July -12 Oct
An exhibition by a collabaration of artists Art 2 Stitch
Festival of Quilts Birmingham 31 July- 3 Aug
Alexandra Palace 9 -12 Oct
Malvern Autumn Show 17 -19 Oct
Harrowgate 20 -23 Nov
