Introductions

Hello there! Come on in and have a look around. My name's Shonagh and I'm an artist from Bolton, Lancashire, where I live with three kids and a never ending pile of washing. Which is part of the reason I am so excited to be one of six artists commissioned by Quiet Down There to collaborate with laundrette staff and customers to tell the stories of these everyday amazing places. 

Washing, and dirty laundry, has been kinda my thing for the last few years. It might seem like a strange focus for an art practice but I'm really interested in what it can reveal about social class and gender, and for me it's the things we take for granted as ordinary that tell us the most about ourselves. In 2018 I interviewed a group of women about the most precious thing they cleaned and the resulting stories were beautiful descriptions of love demonstrated through everyday acts of care. The artwork I created in response is currently on display in the Harris Museum and Art Gallery in Preston, check it out on the virtual tour here: https://www.theharris.org.uk/product/more-tnorth/. I've also been doing an online project for Heart of Glass in St Helens which is all about reinterpreting washing labels as self care instructions, if you want to know more and maybe even join in you can find that project here:  https://www.instagram.com/care_instructions_heartofglass/

Back to the subject at hand, I am fascinated by the laundrette as a space that not only serves a commercial/practical function but also (at least in my experience) acts as a hub for the community, a gathering place where it is socially acceptable to talk to strangers while you pause, and wait, in an otherwise hectic and divided world. This leads to interesting encounters and unexpected interactions and oh the stories... I can't wait to get my teeth into this one!

At this stage I don't know what form the finished artwork will take, but I'm really looking forward to the conversations and collaborations that will shape where the project goes from here. I'll be sharing the work as it develops on this blog so please do join me on the journey, and remember your comments and feedback are always very welcome.

Take Care

Shonagh

Illustrations by Eleanor Finlay-Christensen for Quiet Down There. For more information visit http://www.quietdownthere.co.uk/