Joan Kendall, is a retired social work educator and textile artist of some 40 years. Over a seven year period of caring for her mother with dementia she sought refuge and answers in her textile artwork. As life became ever more defined by her mother’s dementia, her world shrank. Joan was forced to abandon her studio. Angry and frustrated she threw herself into making, weaving, and stitching. Textiles became the antidote to the challenging and emotional work of caring for her mother.
Through her pieces Joan comes to reflect on the construction of a carer. Themes to her work include coming face to face with aspects of her shadow, battles with conflicting emotions, and learning to navigate the shifting mother/daughter relationship. Her work tackles coping with loss and grief, and coming to accept the gifts in the experience.
“Sometimes contained within the work is the energy of what I crave”.
“Sometimes it is an outlet for toxic thoughts and emotions”.
“Sometimes it is the answer to a question I didn’t even know I was carrying”.
Joan’s work is a visual diary of the experience of living with dementia. As well as being works of despair, they are also fragments of survival. Offering a way out of the dark nights of the soul, back into the light. The colourful, slow handwork a testament to resilience and continuity.
“The work that carers do is mentally, physically and emotionally draining. Making helped me find peace and compassion, develop a sense of well being and ultimately made me more resilient”. This exhibition aims to provides insight into the experience of carers and those wishing to become carers.