Gwennaëlle
Gwennaëlle lost her mum to cancer in 2017.
She studied fine art at Central St Martin’s, London.
“I think what I struggle with is that I want to be like her and I don’t know how to without her being here.
Growing up we didn’t have much money, so we had to be creative with things that didn’t cost a lot. Before anything went in the bin Mum would be like ‘do you want this? It’s really nice’ and she would smooth it out. I think the collage element of my work comes from that. Reusing things.
Our kitchen was full of stuff – so hotch potch – bits of art and ceramics; it’s not a fitted kitchen it’s all freestanding antique furniture - it’s got real character and I loved being in that space. It was the hub of the house and I would sit at the table with Mum and make things.
When I first lost Mum I couldn’t do anything, I was grieving so heavily. I was living in the house that I’d grown up in and there was something really nice about sitting at the kitchen table. I sought a lot of comfort just sitting at the table in my usual spot.
Collage is a quiet sort of craft; you don’t need lots of stuff and it’s not technical – you don’t have to count stitches or anything like that - with collage your brain can just go quiet and I think that’s why I really like it, why I connect with it so much.
There’ll be times when I sit and do it and I won’t even stick anything down. It would be interesting to know how many pieces I’ve actually made in my lifetime because it’ll be loads but they’re just non-existent.
I struggle to talk openly about my grief – it usually results in me crying and saying ‘I really miss my mum’ but it feels so much more than that.
I’ve started to realise that making collage is my way of expressing how I feel.
It’s a tool, a really useful way to navigate feelings - that’s what I’m doing, I just don’t do it with words.
I tried writing but it was so naïve and childlike and not expressive of how I feel whatsoever.
Collage is where I feel comfortable, it’s my safe space; it’s always been there.
“Collage is where I feel comfortable, it’s my safe space; it’s always been there. ”
I find a lot of connections in my work – I look for connections because it can give work a certain depth.
I use a lot of domestic type images – I love old baking and cookery books.
I think there’s a connection to females and domestic life – just making and doing with your hands. I’m naturally drawn to this imagery for a reason and I like that it gives it another layer.
I love images of plants and flowers too – images of gardens. There’s always such history with a garden – the seasons changing and the cycle of plants growing; they die, and they flower again it links to life and death and grief so well.
It’s everchanging.
Sometimes I find grief themes, but I don’t need to explain it to people.
You can follow Gwen and see more of her work on Instagram @gwenlmartine
You can also buy her at home collage kits and original pieces via her Etsy page
Written by Faye Dawson