Lois Blackburn

2020-2022

Lois’s quilt A Necklace of Stars, is a collaboration with isolated, housebound older people in Derbyshire. It is currently touring in venues across Derbyshire. (see below for details) The embroidered quilt, is on the theme of the night sky. Writer Philip Davenport creating a series of poems, and musician Matt Hill, a song soundtrack.

The embroidered quilt was the project centerpiece, evoking childhood bedtime stories and song; safety, comfort, protection: a portal into dreaming. Lullabies bring calm and comfort, but also tell insightful stories that pass onward human experience from generation to generation.

Poet Philip Davenport led creative writing. He worked with singer songwriter Matt Hill. Matt Hill devised melodies, arrangements, and further lyrics for the new lullabies. Lullabies are deceptively simple carriers of complex messages. They pave the road to sleep and the magic carpet of dreaming, but they bring danger too. “When the bough breaks, the baby will fall.” A catalogue is available in digital form. It was designed by Lois for the touring exhibition. It shares images of the quilt, poems, and lullabies.

A Necklace of Stars, is supported by Arts Council England, Arts Derbyshire, DCC Public Health and Derbyshire County Council Home Library Service.