Studio Notes May - The Heart. Myra & Me.
This heart is assembled from salvaged histories - from eighteenth century and inherited textiles, altered by burial, staining, rust and time and held within, my mothers handmade crochet.
Myra Sykes — Continuing the Journey Into My Ancestors
This ongoing body of work traces the story of my 2nd great grandmother, Myra Sykes.
Across the centuries the heart has carried devotion and presence. My heart is a shape formed by time, touch and memory, rather than sentiment. Describing loss and Prescence. Surfaces showing abrasion, wear residue and age. Stitching tracing lineage between time away. The time that becomes reality Myra, my 2nd. great grandmother. The loss of presence through material, longing, fear and love. A connection to what was - of what is & what will be. Where decay and repair fold into one another - a form that is : intimate, resilient and alive.
Myra’s husband, William Sykes — my 2nd great grandfather — was transported from England to Australia as a convict in 1867. He left behind Myra, who was left to raise their four children as best she could with very little and under difficult circumstances, waiting for a husband she would never see again. The diary William kept and the letters Myra and the children sent, were found during the demolition of the of the old police buildings in Toodyay, Western Australia, in 1931.
As, I continue researching and creating, this project becomes both a personal and historical journey — exploring themes of separation, endurance, memory and the unseen lives carried through generations. I will reveal more of the story as the work progresses….
Journals and notes and how ideas thoughts and flashes turn into artworks
Textile and metal heart. I think this will become another piece in the “Ancestry Yarns series”… Its 3am again and I just wanted to get down the idea before I forget…Maybe go all out with this sculpture and add more of mums little items. I’m thinking I can incorporate her metal tea strainer - either the house shaped one, or the one I remember as a child - Diary notes J.D. 2026
I’ve always found it important to jot things down in journals and art books — ideas, rough drawings, scraps of thoughts, random images or things I notice. A lot of it might not make sense at the time, but looking back over the years, I can see how those small fragments have often lead into future artworks and new directions. It becomes a kind of visual memory bank — a place to collect thoughts before they disappear. I also find it helps clear my mind creatively. Sometimes just sketching or writing something down takes the pressure off having to make a finished work straight away, and later on those pages can spark something completely unexpected.
Often these ideas and notes come to me at any hour, especially during the night when everything is quiet. I call them my “insomniac writings” — half-awake thoughts, images and observations that seem to appear out of nowhere and feel important enough to capture before they vanish by morning.
More journal notes… What if? What am I trying to say with hearts. What if I made the hearts really large? - would this change the dynamics? On a larger scale would it become something else ?… Every element would need to be larger and put together much like this smaller heart. I would imagine, the pieces would be harder to handle and to join together. Let it fill more space so it becomes more prominent and seen. Mostly, it could become more interesting and have more of a presence, if upscaled.
Salvaged Materials
Found, saved, and repurposed materials for artists and makers
Recycling and reusing materials has always been an important part of my studio practice. I’m drawn to objects that carry traces of use, time, weathering, and human touch — things often overlooked or discarded that still hold beauty, history, and creative potential. This collection brings together salvaged studio remnants, found materials, vintage objects, and recycled components that may inspire new artworks, assemblage, sculpture, collage, installation, or creative experimentation. Giving materials a second life not only reduces waste, but opens unexpected creative pathways where memory, surface, texture, and imagination can continue evolving into something entirely new. Perfect for artists and makers interested in reclaimed materials, found objects, sustainability, and transforming overlooked remnants into new creative forms. ( Free Shipping Australia)