The Sark Tapestry is on display in the island’s new Art Gallery, with those involved hopeful that it will be become a permanent fixture for visitors and locals alike to enjoy.
While the craft’s long term home hasn’t been decided yet, for now it is available for everyone passing through The Avenue to see, with information alongside it about where the idea came from and how the project was started, and seen through to completion.
One of the weavers was Amanda Petrie. She told Express that no one involved knew exactly how much of a long term project they were embarking on when they started work on the tapestry a decade ago.
How it started
Originally the idea of two visiting tapestry weavers, the project has seen Sark residents and tourists all put in stitches to create the completed art work.
Diana Scarth and LouLou Morris thought it would be good to create a tapestry showcasing Sark’s land and seascape, featuring Les Autlets and part of the coast that can be seen from Port du Moulin.
A design was submitted, and accepted and work started in 2015.
Ms Petrie – an artist who lives in Sark – said no one was aware of Ms Scarth’s talent for both tapestry and drawing, despite her previously being a regular visitor to the island.
“Diana Scarth, who did the original drawing had actually been coming to Sark on holidays 20 years. They all knew her, but nobody knew that she was a tapestry weaver and that was what she did. She used to bring different people, relatives, friends, and other people over, and that year, she bought over another tapestry weaver.
“So when we got the design organised, this other tapestry weaver (LouLou Morris) said ‘I have this enormous machine to do the pattern for you’. So there was so much goodwill from other tapestry weavers. It shows that people who visit Sark can help achieve things, with people on the island.”
The original drawings and the printed design for the tapestry are both on show alongside the finished product in the Sark Art Gallery and Museum on The Avenue, but unfortunately Ms Scarth died before the launch event last week.
Ms Petrie said she and others involved with the project contributed so much to it.
This included Weavers Bazaar which sponsored the threads needed in the project thanks to a request made by Ms Petrie, and Sark resident Eric Rogers who made the practice tapestry frames that were used as people learnt to weave and practice.
Ms Petrie said no one living in Sark could weave back in 2015 so another visitor to the island agreed to run lessons.
Hilary Charlesworth has 27 years’ experience in the craft, and she first held an ‘introductory course’ before starting up the first weaving groups.
12 people signed up to the first course and the numbers grew from there, with multiple other people being asked to weave a few stitches over the following decade.
The work progressed
While it has taken ten years to fully complete, Ms Petrie said the Sark tapestry weavers had entered into the project with a shorter timeframe of perhaps just two years in mind.
It was also initially intended to be a winter project – completed behind closed doors during the island’s quieter months.
The growing tapestry was put on display at public events during the summer months, where visitors and residents were invited to learn about weaving and to add a few stitches of their own.
This included both the Seigneur and the Lieutenant Governor and many other people.
“There was so much goodwill from other tapestry weavers,” said Ms Petrie.
“There were people who visit Sark, people on the island, and during the 10 years, we often had events in the summer with the tapestry, and we advertised that we would teach people how to tapestry weave.”
A project of this size costs money but Ms Petrie said there have been many donations, and the tapestry has itself been “more or less self funding” through attracting financial support.
The launch party
The Sark Tapestry was unveiled on August 21 before a crowd of people gathered inside the Sark Art Gallery and Museum.
The guests included people who had placed stitches in the tapestry themselves.
One couple were shy about their involvement, saying they had not done much at all compared to others.
“When I say I was involved, I just put a few stitches,” said one lady.
“(Seeing it finished), it is amazing to see it finally finished. I admire those who stuck with it all the time, because I’m not very creative but I did put in a few stitches.”
Her husband also did some of the tapestry weaving.
“I vaguely remember that I put in a stitch or two, but perhaps someone took them out again afterwards!” he joked.
The Reverend David Stolton, a key figure behind the creation of the new Sark Art Gallery and Museum, has also been a key supporter of the Sark Tapestry.
He said it is “splendid” to have it on display in the Gallery for now, but acknowledged that no decisions have yet been made on its permanent home.
“It’ll certainly be here for a long time,” said Revered Stolton.
“They’re talking about where they should have it, but I think we’re going to have it here certainly for the whole of this summer. It would be nice if we could have it here all the time, but for now it is here.”
Where to see the Sark Tapestry
The Sark Tapestry is on public display at the Sark Art Gallery and Museum, on The Avenue.
The Art Gallery and Museum is ordinarily open for free every day between 10:00 and 16:00.