We are keen to shine a light on the work of BA (Hons) Fine Art student Josie Carter who explores and questions the responsibility placed on women to “keep safe” within her embroidered work. The detailed pieces remind us of the challenges presented to all women around the world.

We caught up with Josie about her work, read on to find out more!

Tell us about the concepts behind your embroidered photography?

The concept behind my embroidery pieces is to illustrate how texting or contacting your friends on your phone to check they got home safe is so normalised. Especially so with the rise in Femicide, violence against members of the LGBTQIA+ and spiking (which is especially high each year in the UK in September and October because of Fresher’s week).

The text messages my work shows are what friends, family and followers of mine on Instagram have submitted. These embroidery pieces document their nights out and the responsibility which shouldn’t be needed to check your friends got home safe. The images are from when I have either walked alone to meet friends or when it is a group of my friends walking. They are black and white to emphasise the streetlights, it also contrasts with the pink thread. I chose to use pink thread in these pieces because of its links to feminism, women and LGBTQIA+. My use of embroidery is linked to it traditionally being a women’s craft and making it subversive and self-aware.

Tell us more about your collective!

Dandelion Pop Collective, which consists of Anna Tompkinson, Chloe Smith, Harry Fraser, Sophie Coleman and myself. We are all from Level 6 Fine Art at The Northern School of Art, the idea behind the Collective was that during times when we aren’t creating work for the School that we can still work as a group and potentially show work in gallery spaces.

What other projects are you working on?

I’m currently working on projects for the Pineapple Black show ‘It’s Queer up ‘ere’ (04/03/22) which has been organised and curated by Ash Tomlinson, the idea behind the show is to showcase work by gay artists that work locally. I am also working on curating a feminist zine that will feature works by 10 artists in the North East, which will be shown with the artworks at the School’s International Women’s Day Event on 06/04/22. While also creating and experimenting for my Final Major Project which will be shown at the Fine Art Degree Show.

Any advice for new art students?

My advice for studying Fine Art is to be open to new mediums, don’t restrict yourself to one. My practice used to be solely collage, but I felt that certain things were easier to say with embroidery. Your practice doesn’t have to be limited to one medium.

How is The Northern School of Art?

The Northern School of Art has given me lots of opportunities, such as in Level 5 when as part of the module we had to organise, fundraise and curate a gallery exhibition. This gave me the confidence to apply to Open Calls and want to curate my own show/zine.

 You can see more of Josie’s work by heading to @josiecollage on Instagram!