Fragile Threads
Author: Grayson, AFC Ambassador
My name is Grayson. I signed up for Action for Conservation (AFC) Summer Camp because I wanted an opportunity to get outdoors more and improve my knowledge of nature. Through the AFC Summer Camp, I learned a lot about conservation work as well as made some amazing friends. I was excited to continue learning and taking action as part of AFC’s Ambassador Programme.
As part of our Ambassador Consumerism Event, we completed an online workshop about sustainable clothes mending, and we went to Hampton Court Palace. There, Sonia Lee from the Royal School of Needlework (RSN) helped us create artworks that will form part of an RSN exhibition. In this amazing royal setting, Sonia demonstrated a variety of stitches and techniques, like the lazy daisy stitch and embroidery. For my piece, I was inspired by walking along the beach and searching in rock pools during Camp, so I chose to draw a crab as my design.
Going to the beach was really fun because we were able to find a lot of different things that were a bit unusual: cuttlefish bones, crab legs, and pretty seashells. I think my time at Camp let me admire nature and appreciate the small aspects of it even more.
I used old denim fabric as the background of my piece, then stitched down tracing paper with my design onto it. I also liked the variety of colours I was able to use for this picture. Creating art about nature was a very fun way to share my interest in nature, and I found the techniques taught at the RSN very helpful to add a lot of details and different textures to my artwork.
I liked how the workshops provided new skills that I might not have tried before.
It was also very helpful to learn about the different ways to repair or repurpose old fashion. I was inspired by this, and in the future I would love to add embroidery to some of my old clothes. Upcycling fashion means that fewer items of clothing go to landfill, and they are given a new life. This helps to counteract fast fashion.
Using crafts as a form of activism can be very powerful because of the huge range of people it can reach, who will each see their own interpretations of the artworks. It can also be an easier way to make a big impact because of the accessibility of art and crafts. I hope more people are inspired to start using crafts to spread important messages as well, and as a way to tackle fast fashion.
The Ambassador Programme made me realise that there are a lot more things that young people can be doing that are beneficial for the environment, and there are a lot of opportunities that young people should be part of in nature. It’s helped me become more passionate about protecting the planet and more conscious of everyday activities that could be damaging to Earth.