In October 2020, as part of Mothers Who Make Devon, Lizzy Humber invited Sophia Clist - A Devon Mother, Artist and Theatre Designer to collaborate with 8 mother artists from the South West and around the UK to explore a new online version of the live performance and installation artwork Hands Full. The mother artists took part in a 5-week online making and performance ensemble. Together we explored paper sculpture and devising for performance using autobiographical material on the subject of motherhood. As with all MWM events children were welcome to attend the workshops, rehearsals and the performance. The work was adult centred but our children were invited as collaborators when they were interested to take part in the process. The performance was recorded in real time on Zoom.
Hands Full Ensemble:
Meditations on Motherhood
A performance improvisation
What stories can a stack of blank paper tell? Using soundscape, song, movement, sculpture and poetry, mother makers give their raw and immediate response to what it means to be a mother and a maker today, and how to hold those - and many more things - in the hands and in the home.
Credits:
The Ensemble:
Sebastiane Brewer - mama, maker, creative artist, performer, storyteller, alchemist of Attic Apothecary, & designer of wild ideas
Sophia Clist -mother, artist, theatre designer
Kate Darach - mother of boys, maker, theatre practitioner, percussionist, poet, hat juggler, magpie of dreams
Laura Free - mother, performer, storyteller, teacher and writer
Joanna Jowett - mother, writer, artist, producer and co-director of COPY - artists publishing platform
Mila Oshin - mama, singing poet, composer, lecturer, curator, filmmaker, home educator, half of artist duo Drunk With Joy and co-director of Digital Institute of Early Parenthood (DIEP)
Karla Shacklock - solo mumma, maker, mover, groover, lecturer, movement director and seeker of the extraordinary in all things ordinary
Katie Storer - mother, theatre maker, artist, writer
Sarah Winn - mother, actor, theatre curator, artist, writer
With Lizzy Humber - mother, artist, producer and live Zoom editor
Sound Score:
Kate Darach and children – audio looping
Melanie Wilson - multi-disciplinary performance maker – closing soundscape
Directors:
Sophia Clist - Lead Artist
Lizzy Humber - Co-Artistic Director of Mothers Who Make
Producer:
Lizzy Humber as part of Mothers Who Make Devon pilot
Big Thank yous:
Outside Eye and Wisdom: Matilda Leyser - Mother, Writer, Theatre Maker, Associate Director with Improbable and Co-Artistic Director of Mothers Who Make
Film Support: Sarah Vaci - Mother, Artist
Sound Advice: Nick Burge - Sound Artist
Inspiration, Courage and Consultation: Mole Wetherell - Reckless Sleepers
Supported by Arts Council England
Further Credits:
Hands Full original performance and installation conceived and designed by Sophia Clist.
Original performance commissioned by Fuel as part of Phenomenal People.
