This interview is with Marcia Galvin, who is on Instagram as @craftivistshetland! I love the signs she’s been making and her perspective, I’m sure you will as well!

 

1. What does craftivism mean to you?

Craft + Activism = craftivism, I am using craftivism as a gentle tool for protest, for expression and interaction with the environment.

 

2. How did it get you thinking about making craftivist signs? Why did you decide to do it?

I was lucky enough to meet Sarah Corbett (of the Craftivist Collective) a few years ago when she came to my college as a guest lecturer (I’m a BA (Hons) Contemporary Textile student) and I instantly felt a passion and connection to craftivism, but as usual life got in the way, but it’s always been in the back of my mind, then Trump happened, and I felt so helpless, but just days before the Women’s March in Washington, somebody arranged a sister march in Lerwick, Shetland, and I went along to show solidarity.

The local press did an article about it and it was published online on their Facebook page and I just couldn’t believe the backlash we got from the local community. The majority of the comments mocked us, said we were wasting our time, we were fools, we should do something more important etc, and there were hundreds of comments. I was genuinely shocked that an act of solidarity received such a negative reaction and I admit that I, along with other marchers felt like being quiet for a while.

At the same time as this was happening, I had started to research into the links between making/craft (sewing, knitting, crochet) etc and health and wellbeing, as I have been using hand knitting for personal therapy for a number of years. I turn to sewing, knitting, crochet as a way of reflection/time out/self-soothe and to calm my mind, and somehow things collided! I was thinking about all the wonderful protest signs I had seen on the news, and I was sitting at night stitching and processing my thoughts.

I’d mentioned craftivism to somebody and decided to ‘stitch a message’ so I could visually show them what I meant, and before I knew it I had stitched about 3 messages! It felt right, I was still feeling wounded by the hurtful online comments and this for me, was a way of speaking but remaining anonymous.

 

3. How did making the signs make you feel? Why and how did you pick the quotes?

I love making the signs, I have a huge box of scraps and finally they had a purpose, and felt I had a voice again, and I felt strong, when stitching words I am saying them in my mind, and thinking about their meaning. I decided not to put political messages, I didn’t want to offend people, I wanted to engage them, and I wanted the messages to be simple so that everyone, including children could understand the meanings.

After I’ve made a sign, I get my daughters (aged 14 and 16) to give me feedback, I ask them what their interpretation of the quote/message is, this has been really helpful. The quotes come from everywhere, the internet, the radio, books, and I have lots of quotes from music that I hope to use too, I’m a big fan of Bob Dylan!

 

4. How did you decide where to put them? What was it like placing the first one?

This is probably the toughest challenge I’ve had, the first few times I put them in places where people tend to walk their dogs or on scenic paths, but it’s something I am still constantly thinking about, I placed one sign close the library as I thought about the connection to words, reading and enjoyment. Placing the first one was so exciting, it was such a glorious sunny day, and I took my daughter with me to act as my ‘lookout’, it was lovely to share that moment with someone else.

 

5. What has the reaction been? Internally and/or externally!

I decided to keep quiet about this, but I did set up and Instagram account @craftivistshetland so I could share photos. After a few weeks I started noticing photos on Social Media, Shetland is a small island community, I’ve seen my own friends on Facebook share photos of my signs and ask who is behind this? And how many more are out there? The comments have all been extremely positive and this has been so encouraging, I know I can’t stay anonymous forever (that’s island life!) but it has allowed me to build up a bit of confidence. My hope for the future is that it becomes more a community collaboration, I would love to get together with other likeminded people to craft together, and chat about what is important to us as individuals and as islanders in our community. I love that this is a work in progress and happy to go with what feels right.