Mind to Stitch Talk

Mind to Stitch Talk – Textiles, Memory and Wellbeing

Join us for a special in‑conversation event bringing together textile artist Rachelle Francis and artist, writer and researcher Dr Claire Wellesley‑Smith, exploring the powerful connections between making, memory and wellbeing.

Currently exhibiting in My Voice Are My Hands at the Front Room Gallery, The Beaney, Rachelle Francis will share the deeply personal story behind her practice. The talk traces her journey of uncovering her late mother Diana’s archive of artwork and the moving posthumous collaboration that emerged from it. At its heart is a story about creativity, care and the role of making in sustaining wellbeing.

Dr Claire Wellesley‑Smith’s work sits at the intersection of textiles, heritage and community wellbeing. She is the author and editor of Slow Stitch: Mindful and Contemplative Textile Art (2015) and Resilient Stitch: Wellbeing and Connection in Textile Art (2021), both published by Batsford, and creator of Stitch Journal, a daily reflective stitching practice now in its tenth year.

Together, Rachelle and Claire will discuss the therapeutic and connective qualities of working with textiles in both personal and social contexts. The conversation will explore the often‑surprising wellbeing impacts of stitching within communities, how textiles support their own creative lives, and how personal stories like Diana’s continue to inspire others to sew, create and express their lived experience.

The talk will be facilitated by textile artist Shelly Goldsmith MA RCA, Emerita Reader, whose practice is shaped by long‑term collaborations with Psychiatry and Forensic Science professionals. Shelly has received awards from Arts Council England and the Wellcome Trust, and her work is held in major public collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum and The Whitworth.

Visitors are strongly encouraged to see the My Voice Are My Hands exhibition at the Front Room Gallery before attending the talk.

Income from ticket sales supports the With & Without Diana workshop programme, working with charities across Kent, Dover and Medway.

Spaces are limited – booking essential.

CONTENT WARNING: this event includes discussion of grief, bereavement, memory and emotional wellbeing.

Follow the artists on Instagram:
Rachelle Francis – @with_and_without_diana
Claire Wellesley‑Smith – @cwellesleysmith
Shelly Goldsmith – @shellytippingoldsmith