Vicki Aimers

About the researcher

For nearly ten years, I have worked with Cornwall’s heritage sector as a freelance artist organising community events, online content and being the lead artist on several Heritage Lottery and other funded projects. In 2016, I graduated from the University of Plymouth with a BA in Contemporary Creative Practice, followed in 2019, with an MA in Illustration (Authorial Practice) through Falmouth University. I was lucky to gain a place in 2021 on the Citizen Curator Programme organised by the Curatorial Research Centre, exploring museum studies including curation and working with local museums, writers, fellow artists and the Imperial War Museum.

I am based at Krowji Studios in Redruth, Cornwall where I run workshops on a wide variety of skills such as alternative book making, printmaking and narrative stitch, but all with an element of storytelling. Finally, I am the founder of the Palimpsest Project, which is a social media project focusing on fragmented and forgotten female narratives. Two ongoing research projects that have featured on this account have been the eternal plight to search for ‘home’ for the migrant mother and the history of piecework.

Research interests

Forgotten or overlooked historical female stories, authorial illustration, subversive stitch, community and museum engagement, creative writing, archival research, social history, past times such as needlework, quilt making, samplers etc.   

Vicki

PhD abstract

Thesis title

Exploring the Narrative Threads: An Analysis of the Young Makers’ and Educators’ Stories of Cornwall’s Stitched Sampler Collection (1815-1915)

Abstract

My PhD is an investigation into the stories of the young makers and their educators of the county’s archival collection of stitched samplers, and how do these stories relate to issues faced today by the custodians of these textile narratives i.e. museums and local communities.

I plan to collaborate with museums and local community groups to explore these stitched narratives and create new work together in response to my research and our shared memories of education particularly regarding needlework.

My methodology will focus on the writing of Wollstonecraft, de Beauvoir, Ahmed, Butler, Lorde, Barad, Corbett, Parker and Irigaray. This will incorporate themes concerning feminism, education, gender, equality, Craftivism, otherness, new materialism, subservience, obedience and resilience. Through this duality of research and practice, I will create new work informed by this collaborative process.

There has been no previous doctoral research undertaken into to this collection and they have never been used as source of public engagement. Therefore, research into these archival textiles and their stories, along with collaborations with museums and communities, will enable this undiscovered female archive to be illuminated, and in-turn, contribute to original knowledge of both local and national importance.

 

Qualifications

Year Qualification Awarding body
2016 BA Contemporary Creative Practice University of Plymouth
2019 MA Illustration: Authorial Practice Falmouth University

Awards & honours

Year Description
2016 Award from Cornwall College and Krowji for a year’s studio space, professional practice award
2016 Royal Cornwall Museum acquisition of one of my artist books for their permanent collection
2016 Brooklyn Museum, Libraries and Archives acquisition of a collection of handmade zines exploring the life of the writer Mrs Isabella Beeton
2019 Award from MA Illustration (Authorial Illustration), curation award
2020 Award from Gorsedh Kernow for creativity for my work on migrant mothers and their search for home

Areas of expertise

Authorial illustration, artist books, narrative stitch, printmaking and creative writing

Contributions

Contributor and illustrator for the book by the Hypatia Trust ‘Songweavers’ (2021)

Committee membership(s)

Crysede Collective (textiles research)

Professional engagements

Lead Artist on a year long heritage project with Kresen Kernow and the Heritage Lottery Fund exploring issues connected to Cornwall

Vicki
Vicki

Grants & awards

Year Description Awarding body
2024 Grant to run a residency programme at St Ives Library exploring the story of a local woman St Ives Town Council
2024 Grant to run a series of community workshops at Hayle Heritage Centre exploring the story of a local woman AIM and Cornwall Council
2023 Grant to run a community workshop for Cornwall Council’s Forest for Cornwall Cornwall Council
2023 Grant to run a workshop for Kresen Kernow, archive centre FEAST
2023 Grant to run a residency activity at Morrab Library exploring the story of a local woman Cornwall Council
2023 Grant to run a residency programme at Redruth Library exploring the story of a local woman FEAST and Redruth Town Council
2022 Grant to run a residency programme at Kresen Kernow exploring the story of a local woman Cornwall Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund
2017-2022 Various grants to run workshops, projects and online events for Kresen Kernow, archive centre Cornwall Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund

 

 External links