Welcome
T A F I E : TEXTILES, ART & FASHION FOR INTROVERTS & EMPATHS
In the words of Tom Rosenthal
They say it's a matter of time
A thousand days & the sun won't shine
Before I come back to you
A Unique & Inspirational Creative Arts Programme
Joanne Carroll- Director of Creative Arts at HMP Holme House
Joanne Carroll is the Director Of Creative Arts at Fuzzy Bridge Ltd.
Her unique studio
m a i s o n m a k e - d o , is currently based at HMP Holme House, Stockton on Tees, and specialises in providing unique creative wellbeing services to the Ministry of Justice & Government Sectors.
The TAFIE course is designed specifically for introv
Joanne Carroll is the Director Of Creative Arts at Fuzzy Bridge Ltd.
Her unique studio
m a i s o n m a k e - d o , is currently based at HMP Holme House, Stockton on Tees, and specialises in providing unique creative wellbeing services to the Ministry of Justice & Government Sectors.
The TAFIE course is designed specifically for introverts who often prefer more solitary activities and an environment where they can recharge their creative energy through art.
Throughout the last two years of TAFIE course delivery, we are very much aware of the development of our empathetic nature as tutors and learners through sharing our stories and expressing our feelings and emotions through art, especially textile art.
Some might say that TAFIE has blossomed into a truly wonderful space for those who want to develop their creative experiences, with a view to continuing this personal practice when released into the community.
· Joanne has over 14 years experience working in the Offender Learning Sector and 25 years + teaching experience overall. She combines her teaching experience with her wealth of entrepreneurial skills through her latest Creative Arts contract at HMP Holme House, which is one of the leading institutions in the country for Koestler Arts, with the highest amount of awards (73)and entries (218) for Koestler Awards 2022. As an establishment, they have also exhibited 50 of our winning entries at The Southbank Centre, London, in a Koestler exhibition named ‘Freedom’, curated by Ai Weiwei in October 2022. As a collective, learners have achieved over Koestler 200 awards since Joanne headed this creative mission, back in 2019
· Joanne’s incredibly creative intuition enables her to work seamlessly between her work as a Surface Designer, registered inventor and Mother.
· Joanne’s portfolio of work includes working on international projects including designing embroidered, printed, and knitted textiles for fashion and also sustainable lighting solutions (ecoPETlite). Joanne is also the proud owner of a Granted British Patent for permanently colouring plastic substrates.
· Joanne aims to pass on her creative vibe as an artist, to others through introducing them to the exciting world of textiles. For many, this is the beginning of something very special and the start of a new way of life, lived from a new perspective, with creativity and wellbeing being at the heart of these new beginnings.
Our T A F I E Studio Mission
· During 2022, Joanne created a new prison project which is called T A F I E ( Textiles, Art & Fashion for INTROVERTS and EMPATHS). Within the third successful year of TAFIE’s progress, the studio welcomed Community Artist, Shirley Wells of Shirley Wells Art to the team. Shirley and Joanne have many things in common, including studyin
· During 2022, Joanne created a new prison project which is called T A F I E ( Textiles, Art & Fashion for INTROVERTS and EMPATHS). Within the third successful year of TAFIE’s progress, the studio welcomed Community Artist, Shirley Wells of Shirley Wells Art to the team. Shirley and Joanne have many things in common, including studying together on the BA Hons International Textiles & Surface pattern degree at Cleveland College of Art & Design. Both Shirley and Joanne also completed a creative Masters Degree over at University of Teesside and this connection and friendship is the glue that cements their passion for creativity and most recently the success of the TAFIE group at HMP Holme House.
· Their aim is to also make more links within the community and to prove that the skills taught within the m a i s o n m a k e - d o studio can be utilised by the learners involved, beyond their time served inside the prison environment. Such skills include painting, drawing, printing, machine / hand embroidery/ punch embroidery, and other forms of recycling.
Many participants tell how TAFIE has changed their life. Those who progress from learner to Mentor and then to Red Band have described their 'time' being spent in ways that they never imagined. Some have shared feedback how it actually saved their life....
'Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in'
Leonard Cohen
Our Inspiration
Our Inspiration
· As a team, Joanne and Shirley are inspired by knowing that they can make a difference to the world we are living in and contribute in our own unique way, from behind steel bars. Joanne’s studio Maison Make-Do often takes its inspiration from a 'make-do and mend' ethos.
. The team are heavily inspired by fashion, interiors, spiritu
· As a team, Joanne and Shirley are inspired by knowing that they can make a difference to the world we are living in and contribute in our own unique way, from behind steel bars. Joanne’s studio Maison Make-Do often takes its inspiration from a 'make-do and mend' ethos.
. The team are heavily inspired by fashion, interiors, spirituality, tarot art, horticulture, magazines, books, and galleries and follow current and future trends.
· This site serves as a decorative showcase for everything wonderful that happens inside the m a i s o n m a k e - d o studio. It is also a visual reference for other creative things that Joanne and Shirley contribute to, both inside and sometimes outside of the prison environment.
Joanne states, ‘ I knew that textiles was the way forward where our learners were concerned. Working closely with Shirley Wells made me realise that we too could go back to our roots and share our skills and passion with our learners who have so much to offer. Originally starting with plastic needles, wool and canvas, we are now working with a range of over 10 Bernina / Toyota sewing machines, punch embroidery tools, felt making equipment and other textile techniques. Many men come into the classroom stating they haven’t sewn a stitch in their life and then leave with 5 beautiful stitched exhibits which will usually be submitted as entries to Koestler, London. This whole kit and caboodle has taken me 4 years to build and is still developing on a weekly basis. Learners exhibiting in the London Southbank Gallery 4 years in a row has been a massive achievement and our more recent ‘Mind Over Matter’ community exhibition with Navigator North has confirmed that the work produced from the TAFIE group learners is creating a very positive response in the local and wider communities. We now realise that our connections with Navigator North, Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency and Safer Communities is potentially the beginning of something very special for HMP Holme House and it is a case of 'watch this space’ for future creative collaborations where we are all involved.'