I joined this collab so that I could lovingly stitch a message of hope onto a mask. I am a shiny, creative soul who’s feeling slightly tired and fragile round the edges after five months of lockdown.

I’m needing the renewed energy and sparkle that come from connection with other people in real life, and my embroidered mask is a reminder to stay strong and know that this too shall pass.

Gill has been exploring and delighting in the creative process all her life. After two happy decades of primary school teaching, she now facilitates children’s art classes at her studio of creativity called IMAGINATE.

There Gill seeks to offer children a safe, nurturing space that is rich in possibilities and provides a strong support for the joyful process of creative expression. ‘Wonder-full’ art and craft experiences invite their imaginations out to play, and they paint, draw, dream, build, design and explore using a wide variety of materials and techniques.

Children come to IMAGINATE to create, but they leave with so much more!