My project did not turn out at all the way I had originally planned. It ended up being much better. My original idea to make a video and project it on to myself did not work out and instead I had a really good experience with my class instead.
I feel that my intent to activiate the time the class spent waiting to set up was really successful. I gave everyone a handmade invitation to a tea party and asked them to put on something warm and fuzzy I had made before they entered the room. I feel like I set up a sense of anticipation and a dialogue about what was coming next. I set up a kind of picnic space in the classroom with a really bright afghan surrounded in a circle of yarn balls. I had a table set up with a crochet table runner at the entrance with cups of tea and I had a plate of cookies in the middle of the blanket. I chose 'Forever Nuts' tea from DAVIDsTEA and homeade vegan sugar cookies with caramel icing. I had soft fairy music tinkling in the background.
I was actually terrified to open the door and let people in, not only is my flying squirrel costume very bright and garish, but I was really nervous about how people would interact with the space.
The reception the class had to the space was better than anything I could have imagined. Everyone had tea, got cozy, ate cookies and engaged in a really interesting and fun dialogue about various aspects of craft, and my craft/art practise. What I had not thought about, but was incredibly pleased took place was almost everyone interacted with the yarn! People picked it up, twirled it, bounced it, threw it, explored the texture, made a crochet chain with their fingers, it was wonderful. The project was about my percieved relationship/identity with yarn and I had the audience interacting with it in a very natural way.
I was really worried that I would have to 'act' and it ended up being very successful just being myself with a hyper focus on one of my favourite interests. I was surprised and delighted by the direction of the conversation. My class had lots of wonderful questions about crochet, knitting, yarn bombing, how long things take me, if members of my family knit/crochet, how much yarn I have, feminism, domesticity and more. I felt a little put on the spot, and I always feel like I can answer questions better after the fact; however I really enjoyed the questions. It was a really great experiece.
If this was in a gallery space I would bring even more yarn and cover even more of the space in crochet. I would not run out of hot water and I would bring more cookies. I brought a great deal of props to the class and I feel like I could have brought a lot more. The amount I brought was successful in conveying what I wanted to, the performance would be a lot of fun on a warmer and fuzzier scale in the future. Next time I would include more variety of items for people to try on while they are waiting. I almost brought a couple of sweaters, a wrap, and a poncho but I thought that was a little overboard. I wish I would have brought them. I would have finished the pair of mittens that I have almost done and included them too.
Thank you everyone for participating in the performance.
