Ancestry Yarns
Ancestry Yarns
“Working on a new project… just start and the rest will fall into place” - Jenny Davis
Ancestry Yarns, series
Finding identity through the objects and belongings we collect. I believe, while we may never fully know someone, the belongings they leave behind and the stories they carry can provide valuable insights into their life and identity. Reflecting on these aspects can be both be healing and illuminating as you navigate your feelings of loss and memory.
3 years ago, I had the huge task of clearing out my late mothers estate, overwhelming at times, many belongings and collections, found there way into my studio and life. I had already collections of embroidery, textiles and objects from the family going back to my great grandmothers. Boxes of war photos, passports and medals from my step father, an old army book from my father and other items from ancestors, long gone. Boxes of stuff I haven’t been able to throw away.
Having spent a life time collecting other peoples objects and a fascination with history, I began to transform the collected objects and textiles into artworks in an attempt to stitch together personal narratives with the histories of those items.
Ancestry Yarns 1 - Jenny Davis
Med. Antique cloth early 1880s, found gold thread, shared generational handmade pinwheel crochet, late mother & 2 grandmothers, ink, iron oxide pigment, buried rust, gesso paint, vintage handmade hanging loops, vintage canvas and sealer
Size W.33cm × H.34cm
Date 2018 - 2024
"Ancestry Yarns" series,
Using torn and worn textiles, I hand stitch and paint recycled materials that carry the weight of lived experiences, imbuing them with new life and meaning. These fragments resonate with the love and labour of women throughout generations—mothers, grandmothers, and guardians—who stitched not just fabric, but connection, resilience, and identity into the very heart of the work.
The act of stitching becomes a meditative process, as I recycle these remnants, honouring their original purpose while breathing new life into them. Each thread I stitch is an intentional gesture, reuniting the stories of loved ones with my own artistic expression. The visible scars and imperfections of the fabric speak to the beauty found in wear, resilience, and the passage of time.
I weave a narrative that transcends time, connecting the past to the present through the tactile embrace of textiles. Each unique piece is a tribute to the fragments of history encapsulated in the vintage & antique cloth—faded, worn, and imbued with the loving energy of generations gone by. These textiles, once cherished possessions, tell stories of ancestors whose lives were stitched together with resilience and care.