Meet The Artist: Carole Baker

Fri 3/Mar/23

Meet The Artist: Carole Baker

 

Photography exhibition Pause: Time to Breathe captures the wonderful coastlines of the UK, and amazing green spaces in Surrey. The Fabulous Furry Friends Trail is a yarn bombing display that can be followed as a trail.

 

In this blog, we talk to Carole Baker from Creative Carole about who she is and what inspired the Pause: Time to Breathe exhibition and the Fabulous Furry Friends Trail.

 

Visit Pause: Time To Breathe and the Fabulous Furry Friends Trail at Honeywood Museum. Both are on display Thursday to Saturday, 10am - 5pm, 6 January - 5 February 2022.

 

 

Who is Carole Baker?

I have always involved myself in creative pastimes, a great way to escape the stresses of the day.  I started patchwork and quilting in 2004, meeting a wonderful set of creative friends. Crochet came a little later in 2010, when I was looking for a new challenge, and something more portable. I am also a passionate photographer, which has allowed me to see the world through fresh eyes. My passion for photography came in 2014 when I signed up for an evening class – hoping to take a better picture. This decision, without a doubt, changed my life.

 

I was made redundant at the end of 2020, and immediately made the decision to work on something cheerful for the community, while keeping myself busy. A post box hat, what else!! A trend sweeping across the nation. Could I manage a whole year of hats – challenge set. Starting with a rainbow hat for our local post box during a bleak, cold and grey January 2021, the first hat was completed to much jubilation. This led to many other projects that year, including being invited to help Carshalton Artist during their summer exhibition. Yarn bombing Honeywood Walk during the summer, with the furry friends and colourful tree mandalas, was a massive highlight for me!

 

 

Carole Baker 

 

 

What inspired the Furry Friends Trail and the exhibition Pause: Time To Breathe?

The Furry Friends were a huge hit in summer 2021 as part of Carshalton Artists Open Streets Exhibition at Honeywood Museum, and it would seem only right to allow them out to play once more. They were enjoyed by so many, young and old. The smiles they brought to everyone during that summer has inspired the new display. I very much hope another fun, colourful and ever so slightly bonkers display is just what we all need to get us through January 2022.

 

 Furry Friends at Carshalton Artists Open Streets Festival 2020 - a crochet chick  Furry Friends at Carshalton Artists Open Streets Festival 2020 - a crochet worm and tent  Furry Friends at Carshalton Artists Open Streets Festival 2020 - various crochet insects in a bush 

*Click to enlarge images

 

Pause: Time to Breathe was inspired by my beautiful surrounding. I love sharing my images, and was due to exhibit for the first time in April 2020. I’m delighted that Sutton Council's Cultural Services have agreed for me to share some of my moments with you at Honeywood Museum.

 

  Pause: Time To Breathe Exhibition at Honeywood Museum - framed photos of coastlines during dusk

 

What can people expect from the exhibition Pause: Time To Breathe & The Fabulous Furry Friends Trail?

For the Furry Friends exhibition expect colour, fun and an ever so slightly bonkers display of our furry friends. With the Pause exhibition comes a sense of calmness, peace and time to breathe, just for a moment.

 

 

Have you got any highlights for people to look out for when they visit your exhibition?

Furry Friends: It’s been a complete joy putting the friends together for the new display, introducing a few new faces and creating new scenes. The highlight for me will be seeing smiling faces coming out of Honeywood Museum.

 

 Fabulous Furry Friends Trail at Honeywood Museum - a crochet telephone box  Fabulous Furry Friends of Honeywood Museum at Honeywood Museum - a crochet bee hanging on a framed picture  numerous crochet mushrooms and pumpkins - Fabulous Furry Friends of Honeywood Museum at Honeywood Museum 

*Click to enlarge images

 

Pause: Gathering images that sit well together for the exhibition has involved revisiting some of my old images. Evoking so many memories of places I’ve been to, enjoying time with friends who share my passion for photography, and seeing how far I’ve progressed with my photography. In the grand scheme of things, this really is still a new skill for me, and I’m proud to share my images with you. Every day is a school day with my photography, and I hope I can inspire someone else to take their love of photography forward.

 

 Pause Time to Breathe Exhibition at Honeywood Museum - framed photo of a beach at sunset  Pause Time to Breathe Exhibition at Honeywood Museum at Honeywood Museum - framed photo of a tree top  Pause Time to Breathe Exhibition at Honeywood Museum at Honeywood Museum - framed photo of the sea

*Click to enlarge images  

 

 

 

Find out more about Honeywood Museum and about other exhibitions and events taking place at Honeywood Museum, Whitehall Historic House and also in Sutton's Libraries.