The Anthology of Tell Tales is inspired by my long-standing interest in fairy tales and folklore. The stories provide a form of escapism to help combat anxiety. I compiled my own series of short stories around which the other objects in this project revolve. Central to The Anthology of Tell Tales are the themes of magic, flora and fauna, especially woodland animals.
The physical and imaginative act of making art can contribute to stabilising mental wellbeing, and I find it helps me cope with anxiety and insomnia. I have chosen to incorporate materials believed to combat anxiety and sleep loss, for example by infusing lavender, with its insomnia-preventing properties, into the pages of the book so the reader can benefit from the smell while reading.
Dolls and teddies have always been a source of reassurance to me and are generally seen for their comforting properties during childhood. I saw the shape of a doll as the perfect form to express the themes in the book in a three-dimensional way.
The Anthology of Tell Tales also incorporates hand embroidery, as I find the repetitive and calming act of stitching another good way of combating anxiety. I hope this combination of calming multi-sensory elements contributes to an overall ‘healing’ aesthetic.
Mae ‘The Anthology of Tell Tales’ wedi’i ysbrydoli gan fy niddordeb hirsefydlog mewn storïau tylwyth teg a llên gwerin. Mae’r storïau’n darparu ffurf ar ddihangdod i fynd i’r afael â gorbryder. Rhois fy nghyfres fy hun o storïau byrion at ei gilydd o gwmpas y gwrthrychau eraill yn y prosiect hwn. Rhan ganolog o ‘The Anthology of Tell Tales’ yw themâu hud, fflora a ffawna, yn enwedig anifeiliaid coetir.
Gall y weithred gorfforol a dychmygol o greu celf gyfrannu at sefydlogi llesiant meddyliol, ac rwy’n gweld ei fod yn fy helpu i ymdopi â gorbryder a methu â chysgu. Rwyf wedi dewis ymgorffori deunyddiau y credir eu bod yn taclo methu cysgu a diffyg cwsg, er enghraifft trwy drwytho lafant, â’i briodweddau atal diffyg cwsg, i dudalennau’r llyfr er mwyn i’r darllenydd elwa o’r arogl wrth ddarllen.
Mae doliau a thedis bob amser wedi bod yn ffynhonnell gysur i mi ac maent yn cael eu gweld yn gyffredinol am eu priodweddau cysuro yn ystod plentyndod. Gwelais siâp y dol fel ffurf berffaith ar gyfer mynegi themâu’r llyfr mewn ffordd dri-dimensiynol.
Mae ‘The Anthology of Tell Tales’ hefyd yn ymgorffori brodwaith â llaw, gan fy mod yn cael y weithred ailadroddus a llonyddol o bwytho’n ffordd dda arall o fynd i’r afael â gorbryder. Rwy’n gobeithio bod y cyfuniad hwn o elfennau amlsynhwyraidd llonyddol yn cyfrannu at estheteg ‘iachaol’ gyffredinol.
