Janet Douglas- MA/MSc Craft
Broken But Well Put Together
My practice explores storytelling, identity and lived experience through textiles, combining traditional craft techniques with contemporary technology and reclaimed materials.
For my synthesis project, I developed ‘Broken But Well Put Together', a personal and research-led project exploring masculinity, emotional expression and the pressure placed on men to appear strong.
The work transforms personal experiences and anonymous questionnaire responses from 124 men into a series of four denim bears, each representing a different stage of life. The work uses reclaimed denim alongside digital embroidery and cyanotype printing, with the material itself becoming part of the story.
The questionnaire responses became an important part of the visual language of the work. Rather than simply presenting the research alongside the sculptures, I wanted the words and experiences shared with me to become physically embedded within them. Anonymous thoughts become visible through printed textiles and embroidery.
Alongside my independent creative practice, I am the founder of Feed My Creative CIC, a social enterprise that combines creativity, community and sustainability through workshops, projects and the reuse of textiles and materials. This experience continues to influence how I approach my own practice and the stories I choose to explore.
My MA has also supported the development of my practice as an independent denim soft-sculpture artist, allowing me to explore the potential of denim as both a material and a way of communicating stories.
My next step is to continue developing this practice, creating work that combines textiles, sculpture, storytelling and social themes, while exploring new opportunities for exhibition, collaboration and community engagement.
