Spotlight on the Creators: Sally Hampson
There was a thrilling atmosphere in the Freud Museum London in Spring 23 – preparations for the major exhibition ‘Women and Freud’ were in full swing. Anna Freud’s loom, central to the exhibition, was being brought down from the museum’s attic. Anna was a passionate weaver and believed that people who worked with their minds also needed a creative activity which involved their hands, for ‘good balance’.
During our conversations, Sally shared her story about her family blanket. She spoke about how her childhood memories were wrapped up in this blanket, and how the process of weaving ‘is entwined with both the meaning of the weaving and the making and of memory’. I was immediately reminded of Freud’s beautiful phrase, ‘thus past, present and future are strung together, as it were, on the thread of the wish that runs through them’ from ‘Creative Writers and Day-Dreaming’ (1908).
Sally Hampson with Family Blanket
Our project began around the theme of dreaming and the idea of creating a limited-edition dreaming pillow. I asked Sally to share her memories about our dream pillow project.
Tell about the ideas and inspirations behind the project.
I was initially invited by Abigail Schama, a wonderful ceramicist who was taking part in the exhibition Women & Freud. Abigail was looking for a weaver to be part of her project. Of course, when asked I said “yes” immediately. The opportunity to be part of a project in the Freud Museum was very exciting. Abigail wanted to create a dialogue between herself as a ceramicist and Anna Freud’s various explorations into the making of textiles, from knitting and embroidery to weaving. Because of this Anna’s loom was bought out of storage. I helped to assemble the loom, it had been out of sight and in storage for many years. After Anna’s loom was assembled Abigail bought along her wheel and turned pots while I put a warp on the loom, using woollen yarn in the colours of Abigail’s clay and the blue of the Mies van der Rohe Chair, that sits in Anna’s study. Liz Unna, a filmmaker who was collaborating with Abigail, filmed the days’ activity, which was then to be shown at various times throughout the exhibition. While assembling the loom I was able to see the last piece of weaving Anna did on it. It was still attached to the loom and it became part of the inspiration for my weaving.
Abigail Schama I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You, Anna Freud’s loom and Dream Pillows in Anna Freud’s Room. Photo by Callum Blades
How did the project develop?
I have always worked with narrative, both real and imagined, and have had the privilege of showing my collections at the Horniman and Pitt Rivers Museums, telling stories through objects, and The Freud Museum project is the perfect example of this. So, when I was asked to come up with an idea for the museum shop, the ‘Dream Pillow’ seemed just right. Both Anna’s and Dorothy’s room had many examples of their individual weaving and of the last pieces they made which then became my starting point; a Herringbone pattern, meandering up the weaving.
I was also influenced by my visit to Abigail Schama’s ceramic studio and used the colours of clay, from the dark earthy wet clay, to the powdery pink of clay as it dries, along with the strong vibrant blue of Mies van der Rohe Chair which is sitting next to Anna’s loom. This is a limited edition of 25 Dream Pillows each one in the colours I have chosen. I have played with the order of the colours and with their positioning within the weave pattern so that each pillow is subtly unique. Now that the loom is out of storage it has been suggested that I come and weave on Anna’s loom and become a weaver in residence, bringing her loom back to life with weaving.
Mies van der Rohe Chair and Dream Pillows in Anna Freud’s Room. Photo by Callum Blades
Perhaps there is something anecdotal about the project that you would like to share.
Abigail bought in a group of her friends and colleges for the day of filming. While they worked on their stitching and knitting, they were filmed, and their gentle conversation was recorded. I was assisted by one of them while winding the warp on the loom. Anna, like all weavers, said ‘she needed a friend while dressing the loom’, her friend was Manna Friedman. I was so focussed in getting the warp on the loom during the filming, that I found myself saying ‘thank you Manna’ out loud, as I was so engrossed with Anna’s loom.
Dream Pillows. Photo by Karolina Urbaniak
You can find out more about Sally and her work on her website here.
Shop our Limited edition Dream Pillows here.
Interviewed by Iveta Rozlapa
Retail Manager
