The Star Weavers of North Mayo
The Star Weavers of Ballina and Ballycastle have curated an installation in the Ballinglen Gallery using the woven stars that they have made during the workshops.
Amber’s One Million Stars Ireland project is an inclusive community arts project that connects communities through the craft of weaving stars. Each eight-point star woven represents light, hope and solidarity against domestic violence, promoting the project’s eight points of healthy love within relationships. Launched in Kilkenny in 2019, there are now star-weaving communities in 18 counties across Ireland and collectively 100,000 stars have been woven.
The Mayo Volunteer Centre contacted the Ballinglen Arts Foundation earlier in the year to see if they could collaborate and hold star weaving workshops at the Ballinglen Museum of Art. So, in October, the Ballinglen Arts Foundation opened its museum doors to the newly established Star Weavers of Ballina and Ballycastle. The Star Weavers are all from communities new to Mayo and were very keen to volunteer and get involved. The Volunteer Centre’s aim was to try to bring these new communities together with local people and build new relationships.
Over tea, coffee, and biscuits, the group gathered bi-weekly to weave the stars and got to know one another for the duration of the project. Unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end, and the workshops have now come to a natural conclusion. However, it was decided that to celebrate the achievement of the group and to further promote Amber’s One Million Stars Ireland project, the Star Weavers of Ballina and Ballycastle would curate an installation in the Ballinglen Gallery using the woven stars that they have made during the workshops.
Some 400 stars have been woven and new friendships have been made, but most importantly awareness has been raised for this worthy and important cause. The Mayo Volunteer Centre and the Ballinglen Arts Foundation would like to extend a massive 'thank you' to the Star Weavers for their enthusiasm and dedication throughout this project. They have created something truly beautiful. A big 'thank you' too to the Mayo Women’s Support Services for attending one of the sessions and explaining all about the project to the volunteers and teaching star-making.
The hope is that this installation will help to spread the message of love and a future free from violence and abuse for all. The installation will be available to view in The Ballinglen Gallery, Main Street, Ballycastle, F26 X5N3 until the end of January.
Amber’s One Million Stars Ireland project is part of the global One Billion Stars project, founded in Australia in 2012 by artist Maryann Talia Pau. The project was brought to Ireland by art therapist Siobhán McQuillan and Amber Women's Refuge. To find out more, please visit: https://onemillionstarsireland.ie.
