WHEAT PASTES

A South African on South Street sticking up stitches!

When Sara from Paradigm Gallery asked me if I wanted to put up a wheat paste, the answer was an enthused HELLS-YES-BUT-HOW. Sara and Jason, the owners of the gallery, are incredibly supportive of the people they represent in a multitude of ways, including connecting them to their community and helping them expand their experiences.

Jason showed me the ways of the wheat. With his guidance, I printed a few images of my embroideries. I have an unreasonable ‘let’s see the stitches massive’ ethos, and made the prints big. Bigger than even I anticipated. Maybe.. just maybe a little obnoxiously big.

We drove to South Street, where I put up my first public wheatie, and then visited T-Moms, a Philly must-stop. The upstairs bar is a literal floor-to-ceiling ode to art. There is a turnstile of creatives plastering stickers, wheat pastes, ceramics and paint onto the walls, and it has been happening since 1997. Despite this and the thousands of artists that have rolled through, T-moms made me feel like the first person to be there with their passion and compassion. Most importantly, their tater-tots are top-notch.

This was one of the many memories that made Philly a home away from home. I am excited to return in 2025 and see if a glimmer of embroidered All Sorts, 5 Cats or a stitched eye is still visible.

See you soon South Street.