Alice Brown and Ellie Mills
Alice and Ellie's project dived into the physical evolution of Sauchiehall Street - how its streetscape, retail and cultural use has changed over time. They used archival research and craft workshops to invite people into the conversation about their memories of these spaces, and ambitions for the future.
Together with workshop participants, they collected stories whilst creating a soft sculpture model of Sauchiehall Street, utilising craft practices such as weaving, embroidery, and quilting to engage communities in reclaiming their cultural heritage and ownership of their shared spaces. The craft workshops were inspired by 'Make Do and Mend' workshops which were held in shops on Sauchiehall Street during WWII, where working class women would teach middle and upper class families how to mend their
Leslie Kern's concept of Feminist City thinking shaped the workshop content and conversations. Participants who are often left out of conversations around city planning, including women, new Scots, older Glasgow and young people, were invited to imagine what a safer, more accessible city centre would look like. The aim of this was to diversify the voices informing the regeneration of Glasgow's City Centre.
Alice and Ellie stitched together the textile pieces which communities helped to produce into a soft sculpture model. This was displayed in Edward House and Mitchell Library, alongside people's memories of Sauchiehall Street.
Soft City website
Alice and Ellie have created a website & archival resource for their project 'Soft City'. Here, you can find a full blog relating to the development of Soft City, alongside research materials and craft links for crafting at home.
Artist Biography
Alice Brown and Ellie Mills are artists with backgrounds in illustration and signwriting. Alice is a Glasgow-based illustrator, designer and maker whose vibrant, illustrative style brings to life themes of mental health, self-care and storytelling. Her work is rooted in the belief that art can foster wellbeing and personal growth, inviting others to engage in a shared dialogue about wellbeing and creativity. Ellie Mills – aka Ellietype – is a Glasgow-based sign writer and visual artist. From hand-painted signs to upcycled textile pieces to large-scale public artworks, her work is a celebration of vibrant queerness and loud, unapologetic femininity. Together, they love to work on community-focused projects, creating playful, immersive worlds for people to explore.
