Local artist Chloe Watts, who grew up in Chapelford, struggled with mental health issues throughout the majority of her teenage years, but found that pursuing art and being creative formed a vital part of her wellbeing and recovery.
Now at a point where she feels ready to reflect upon that period of her life, the 27-year-old has joined forces with Warrington Museum and Warrington Arts Festival to present the deeply personal, Within the Folds.
The exhibition looks back on a simple but extraordinary challenge she set herself when she spent three years in hospital – to fold 1,000 origami cranes.
It was this symbol of hope and act of resilience which helped Chloe cope during a particularly difficult transition between hospitals.
She said: “A support worker showed me how to make origami cranes. She told me that it was good luck to make 1,000 of them. I was then transferred to a hospital I was terrified of so it felt almost like I was creating a safety blanket by carrying forward what I had learnt.
“Our rooms were locked during the day and we had education, but a lot of the day was spent sat in the corridors. So I used to listen to my iPod and fold my cranes.”
Chloe’s gesture and determination was not always well received though.
“The rules were very strict,” the former St Philip Westbrook pupil added. “Our rooms were searched daily to make sure that we weren’t hiding anything that could be dangerous.
“I don’t think the staff thought that I’d actually make 1,000. I kept them in my wardrobe at first but when I’d made about 100, my cranes were confiscated because they said I could be hiding something in them.
“They collected them daily and put the cranes in a storage box. I struggled with them taking them away. I also can’t overlook the irony of such a peaceful symbol being confiscated.”
It took Chloe around three months to fold 1,000 cranes and they were sent back with her on her first visit home.
But until recently, she hasn’t had the chance to reflect on what they mean to her or what they came to signify.
Chloe, now a multidisciplinary artist and graduate of Manchester School of Art and the Royal College of Art, said: “I think the process of threading them together for Warrington Arts Festival has allowed me a lot of time for reflection.
“Some of the cranes are on folded up post-it notes that I used to write things down to remember on. It was quite moving to unfold them and get a peek into my unwell teenage brain.
“The memories from hospital will be with me for a very long time. It can mean at times that my art is hard to palate, but for me it serves as a space where I can explore and sit with challenging memories and feelings.
“Art gives me agency and freedom which is something that was suppressed during my time in hospital.”
Within the Folds will open on Saturday, 4 July, and run until 30 August where visitors are invited to contribute their own folded cranes, reflecting on personal memories and adding to a growing collective work.
Chloe added: “I am honoured to be a part of the festival. Warrington holds a special place in my heart. I was never really in the best place mentally in Warrington but to be better and able to share such a special piece at Warrington Museum and Art Gallery feels like I’ve come full circle.
“I remember one of my earliest school trips, maybe around 2004, was to Warrington Museum and I never thought one day I’d be showing my work there.”
Origami cranes have long been associated as a symbol of hope, peace and healing in Japanese folklore.
One of the most famous examples is when Sadako Sasaki was inspired to fold 1,000 origami cranes to create a legacy of hope after becoming one of the youngest victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945.
Within the Folds opens at Warrington Museum on Saturday, 4 July, and is free to view. Visit wmag.culturewarrington.org/whats-on/within-the-folds
Listings information
Exhibition title: Within the Folds
Dates: 4 July to 30 August
Admission: Free
Location: Warrington Museum & Art Gallery, Museum Street, Warrington, WA1 1JB
wmag.culturewarrington.org
