Detail of the tablecloth with an embroidered circular panel with 8 sections each depicting a different weather scenario (sun, clouds, rain, snow) and a central circle depicting the earth with a barometer needle pointing to sun and clouds. On the table surrounding the panel is a booklet, feathers, green fruit and flowers a cardboard sign with 'tracing our shadows' written on it in black pen and a circular paper place mat.

The Convivial Table (2026)

The Convivial Table will stand alone as a sculptural installation – an interactive embroidered tablecloth with a custom made table – as well as creating a new portable space for bringing people together, acting as a trigger and prompt for participatory workshops and ritualised gatherings. It will be made by embedding sustainable technology, data & narratives into textiles, clay, food, metal & wood to create an interactive table and hand embroidered covering.

People who come together around the table can record and play stories embedded in the tablecloth, the tablecloth displays the weather and a needle spins around, finally pointing to the weather scenario on the weatherscape panel. A basket of seasonal fruit and vegetables powers a light and a clock embedded into the cloth and the whole table will light up at important moments in the gathering. After the event the fruit and vegetables used to power the lights will be made into sweet and savoury muffins.

I have begun work on the final artwork, building a portable table and hand embroidering the interactive tablecloth for celebrations, feasts, gatherings and workshops, responding to the seasons, the people that come together around the table, the objects, stories and ideas that they bring with them and create together, the food that we share together, and the others, non-human and robotic, invited to the table.

Here are some examples of the first uses and development of the tablecloth as part of Rituals and Robots – the Intergenerational Workshop at Space 4, Finsbury Park, London and Drop In Session at Ambleside Library, and during the Celebrating Summer Convivial Gathering in London, June 2026.

A close up of the Myth and Stories embroidered panel with an image of Ydraggisil the world tree, a cake stand with muffins and biscuits sits next to the panel on one side and a brass button and a tiny speaker and circuit is embroidered into the cloth. There are flowers next to this and a cardboard sign.
The table cloth with the 'nature table' added to one of the embroidered panels with 8 sections - with a small wheat sheaf, a shell, a large seed pod, some sheeps wool, some moss, a birds egg and a feather placed in each section. The tree and dog robots are at the end of the table, the central circular screen is black and someone is looking at the table.
A view of the tablecloth from above whilst in development - 4 circular panels embroidered and 4 empty circular panels with writing on and pens. In the centre is a circular screen showing an image of a cherry tree. On 3 corners are 3 robots - the dancing house robot, the tree robot and the dog robot
The Kinship Table
Rachel fixing a robot on the Kinship Table
The Convivial Tablecloth with the robots, signs with instructions, a basket of fruit and Rachel's hands showing someone in a pink jacket the table
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