Article 26
Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit. Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace. Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Jo Barcas Buchan
About my work
As I teach in Scotland, where rights are looked at as part of the curriculum, I felt very strongly that this was the Article I wanted to stitch. In my teaching career I have primarily worked with children facing barriers to their learning, and found this piece a very reflective experience.
It is often easier to think of children in ‘other countries’ unable to access education, but in the United Kingdom there are many children who are not fully included in a meaningful learning journey. My design reflects that by showing children and a teacher writing on paper, whiteboard and blackboard rather than a classroom or textbook. I used vintage threads gifted from a friend’s grandmother, and based the design around Scottish wool fabric that was industrial waste from a designer.
- Jo Barcas Buchan
About me
Jo Barcas Buchan is a teacher and craftsperson from Scotland. Jo began cross-stitching as a teenager and completed commercial kits. Whilst she loved the process, she was never happy with the finished result. A couple of years ago, a non-stitching friend said he just couldn’t understand why Jo followed a pattern rather than stitching what she wanted. Jo has never looked back!
Jo prefers to embroider, and will embellish just about any surface. She aims to use only repurposed and pre-loved materials in her work, and always works without a hoop or frame so that she can feel the fabric as she works. Jo loves the sense of connection that sewing brings, be it to long-gone family, craftspeople around the world or through projects such as this one.
Other blocks about Article 26
