The Blue Hat project

Auction pieces from 2006 BMW Squarre Federation Squarre

Evelyn Roth - Arts Festival, Adelaide www.evelynroth.com

"If you are feeling blue, take your surf board and head to sea!''

Hat by Prudence Mapstone, Australia
Visit her web site: www.knotjustknitting.com

Go sing the blues or dance the blues
  recite the blue or swim the blues
  .... or fly off onto the wild blue yonder to help you
  shake those blues

Tamara Brönnimann, Switzerland

Made from velvet, satin and cotton in patchwork to represent the "patchwork of emotions" felt by people suffering from depression. I have made the inside yellow to represent the sun and a light at the end of the tunnel. The ribbons are for the criss-cross of paths that we follow during our lives.

Donna Lewis, Australia www.delew.com.au

"not all is as it seems to be"
I have placed a beautiful waterlily which is opening up and reaching out and curls at either side covered in glitter to signify sparks of life. These items are mounted on a brim of Sinamay which has been manipulated to represent ripples of water to help cleanse away the blues. I am quite fond of this hat and am proud to donate it to the "Blue Hat Project" which is assisting to raise awareness and funds for Beyond Blue.

A student of the Anglican College, Wagga Wagga, Australia

Vivienne Young, Australia

June Brown, Australia

Whenever I am experiencing a BLUE day I always look for the good things in my life as well as reminding myself that there are many souls much worse off than I am. I get on with what is planned for the day and try to fit in the best therapy of all. A long walk under our beautiful BLUE Australian sky.
Maybe wearing a blue hat would help me as well.

Anne Peters, Australia

'Look good - feel good - have fun. Hand felt from the heart.'
Materials used are merino wool, silk, millinery wire, grosgrain ribbon and chopsticks.

Josephine Sigurgeirson, Canada

The Blues have manifested themselves through my mother who has bipolar disorder. Thinking about her plight in life makes me feel frustrated and powerless. The orange splashes of colour in the hat represent not only the glimmers of hope I occasionally experience regarding her recovery and treatment, but also the ups with her own seemingly random cycle.

Cassie Herschel-Shorland, United Kingdom

I attach Mum's blue hat project picture. She has been an artist all her life and would be pleased for this picture to be auctioned for the Blue Hat Project. It is one of her second series of pictures since her breakdown and stroke at the end of last year. Despite significant loss of vision, mobility and dexterity she is drawing again with chunky felt pens and crayons. I saw this picture and told her about the project...she gets very low about her current situation, having to go to the hospital 3 times a week for kidney dialysis, it was the medication for her mental health (variously diagnosed as depression, schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder) that caused her kidney failure!

(CEFN are the initial's for Christian Esther Flowerdew Nicholls, her maiden name).

Brigitte Haldemann, Australia

My blue hat is created around the water, waves and beach. The broken lines indicate the feeling of being disconnected at times. Whenever I feel down I take myself for a long beach walk. Nature provides me with endless strength and inspirations. The inside of the hat is orange and red. These are the colours that make me feel better. To me they are the colours of love, passion, warmth and auspicious energy.

Phyllis Hoffman, Australia

When I am feeling blue I always dress in bright colours.
My happiest colour is Cherry Pink.
For me every dark cloud has a Cherry Pink lining.

Philomena Hali, Australia

"Two Black Dogs"
The hat is felted with two 'black dogs' representing depression.
These have red eyes (small bells) and glass beads around the perimeter of the brim.

Angela Ege, Germany

Don't worry, be happy!
See Blues, Think Blues and Be Blues .......

and if you wear this blue hat you can Feel Blues, because all people will smile at you!

Gill Ormond, United Kingdom www.shappo.co.uk

This hat is a joy to wear; just pop it on and it's there.
Like life it has some secrets - one of which is it's hand felted lining in the colours of the Women's Movement.
Feelings of "down" disappear when I remember the courage of these women fighting in the early 1900s for our rights which I enjoy today.

Lindy Quarrell

My ‘blues” hat could represent how stressed, tortured and frayed our lives can be, but place it on your head and observe the smiles, laughter and hilarity that it creates.

Angharad Gamble, United Kingdom

Sarah Larsen, Australia www.sarahlarsen.com.au

Clare Dempsey, Australia

Louise Thackray, Australia

Feeling "The Blues" comes to me when, on a cold winter's morning, I put on a pair of jeans and can't do up the zip! I then realise I've put on weight, and I'm nearing the - "when I'm 64!"

Tammy Smith, Australia

"The red symbolises the underlying depression. The yellow cobweb is the emotion running around in your head, and then there is a spark (single yellow feather). This then evolves into the blue arrow heads giving direction to the minds eye (peacock feather) and to the calm and peace of blue".

Jen Marsh, Australia

"No matter how well you dress on the outside, does not disguise your feeling of blueness on the inside."

Jane Fryers, United Kingdom

"I pull my blue jeans on"

Diana Pearce, Australia

For Kate

Some of my close friends are suffering from depression which is inexplicable and frightening for their friends and families. My hat reflects what makes me feel good. The colour blue with lots of other colours; soft silky textures; and the fact that I have been able to create something attractive from discarded materials.
Materials : left over wool, off cuts from machine woven labels.

Wendy Bailye, Australia

Folds that hold her Sorrows softly
She wore a hat of shadow hues
and within it’s folds she hid her blues.
She hid them from her children dear
and all of those who gathered near.
Partly bonnet, partly shroud
It hid her from the madding crowd.
Wearing it she felt protected
From the things in life that vexed her.
The scorpion stinger at the rear
Sat set to take away her fear ,
She figured that this crude injection
Was the only treatment for self rejection.
And so she wore this hat each day
Until her blues they flew away.
The folds that held her sorrows softly
Emptied and her thoughts 'came lofty.
Now her hat sits by the fire
Worn only when her strife is dire
She smiles at it and ponders gaily
Now ”the blues” don’t visit daily.

Cheryl Kennedy, Australia

"The Bluebird of Happiness."
The bluebird is considered to be a messenger of contentment and health.

Jenny Griffin, Australia

Made at the Kyeema Centre for People with Disabilities.
The features on the hat display their feelings of happiness that help to take away 'the blues'.

Louise Edwards

"The rings around the hat signify the turmoil of depression and the white feather is representative of the way out."

Maggie Trewavas, Australia

Some Days are diamonds...
The hat represents a blue vortex with black clouds above.
When you feel you are being sucked into the vortex of depression, you must look for the diamond in each day.
There are silver sequins on the underside and a silver lining...
The hat is made from painted, stretched canvas with wired rouleau and rhinestones. The lining is silk dupion with silver sequins.
I love working with exotic fabrics and materials. There is nothing like making a hat to lift your spirits when you are down...

Lynne Johnson, Australia

Margaret Craven, Australia

Orange blows warmth into the cool of blue
I like to brighten my blues with the vibrancy of orange,
feeling its energy and warmth.

Janet Kearns Wilson, Australia

I have moved a long way from the bleakness of being on my own and missing a truly remarkable and loving husband. I am lucky to have friends and a craft which is a passion, and the entry into my life of little Clem, my 'step' granddaughter has made life most of the time truly remarkable. I believe that all creative pursuits in search of beauty are God inspired and so I am not alone.

Ginetta Rositano, Autralia

"My Blue Hat"
In making my hat I tried to show the moods I sometimes fine myself in. The base side of the hat represents the feeling of weighted down & not able o see the daylight. The top of the hat merges from black into the blue which represents the emotions of trying to pull through the slump, where there are days of good & bad. Then finally he light shines through the blue sections, where everything seems so wonderful.

Rose Organ, Australia

Come ye Rosebuds.
After many months of depression in a dark world; indulging in many vices, getting fat, swelling up like a hot air balloon.
Al least I am beyondblue!
I have discovered hat making & a passion for beautiful shoes!
Some com all ye rosebuds, put on an exotic hat, fabulous shoes & face the world.
Look in the mirror, paint a face, be happy, love others, hats & shoes.

Meg Chabrel, Australia

Val Gibbs, Australia

Lynn Spencer, Australia

"A life with no sunshine"

Lynn Johanna, USA

Lady Willow - Blues Hat Project STATEMENT
Life with Fibromyalg and Sjogrens can be depressing and sometimes overwhelming because of the unplanned changes due to these disorders.

Creating a new and positive existence has been a challenge but is succeeding with the support and understanding of my Friends, Family and an exceptional Medical Team.

This hat is a visual portrait of the "Changing Moods" that can challenge all of us and the unexpected bright "Flowers" that can bless our lives.

The detachable "Blues Buddy" represents the large doses of humor needed to survive life and the caring friends and family who share the joys and lighten the load.

Wishing everyone the blessings of many "Blues Buddy's" to listen during the down times and share the joys of the positive days. /;)

Favourite Quote: It's only possible to live happily-ever-after on a day to day basis; as it's not your abilities that define who you are ... it's your choices. Anonymous.

http://community.webshots.com/user/lady13willow

www.flickr.com/photos/30721210@N00/185028928/

Gerd Holth, Norway www.gerdholth.no post@gerdholth.no

This is a sort of 'turn you on' hat and can, hopefully, bring the one who wears it and the one who sees it a better mood.

Marit Bjercke, Norway

"Too many grey days, catch a glimpse of the shimmy blue.
Time to think about yourself ( just you ... in between children, family & professional work).
The blue shine, shimmy - shine of the blues & golden days are back again.
It's up to you & your thoughts how blue & grey the days will be.
Put in some sparkling moments & follow the lines even though the path is rough & multi-stranded.
If you succeed, you will enjoy yourself & hopefully transfer the joy to your surroundings."

Med vennlig hilsen, Marit.

Frances Fitzgibbon, Australia

It’s too bad, really – I love the colours of blue, the soft blue of a summer day, the deep, intense blue of a gentian just open, the exciting blue in the eye of a peacock’s feather. So when I’m down I actually feel grey – the stone dead, leaden grey of the complete absence of anything; and fog – thick and heavy so that I can’t move even if I wanted to.

So my hat is the blues peeking out as the fog thins and lifts – something positive, an affirmation that the fog is not permanent.

Kaye Adolphson, Australia

When I feel blue I like to hide away from this world
and escape to another place and time.
My "blue" hat has a fantasy medieval feel
and I can imagine hansom braveknights
rescuing beautiful princesses from castles
and dragons.