CANCER SURVIVOR’S CAT HOMAGE ARTWORK TO FEATURE AT NATIONAL EXHIBITION
Awoman whose life was saved by her cat has turned to needle felting to ease her health anxiety, and her work, which features two famous Huddersfield cats, is to be featured in a national exhibition in April.
In November 2017, Gill Kelly, from Huddersfield, was alerted to her ovarian cancer when her cat Humbug jumped on her stomach, which caused her pain and the discovery of a lump, which turned out to be a 2kg tumour.
Since her recovery, Gill has suffered from anxiety the disease could return and took up needle felting to ease her fears. Gill’s most ambitious project to date, charting the history of Huddersfield’s textile heritage, has made it into a national exhibition. The event will showcase
Gill’s story, as well as her 1m square landscape.The work, which took over 300 hours to complete, also pays homage to the cat world and features Huddersfield’s locally famous train station cats, Felix and Bolt.Well-known icons of Huddersfield are also featured including Castle Hill, the Lion Chambers, the Lindley Clock Tower, Newsome Mill, and Lockwood Viaduct.
Gill says she is excited to see her work, which will be showcased alongside over 80 pieces of artwork, at the HopePunk exhibition in Coventry.She says:“I’ve never been arty at all, but something happens under the needle, it is like a miracle really.
“Needle felting completely absorbs me so that I don’t dwell on my anxieties. I can start at 9pm and suddenly realise that I’ve worked right through to 2am. It has taught me how with new tools you can create a whole new life.”