Mary Kelleher

KELLEHER, Mary (1959 -) self-describes as a storyteller rather than a writer, inspired by a number of traditions and experiences. Working in the clothing industry in the 80s-90s, Mary learned how to edit clothing ranges or seasons themed to convey a cohesion of style, texture, colour and pattern: these were called “stories”, a concept that would strongly inform her later work. She also attributes her unique line of work to oral storytelling traditions and her experiences in the UK with ancient standing stones and Celtic crosses as a community’s focus for teaching and remembering forebears' lives.

Produced from 2014 onward, the ‘Handmade Histories’ project consists of several large mixed media murals which illustrate facets of early life in Aotearoa New Zealand. Each mural has taken a year to research and render; some are commissioned while others take Mary’s own inspiration. The impetus for the project is that each fabric and object are evocative, that their textures and tactile essence connects the viewer with history and to their forebears; that these objects carry the imprint of the people who owned them.

The first ‘Handmade Histories’ book, ‘The Story of a New Zealand Truck Driver’ (2014), tells the story of truck driver Herbert ‘Night and Day’ Williams in the early 20th century using retro woollen blankets, old crochet doilies, buttons, beads and pebbles, coffee stained cardboard, dinky miniature toy trucks, and old paint-worn Meccano. The viewer follows Bert’s drive over a button road, connecting the isolated farming communities of Horomako/Banks Peninsula by picking up wool bales, cocksfoot sacks and doing the occasional skulduggery of hiding a tractor under wool bales.

Mary’s second book, ‘The Mill is Kaiapoi’ (2014), follows 200 years of history of the town of Kaiapoi which was severely damaged in the earthquake of September 4, 2010. Post-earthquake a local community group commissioned Mary to make the mural which is now on permanent exhibition in the new Kaiapoi High School Hall from August 2018. It is a focus for students to reflect on their town of Kaiapoi, its origins and fortunes over time. Both ‘The Mill’ and ‘Truck Driver’ are accompanied by a song (words and tune by Mary and sung by David Parker from The Nukes) on CD to carry the reader along on this sensory journey.

In response to requests by parents, grandparents and educators for a printed take-home version to share with younger generations, ‘The Story of a New Zealand Truck Driver’ and ‘The Mill is Kaiapoi’ were produced as printed banner books. Although 2-dimensional, the high resolution photography enables readers to see and feel like they can touch every stitch of Mary’s hand work, every button, every old tool or toy.

Visiting primary schools in Northland as a literacy role model for Duffy Books in Homes revealed to Mary how little handcraft is offered to the young generation. In response to this need, Mary has invested in helping others to find and make their own stories by converting a Ford Transit van into a colourful, safe space, as a travelling crafting studio. Mary can now visit any school with a storytelling workshop called Sew Your Story.

Sew Your Story is about empowering anyone—child, teenager or adult—to be able to express themselves using the simple crafting techniques that Mary employs. There is a growing global awareness that use of traditional hand tools is something that benefits us all, emotionally, intellectually and physically. Mary has explored how this benefits the tamariki of Aotearoa whose relationship with the world is primarily channelled through digital media. In 2023 (funded by the Ministry of Education and EPIT) Sew Your Story developed a programme that can be delivered in any school which applies to curriculum requirements while also opening up a new world of creative fun and self expression – no matter what level your handcraft skills are at.