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I am an artist, researcher and visual storyteller. I am neurodivergent which means my brain works in a different way. I use objects to tell stories through art. 1/9 About Yvonne J Foster info@yvonnejfoster.com I am an artist, researcher and visual storyteller. I am neurodivergent, which means my brain works in a different way. I use objects to tell stories through art. How I see the world: I notice small details and how things connects together. I like to touch objects as it helps me understand and remember. I collect and create stories from things I find. My brain works differently: I cannot create images inside my head. I am very curious and need to look and touch. I find communication, words and numbers more difficult. I use old objects within my artwork and I give them new stories. I mix history with make-believe. My art tells curious and unusual stories about the past. You can use different senses with my art: - You can look - You can touch - You can smell - You can listen As a researcher, I look for lost and forgotten details. I get excited when I find: - Old handwriting - Codes and numbers - Unusual books and lists I'm really curiosity and follow thoughts and ideas like a treasure hunt. I notice what's missing and create new things to fill the gaps. I solve problems in unusual and unexpected ways. I draw and create to make sense of the world.

Revealing hidden stories about the people living in the Parish of St Botolphs Without Aldgate in the early 1600s. St Botolphs Without Aldgate Revealing information about the people living and working in the parish of St Botolphs Without Aldgate, (outside the city walls) of London, in the early 1600s. As written in the parish record books. Researched as part of my Arts Council 'Develop Your Creative Practice ' at The London Archives. Please note: Some words and language may be upsetting or offensive. The Parish Clerk 1614 • St Botolph Without Aldgate, London, England John Clarke, the parish clerk began writing in the parish register. 1625 • Buried John Clarke the honest painful parish clerk of this parish. (Painful - the sense of "exertion, effort" from late 14th Century pains "great care taken for some purpose, exertion or trouble taken in doing something”.) The Perfumer 1605 • Baptism Richard Morris son of John Morris christened 27th October. 1621 • Baptism John Morris son of Richard Morris perfumer and Alice his wife, was christened the 6th September. 1665 • Burial Richard Morris of Gravell Lane buried the 9th September. (One of many deaths listed due to the plague.) The Lewd Fellow (Lewd - belonging to the common people, crude, vulgar.) 1614 • Baptism Elizabeth Yarner, the reputed daughter of Thomas Yarner a lewd fellow. The Mother named Agnes Charley, as base as the father, delivered the child in the street, Eastsmithfield. Christened 26th October. A Poor Miserable Fellow 1607 • Marriage Thomas Symball and Ellyn Kytson were married 1st January. 1614 • Burial Hellen Simball wife of Thomas Symball, a poor man in Bull Alley, was buried on 24th September. 1614 • Burial Thomas Simball, a poor miserable fellow of Bull Alley in the High Street, was buried on 3rd October. The Lighterman (Lighterman - a person employed to light lamps by hand) 1619 • Burial Nicholas Obanke son of John Obanke a lighterman and Sara his wife was buried 9th December. 1621 • Burial Thomas Obanke son of John Obanke a lighterman, was buried the 22nd November. The Mothers name was Sara. 1624 • Burial John Obanke son of John Obanke a labourer and Sara his wife was buried 11th December. The Minister's Sons 1614 • Burial Daniel Brigge, son of Mr John Brigge our Minister, was buried the 21st July. He was buried in the chancel (a part of the church near the alter) and had a knell (the sound of a bell, especially when rung for a death or funeral) with the great bell. He died of a sore mouth” 1614 • Baptism William Brigge, son of Mr John Brigge our Minister. Christened on Sunday 25th September. 1615 • Burial William Brigge, an infant son of Mr John Brigge Minister of the parish was buried in the chancel on 13th July. The Hundred Year Old 1621 • Burial Agnes Laugher, widow. Mother to Mrs Porder, a wine merchant. Rounded one hundred years old and was buried 24th April. The Tailor & his Family 1590 • Baptism Agnis Maperlie the daughter of William Maplie, a citizen and merchant tailor of London dwelling in hounsditch near the Aldgate, was christened 1st November. 1591 • Burial Agnis Maperly the daughter of William Maperly, a tailor living near the Aldgate was buried 30th January 1591 being a quarter old. 1592 • Baptism Margery Maperley the daughter of William Maperly, a citizen and merchant tailor of London dwelling near Aldgate, was christened 11th May. 1593 • Burial George Maperley son of William Maperly, a tailor dwelling without Aldgate was buried 11th September of the plague. 1614 • Burial Isabell Maperley widow, one of the alms women, belonging to the merchant tailors alms house near Tower Hill, was buried in the common ground on 22nd July. He had the black cloth and a knell (the sound of a bell, especially when rung for a death or funeral) with the fourth bell. The Mariner 1612 • Marriage Thomas Jheronomy and Helen Millian two black moors were married 9th February. 1613 • Death Thomas Jheronomy mariner, died at sea aboard the East India Company ship Peppercorn. 1613 • Baptism Josias Jeronnomy son of Thomas Jeronnomy was christened on 1st September. The Lewd Strumpet (Strumpet - a woman who has many casual sexual encounters or relationships.) 1615 • Baptism/Burial Elizabeth, a bastard child was cast into a privy (a toilet) by a lewd strumpet in Hounsditch. The mother named Joan Thacke, a servant to Thomas Newton a broker in Hounsditch. Joan cast the child into a privy and fled away. By good fortune it was heard to cry and saved. The child was christened in the Newton’s house on 11th May but died a week after. A Poor Woman 1615 • Burial A poor woman who lived in the street near to Tower Hill was buried on 27th October, none could tell her name. The Brewers Servant 1614 • Baptism Katherine Mangeborow daughter to William Mangeborow of Swan alley. Christened on Sunday 18th September. 1615 • Burial Katherine Mangeborow daughter to William Mangeborow a brewers servant of Eastsmithfield was buried 27th October. The Schoolmaster 1614 • Baptism Ralph Burchingshaw, son of Anthonie, a schoolmaster in the High Street in Bull Alley was christened 20th May. 1614 • Burial Ralph Burchingshaw, an infant son to Anthonie in Bull Alley in the High Street, was buried 15th June 1614 in the common ground. 1616 • Burial Anthonie Burchingshaw, who dwelt in Harrow alley, was buried on 23rd November. The Innocent 1621 • Burial Alice Robinson an innocent kept by Andrew Blyntherne a tailor of Harrow Alley was buried on the 23rd November. She was buried in the old church yard and had the black cloth.

Part of the Museum of Curious Memories. A seemingly endless collection of memories stored in bottles, boxes and books. Each one contains a small object, a story, or an imagining. Box No. 18 - Figmentum Memoriae Part of The Museum of Curious Memories . A seemingly endless collection of memories stored in bottles, boxes and books. Each one contains a small object, a story, or an imagining, transporting you to a specific place or time. Box No. 18 - Figmentum Memoriae, or The Figment Arts Memory Box. A tall wooden box with 8 numbered drawers, brass number plate (No. 18) and three brass rivets (artist's mark). Contents: Memories collect from Artists belonging to the Figment Arts Studio Group. Box No. 18 on the Shelf On The Shelf Heidi and the Pencils Bottles and Things Figment Arts Memory Box book Sarah's picture

Part of the Museum of Curious Memories. A seemingly endless collection of memories stored in bottles, boxes and books. Each one contains a small object, a story, or an imagining. Box No. 3 - The Box of Unwanted Memories The first completed box within The Museum of Curious Memories . Box No. 3 - The Box of Unwanted Memories. A heavy, dark wooden box with large brass hinges, leather handle, brass hinge and padlock (locked with no visible key), brass number plate (No. 15) and three brass rivets (artist's mark). Contents: bottles of unwanted memories , brown envelopes and letters, labelled but uncatalogued. The Padlock on Box No. 3 The Handle and Lock for Box No. 3 The Box of Unwanted Memories Redacted Letter from The Box of Unwanted Memories Bottles from The Box of Unwanted Memories Bottles from The Box of Unwanted Memories Drawers from The Box of Unwanted Memories Envelopes from The Box of Unwanted Memories

There’s something missing.  I went to look for it and it wasn’t there.  All I found was a gap (and all the bad memories).  Where is the pile of missing memories?  Where is he? Where is Dad when I was young? Finding Dad There’s something missing. I went to look for it and it wasn’t there. Where is the pile of missing memories? Where is he? Where is Dad when I was young? Film Text Transcript: I collect memories. I store them in jars, bottles and boxes. I fold them up neatly and put them in books for safe keeping. Each memory tells a story. I do this because there’s something missing. I have a gap where memories should be. Where are the memories of Dad when I was young? I wandered around the first house we lived in looking for him. I went from room to room and couldn’t find him anywhere. Not in my room, the bathroom, the kitchen. Not downstairs, not in the front room or his office. I walked outside, down the steps into the yard and to the warehouse… That’s where I found him. With the cardboard boxes piled high, brown tape, brown paper. With the taste and smell of cardboard and dust. Finding Dad in the sounds of his voice. Smell - Biscuits and tea. Sounds - Your voice. Tea box with miniature teapot and digestive biscuits. Secret Garden box with key and flowers bottle. Bark from the Bonsai tree you made which I couldn't keep alive. Bright spring blossom that reminded me of you. Quince blossom like we had in the back garden. Our Secret Garden. This is all a very long overdue love letter to Dad celebrating in all those brilliant and best bits (that I can only just remember). Yvonne J Foster Finding Dad 'Finding Dad' was part of The Museum Of Ordinary People 's immersive exhibition 'Home ' at the Phoenix Gallery in May 2021. "HOME presents fascinating, heartbreaking and uplifting stories of ordinary people. MOOP and Mnemoscene have collaborated with members of the public to explore how their collections of everyday objects, photos and documents can be curated to represent our emotional connection with the home and showcase untold narratives that chronicle real people’s lives." Rummage through the website Harriet's House ; created alongside the exhibition to showcase the work in an alternative form. In the Living Room you can interact with the memory box I created and hear the audio collage I put together of my father's voice. Alternatively you can hear the full audio piece on Soundcloud .