Elisabeth Thorsen x Missie

Missie’s story

For decades Missie enjoyed a glamorous acting career, performing in venues like the London Coliseum and living a fast-paced life out in the Netherlands.

But after her mum died, she was evicted from her house and ended up in a cramped, unsafe room. Without warning, she’d lost her job, her parent and her home.

That’s when she rang Shelter’s helpline – we helped her find a comfortable one-bedroom flat and gave her the security she needed to rebuild her life.

We also told Missie about Sing for Shelter – a special event at the London Coliseum where UK choirs were recording a single to raise money and fight homelessness. The performance was hugely cathartic for Missie. She could express herself and turn her experiences into something meaningful, positive and powerful.

Missie has continued to express her creativity with Shelter and has written a wonderful poem for the project called:' ‘Life in My Shoes - ‘A lie of their Own’

Elisabeth Thorsen’s inspiration

I really love Missie's spirit and love and respect her artistic impression.

I found it important to get people to think about how it could be in a homeless person’s shoes, how they look at homeless people and how they would manage being homeless themselves.

These difficulties are represented in the artwork as shoes not being the right size and shoes that can't be worn at all. I had the idea of making shoe lights, candles are part of Missie's home as is music, singing and performance.

The candle shoe is a type of "Sacred performance", where people light a shoe and reflect on homelessness. It also reflects Missie's own positive human aura and glow.

I have always liked the idea of lighting a candle for someone you love or to lament on something important.

Read about the development of the shoe

Elisabeth Thorsen website

Elisabeth Thorsen Instagram

Visit Shoes Have Names at New Brewery Arts

The exhibition is open from 30th January to 2nd April at New Brewery Arts. It’s free to visit.

Support Shelter charity shops

This exhibition first appeared at a Shelter boutique in London. We wanted to connect shopping, fashion and craft to tell stories of homelessness. Whenever you pre-loved donate clothes, or buy from us you’re helping Shelter fight the housing emergency that is devastating lives.

To donate clothing and items to our charity shops via post, for free, simply download a free postage label. Or you can find your local Shelter charity shop here.

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To find out more about Shelter, click on the links below:

Shelter Website: http://england.shelter.org.uk/
Campaigning: http://england.shelter.org.uk/campaigns
Support us: https://england.shelter.org.uk/GetHelp
Get help: https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

Life in My Shoes - 'A life of their Own'

As part of the Shoes Have Names project Missie has written and performed this incredible poem for us.

Thank you Missie!

Richard

Wow. First concept test by Elisabeth Thorsen

We had to share this as soon as we received it. This is the first test of Elisabeth’s concept. You can read more about her thinking and the use of donated candles on her previous Shoes Have Names blog post.

Life in My Shoes 'I Know it Sounds Hilarious'

Have you ever had a favourite pair of shoes tugging at the sole of your feet and your heart strings? I know that I have and this took me on a very special journey. I myself cannot believe the lengths I went too just to keep them on my feet.

I bought a pair of shoes that my feet noticed in the shop window as I was passing by. Unfortunately they didn't make them in my favourite colour. Purple! My eyes didn't fall in love that day but the sole's of my feet did.

The material was extraordinary, almost like a thick stretchy latex that was firm, squidgy and flexible all at the same time. They supported my weight, ankles, joints and the painful issues that sometimes knocks on the windows of my knees.

My toes kept turning somersaults and bursting into song every time I put them on. As soon as they touched my feet my toe's started singing, 'These shoes are made for walking,' that was so wild. I wore my shoes everywhere even in the winter for as long as I could.

The weather wasn't always appropriate, just let me re-phrase that! These shoes that I was wearing wasn't always appropriate for the weather. I know, this wasn't a dream and it sounds hilarious. This was a daily occurrence and it kept repeating in my head just like the film Groundhog Day!

The unique material lasted for such a long-time. One day the elasticity began to give way and my feet kept sliding to the left and right. This felt like the motions of a rocking horse, slamming my ankle joints towards the ground every third or fourth step.

My brain started to ask me quick fire questions... What is taking you so long? Why don't you just buy another pair of shoes already? There not even your favourite colour? Do I have to sprain my ankles first? Love can be blind I know, but this just takes the biscuit!

I wonder if any of you can remember the good old winter day's when it use to snow like cotton buds looking like the clouds in the sky. I use to make snow men with button eyes and carrot noses. Throw snowballs behind the trees without leaves pretending to hide.

Peek-A-Boo, who am I kidding, of course they could see me. Some days the snow would be so intense, it felt like my toes were' Knock, knock, knocking on heavens door' and that is an understatement to say the least.

Over the course of ten plus years, I took them to the shop where I bought them. It had its own repair department that offered a reduced price on all shoes bought in their stores. One day he said 'There is nothing more that we can do for your shoes.' I was left with the precious memories and a pair of retired shoes. Believe it or not my ankles started tap dancing and singing to me ' Oh happy day! Oh happy day, I'm so glad, those shoes have gone away!' Finally I'll get a new home today.

Written By: Miss Missie Biellie-Dee Luewis - Shoes Have Names collaborator
Miss Purple Heart 💜

Copyright: Miss Missie Biellie-Dee Luewis

My thinking... as the Missie shoe takes shape

Hello, Elisabeth from Norway here. This is my second update.

After I watched a video of Missie’s story I knew I needed to involve her in this project and learn more about her. We have been talking on Skype and email and i feel a connection with her. I really love her spirit and love and respect her oevre.

I found it important to get people to think of how it would be to be in a homeless person’s shoes, how they look at homeless people and how they would manage being homeless themselves?! So how to get people in the mood and think about how it is to not be able to have shoes in right size, without holes or shoes at all?

I have always liked the idea about lighting a candle for someone you love or something good. Then I had the idea of making shoe lights and i felt it would work well with "Sacred performance", where people light a shoe and reflect about homelessness.

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Missie has told me that she writes poems and she is even creating her own children’s book these days, so I would love it if she could read or perform on the exhibition opening. You can read Missie’s blog about her favourite shoes.

We have a little something in mind we will come back to, so you will just have to wait and see. I also love that i received a lot of candles while talking about the project on the radio. So this is made with love out of material given with love.

Now i am looking forward to talking with Missie to discuss the rest of the project and hear what she has written. We need to figure out some things about the shoes but i think the project is taking shape slowly but in the right direction.

Elisabeth Thorsen

Shoes Have Names collaborator

Website

Shoes Have Names design exploration

Hello, Elisabeth from Norway here.

I have started the process with the Shoes Have Names project and shared this video of my early idea process.

I have moved away from that idea but the path of getting to the result is a part of the making.

Now it's like. .. what is a home to me? Things, safety, music, people? Hmmm I guess a safe zone. A place to feel free to do, believe, eat and say what I want and the freedom to rest in a safe zone.

My first idea was to make a house as a shoe, a small one like a tent, but I moved away from that. My next idea was to make shoes with secret rooms and a possibility to lock them on while sleeping like handcuffs, but it did not seem good and reminded me too little of Missie.

Then I wanted to make a shoe with a door and doorbell welcoming the foot into the shoe, but it felt too strange. Now I am working on something new and hope it gets good. I will post photos and videos of the process.

Elisabeth Thorsen

Shoes Have Names collaborator

Website