In her lap: Embodied learning through making

The significance of laps, specifically women’s laps, as bodily spheres in which making, learning and other informal activities take place remains predominantly unrecognised. The relationship between making, bodily spaces, places and laps is explored herein through self-portrayals of the three authors, or artist-researchers, each of whom provide personal anecdotes, observations and reflections on their experiences with lapwork. The chapter employs the methodological strategy of arts-based research (ABR), supported by a collaborative autoethnographic (CAE) approach. Research methods used include group discussions, observations, probes and self-documentation through note taking and photography. The contribution of this chapter to knowledge is the sustainable role of lapwork in making practices in extreme environments such as the North and the Arctic. The role of laps in supporting embodied learning enables the reinterpretation of spaces that support thinking and learning while doing and making.