Yesterday, Beth Hatton gave a very interesting talk to the Hand Weavers and Spinners Guild of NSW about her exhibition Base Line at the Fairfield Museum and Gallery which will open on Feb 1, 2011. The exhibits explore the surveying, settlement, degradation and revival of the grassland of Weereerwa or Lake George.
Beth has learned much about the ebb and flow of this body of water, its mapping and exploitation. She expresses her perceptions in sculpural forms made of native grasses that she sews into tools and vessels.
The exhibition will run until March 13 at the corner of Horsley Drive and Oxford Street, Smithfield. Open Tues - Sat, 10am - 4pm, Sun 1 - 4pm.
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BRIEF: The aim of the eleven artists is to create a textile and mixed-media travelling exhibition. The initial inspiration was the map of the Western Hemisphere embroidered by Elizabeth Cook (c.1800) that shows the voyages of her husband James Cook currently housed at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney. Elizabeth Cook’s map provided a starting point from which the concept of ‘map’ can be understood and interpreted in both concrete and abstract ways. Maps can be about many things; geography, history, geology, personal space, migration, movement, memory, travel, genealogy.
MEMBERS
There are eleven artists in the group.
Donna McCaffrey
Before being inspired by this project the most I recalled about Capt. Cook's explorations was limited to the childhood rhyme "Captain Cook chased a chook…". It wouldn't have occurred to me to read generally about the travels of Cook and his fellow explorers or look at the ships logs made at the time. During the course of my readings I recalled places I had explored on holiday. This has inspired me to create textile works of the places noted in Cook's log as he travelled but as explored by me.
Sheralie Wood
I love being out in the natural world and always feel inspired to recreate in some form what I have experienced. I find joy in the process of creation, even though it's often difficult and I love the meditative quality in stitching.
I've recently experimented quite a bit with vegetable and rust dyeing of fabrics which is fun because you never know how it's going to turn out. Then I combine these fabrics with felt and stitching to create shallow bowls – little microcosms.
In my current research for the MAPS exhibition, I have been inspired by the Australian aborigines' “mapping” of the land in their paintings and hope to express the feeling of this in my own work.
I've recently experimented quite a bit with vegetable and rust dyeing of fabrics which is fun because you never know how it's going to turn out. Then I combine these fabrics with felt and stitching to create shallow bowls – little microcosms.
In my current research for the MAPS exhibition, I have been inspired by the Australian aborigines' “mapping” of the land in their paintings and hope to express the feeling of this in my own work.
Annette Glare
Annette so liked the last exhibition she was involved in she is trying her hand again. It's the hand part that stirs her to create. She loves the feel of the threads and fabric as she stitches and stitches to make deadlines and to satisfy the need to just stitch.
Catherine McClellan
From my professional background in books and literature I have always had a great interest in reading and research, and combined with my secondary life as an avid cross-stitcher these two threads come together in the exploration of the world of maps, diagrams and plans. I enjoy the idea of working these themes together in text based works that combine my love of words and design.
Christene B
I aspire to be a fibre and textile artist – I love to stitch. I enjoy experimenting with a variety of techniques, fabric and thread and I draw my inspiration from nature. MAPS 11 allows me to enjoy the company of like-minded friends whilst researching a specific topic and producing a body of work for exhibition. I find the research as much fun as the challenge of designing and stitching and I have the opportunity of travelling to places I never imagined I would both to learn about our topic and to improve my skills as an artist.
Margaret Gollan
I am a textile artist with a background in embroidery, particularly hand embroidery. I have an interest in working on soluble fabrics that only leave my stitching, and its texture, after the fabric has been dissolved. I have exhibited in numerous displays and exhibitions organised by the NSW Embroiderers' Guild and am currently enrolled in the Proficiency course at the Guild
Prue Hill
Despite a scientific education, I am drawn to fibre and textiles especially to weaving. I weave domestic fabric on a 16 shaft computer loom as well as spin, make lace, embroider and generally enjoy the gentle, tactile arts.
Robin Kaltenbach
Textile artist, Sydney. I enjoy researching and reading on the topic, exploring and finding a variety of interpretation with photographs, drawings, collecting associated articles and pictures. Some of my work tells stories, illustrates places, or explores an idea.
Linda Taglieri
Linda's preferred embroidery techniques are canvaswork and contemporary quilts particularly of landscapes.As a geologist, she works regularly with all sorts of maps. She has a strong interest in fantasy fiction, a genre which also features maps prominently.
Diana Thomas
Diana is a librarian who started constructing quilts and wall hangings in the 1980's. She has completed TAFE courses in Commercial Needlecraft Advanced, as well as Design and Colour, and has had pieces hung at Quilt Australia `88 and with the Hunters Hill Quilters, The Quilters' Guild of NSW and at other exhibitions in Australia and Canada. Currently a part time PHD student at Wollongong University, Diana is writing a thesis on the textile arts in Australian fiction. Texture and colour are Diana's main concerns - any fabric is contemplated for use depending on how it feels to the touch or how it reflects light. Velvet, brocade, taffeta and evening dress fabrics are common inclusions. Quilting is usually random embroidery through the 3 layers – with particular emphasis on the use of chain stitch. The hexagon and variations on the hexagon, and how they can be manipulated through the use of positive and negative space, has occupied many hours. Her latest wall pieces are abstract wall hangings inspired by books that she has read.
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