Preamble
For your convenience I have listed another two posts in this series on this blogspot:
2018 CrossXpollinatioN "Journeys" Exhibition
‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’
For you convenience I have also listed below posts on this blogspot that featured Museums and Galleries.
When Rainforests Ruled
Some Textiles@The Powerhouse Museum
Textile Museum in Tilburg (The Netherlands)
Eden Gardens
Maschen (Mesh) Museum@Tailfingen
Museum Lace Factory@Horst(The Netherlands)
Expressing Australia – Art in Parliament House
TextielLab & TextielMuseum – 2013
The Last Exhibition @ Galerie ’t Haentje te Paart
Paste Modernism 4 @ aMBUSH Gallery & The Living Mal
El Anatsui – Five Decades@Carriageworks
The Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Nordiska Museet (The Nordic Museum)
Tarndwarncoort (Tarndie)
Egyptian Museum Cairo - Part I
Egyptian Museum Cairo - Part II
Masterpieces of the Israel Museum
Introduction
In September 2017, Hal Martin, the then Manager of the Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre (COPACC), Colac (Victoria, Australia) invited me to be a Feature Artist at the "2018 CrossXpollinatioN" exhibition titled "Journeys" at the COPACC Civic Hall between 7th - 29th, July, 2018.
One of the exhibition awards was the Tarndie Fibre Art Award - $1500 - which was awarded to Alison McIntosh for her entry - "Passage" - which was fabricated from linen, felt, wood and wire construction. The work drew upon the concept of "Passage" being about human diaspora. The traffic of people, refugees, forced migrations, across the globe. The donkey has always appeared in religious stories and other narratives. It has been the humble but resilient companion associated with finding refuge or sanctuary. The birds seek safe passage with hope of a new life.
Tarndie Fibre Art Award being presented to recipient Alison McIntosh by Tarndie’s Tom Dennis.
Photo Courtesy: CrossXpollinatioN.
Facebook Website: https://m.facebook.com/CrossxpollinatioN/
Tarndie Fibre Art Award: 3D textile art winner Alison McIntosh.
Title: "Passage".
Media: Linen, felt, wood, wire construction.
Size: 120 x 100 cm.
As I was in the vicinity and because by nature I am a curious person, I decided to visit the Tarndie heritage sheep farm at 37 Roseneath Road, Warncoort. I was surprised that it was far more than a sheep farm, housing a museum, yarn store, woolen mill as well as accommodation for visitors to experience farm stays.
I was delighted to visit their "Cider House Gallery", which is open from Friday to Monday between 9am to 4pm. There I experienced Andrew Delaney's exhibition - Lincoln: Truth and Fabrications. It was a dark Gothic style presentation that reflected turbulent times in America's Civil War history. The installation consisted of objects and artefacts employing vintage and unwanted fabrics and in doing so, it parallels a psychological modern churn in America that the world is currently witnessing - The Trump era.
Tarndie's publicity flyer show casing the exhibition.
One of the installation artworks - a frayed and faded flag.
Photography by Andrew Delaney.
Photo Courtesy: http://annodominihome.blogspot.com/p/american-ci.html
I hope that this small post will remind you of a place you should visit to explore an Australian experience. Remember that in the early 1950s the Australian export of wool was 40% of the world's exports, resulting in the common adage that "Australia rode on the sheep’s back."
Polwarth Sheep on Tarndie Heritage Sheep Farm.
Photo Courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/pg/tarndie/posts.
Tarndie Story - One Family One Flock Since 1840 [1]
The Tarndie story centres on the arrival of the Dennis family from the Penzance region of Cornwall which is in the southwest region of England. Their history goes back to the 1600s, where they grew rotations of root-crops and cereals along side cattle, poultry, pigs and fruit orchards.
Penzance shown within Cornwall.
They ran Trewidden Farm and a mill at Trembath and in the 1830s the sons of Richard and Patience Dennis decided to seek new opportunities in the south of Australia.
The Mill at Trembath.
In 1840 three of Richard's sons, Alexander, William and John Dennis had arrived at Williamstown in Port Philip bay on the ship John Bull. All three brothers had pooled £1,000 each in order to purchase stock, the leasehold of aboriginal land and every thing else they needed. They travelled to Tasmania and purchased 615 merinos, horses and bullocks, which they landed at Point Henry near Geelong and then shepherded the flock westward to Lake Colac, the land of the Gulidjan people.
The John Bull Steam and Sail vessel.
Within two months they purchased the leasehold to Tandwarncoort. The property name is derived from the Gulidjan language meaning "up and down like a bandicoot running". This references the profile of the hills that Tarndwarncoort encompasses.
A view of 65 Collyers Road, Warncoort (Australia) shows a glimpse of the rolling hills.
Initially Tarndwarncoort stocked Merino flock, but because of the higher rainfalls in the region it despoiled the quality of the produced wool. Hence in 1880 Richard V. Dennis began a 25 year breeding program to improve the quality of the wool that better fitted the climate. Finally a breed was produced which was originally named, "Dennis Comeback" which created meat and wool that assisted local farmers to create a maximum return per acre in the cold and wet climate of the region. in 1919 the breed was named "Polwarth" after the name of the local electorate, thereby recognising that Tarnwarncoort had created the first flock of this breed.
Polwarth Sheep Characteristics: The Polwarth sheep is a medium-sized animal with a very beautiful appearance. It has both polled and horned varieties, with the polled types predominating. These animals are large framed, robust and produce a high yielding, soft-handling fleece of 22-25 micron fiber diameter.
The Tarndwarncoort wool shop.
A partial view of the coffee shop/wool shop/gallery complex.
Some of the delicious cakes that are available at the coffee shop.
Reference:
[1] Booklet: One Family One Flock, Tarndwarncoort.
Preamble
For your convenience I have listed another two posts in this series on this blogspot:
2018 CrossXpollinatioN "Journeys" Exhibition
Tarndwarncoort (Tarndie)
My artwork has also appeared in a number of exhibitions which has been featured on this blog spot. For your convenience I have listed these posts below.
ArtCloth: Engaging New Visions (Marie-Therese Wisniowski - Curator's Talk)
Sequestration of CO2 (Engaging New Visions) M-T. Wisniowski
Codes – Lost Voices (ArtCloth Installation) M-T. Wisniowski
Unleashed: The Rise of Australian Street Art (Art Exhibition) Various Artists
Merge and Flow (SDA Members Exhibition) M-T. Wisniowski
The Journey (Megalo Studio) M-T. Wisniowski
Another Brick (Post Graffiti ArtCloth Installation) M-T. Wisniowski
ArtCloth Swap & Exhibition
My Fifteen Year Contribution to the '9 x 5' Exhibition
When Rainforests Ruled (Purple Noon Art & Sculpture Gallery) M-T. Wisniowski
When Rainforests Glowed (Eden Gardens Gallery) M-T. Wisniowski
My Southern Land (Galerie 't Haentje te Paart, Netherlands) M-T. Wisniowski
The Last Exhibition @ Galerie ’t Haentje the Paart
Mark Making on Urban Walls @ Palm House (Post Graffiti Art Work)
Fleeting - My ArtCloth Work Exhibited @ Art Systems Wickham Art Gallery
Timelines: An Environmental Journey
My Contribution to Lake Macquarie's Water Exhibition
The Effects of Global Warming - ArtCloth Exhibition@Rathmines Heritage Centre’s Boiler Room
ATASDA's ‘A Touch of Gold’ 50th Anniversary Exhibition - Part I
ATASDA’s ‘A Touch of Gold’ 50th Anniversary Exhibition - Part II
ATASDA's 'A Touch of Gold’ 50th Anniversary Exhibition - Part III
Introduction
In September 2017, Hal Martin, the then Manager of the Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre (COPACC), Colac, Victoria, Australia, invited me to consider submitting a proposal as a Feature Artist for the ‘2018 CrossXpollinatioN’ exhibition titled, ‘Journeys’, at the COPACC Civic Hall, 7th - 29th July 2018 which traditionally featured 3D textile and fiber artworks. Based on COPACC’s criteria I submitted a proposal for my installation concept titled, ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’. My proposal included schematic diagrams of the installation, images of the artworks in the installation, installation artist statement as well as individual artwork statements, my CV and biography.
Installation Concept and Techniques
The ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ installation consisted of ten ArtCloth lengths/panels. The concept of ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ is based on a timeline which begins with the Carbonaceous period and ends with Anthropogenic climate change issues. Most of the ten ArtCloth pieces in the installation were created using my pioneering signature technique ‘MultiSperse Dye Sublimation’ (MSDS). In this technique, I employ disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on synthetic fibers and fabrics.
A Brief Overview of My MSDS Development History and the MSDS Technique
For over twenty years, I have been experimenting and working with hand printing techniques using disperse dyes on synthetic/polyester fabrics. Disperse dyes are a commercial dye type which are light fast, color fast and wash fast and they have been specifically created for synthetic fibers. The dyes are transparent (printing a blue area over a yellow will produce green) and so lend themselves to layering and overprinting to build rich and complex surfaces. A heat press or iron is used to sublimate (transfer) the dye molecules into the fabric fibres. I have been teaching my MSDS technique at international and national conferences/workshops, textile forums, to textile groups and within university courses.
Group photograph of participants and myself on the last day of my five day “Melding Experiences: New Landscapes Using Disperse Dyes and Transfer Printing” workshop, which was organized by the Surface Design Association (SDA) as part of the Confluence Conference post-workshop program. It was held at McNeal Hall on the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, from June 13th - 17th 2011.
From back left to right standing: Sheryl Schwyhart (USA), Dotti Day (USA), Katherine Dunlevey (USA),
Lesley Turner (Canada), Camy Kilmer (USA), Jennifer Fay (USA) and tutor Marie-Therese Wisniowski. From centre left to right standing: Ingrid Lincoln (Canada), Dar Brooks (USA) and Karie Amstutz (workshop assistant) (USA). From front left to right sitting: Barbara Martinson (USA), Liv Samset (Norway) and Helda Klouth (The Netherlands).
The MSDS Technique
The MSDS technique employs disperse dyes and involves hand printing multiple resists and multiple overprinted layers employing numerous color plates, low relief native plant materials and low relief items on synthetic fibres and fabrics. The completed works are rich in color, light, shade, contrast, movement and depth. The multiple layers also imbue a painterly aesthetic and textural, three-dimensional quality to the finished ArtCloth works. Each print is unique and cannot be replicated.
In 2012 Karina van Vught, owner of Zijdelings Atelier in Tilburg, The Netherlands, invited me to give a talk about my art practice and to give a demonstration on my signature ‘MultiSperse Dye Sublimation’ (MSDS) technique. In this photograph you can see me painting my color printing plates with disperse dyes at Zijdelings Atelier.
My MSDS technique has been published in a number of journals and magazines (e.g. Imprint, Print Council of Australia journal, March/Autumn 2013; Embellish magazine, March/Autumn 2012; Down Under Textiles magazine, October 2011; Quilting Arts magazine, September/October 2011).
‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ ArtCloth Installation
The following four schematic diagrams were in the submission as part of my proposal as a Feature Artist for the ‘2018 CrossXpollinatioN’ exhibition titled, ‘Journeys’. The diagrams were constructed in order to assist in the curation of my installation.
Schematic diagram one presents a ‘not to scale’ 3D impression of the ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ ArtCloth installation.
Schematic diagram two presents a ‘to scale’ 2D view/positioning of the large hanging ArtCloth works for ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ ArtCloth installation.
Schematic diagram three presents a ‘to scale’ 2D view/positioning of the smaller hanging ArtCloth works on the back wall for the ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ ArtCloth installation.
Schematic diagram four presents a ‘to scale’ aerial view and spacing of all of the ArtCloth works for the ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ ArtCloth installation.
Artist Statement and Explanation of the Installation
My environmental art utilizes man-made dyes (disperse dyes) and fibers (synthetics) in order to make a statement that is consistent and non-contradictory, namely: as the human population accelerates towards 9 billion by the year 2050 the de-forestation and de-habitation due to human needs must be contained and sustainable in order that flora and fauna - that we do not consume - can coexist with us on this planet.
The exhibition opens up with the ArtCloth work, “Timelines”, which maps an evolutionary journey due to the “Great Permian Extinction”. The trilobites could not survive this natural disaster because of the impact of climate change. However, such a change created a new species - the sea horse - as evident after the extinction timeline in the work.
The diptych, “Sequestration of CO2” depicts climate change due to the rise of flora during the carbonaceous period – a period that altered the Earth’s atmosphere to become oxygen rich rather than adopting the Venusian climate, which is carbon rich and so cannot support flora and fauna.
After the carbonaceous period, Australia’s evolutionary flora story is mapped by the ArtCloth diptych, “Gondwana”. It was from the relictual forests (rainforest remnants of Gondwana) that the Australian flora evolved with its uniquely colored and high concentration of primitive plant species.
With the arrival of the Aborigines in Australia approximately 50,000 to 60,000 years ago, fire management of the native flora began. Australia’s flora adapted to changed circumstances. With the arrival of the British in Australia de-forestation was systematically planned in order to provide food and shelter for the incoming population.
Over the last 230 years (since the first fleet arrived in Australia) the need to feed, house, and clothe the world’s human population has created de-forestation and de-habitation on a grand scale, destroying natural carbon sinks (such as flora) and so causing an unprecedented anthropogenic change of the Earth’s atmosphere, thereby marching towards a Venusian catastrophe. The five ArtCloth works on the back wall explore a world that is ravaged by increased fire and heat due to anthropogenic change.
To achieve my art footprint, I have created a new signature technique called MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS). This installation features my hand printed and hand dyed ArtCloth works employing my signature MSDS technique using disperse dyes, multiple resists, numerous color plates, low relief items and native flora on synthetic fibers.
In-situ Images of ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ ArtCloth installation at the 2018 CrossXpollinatioN Exhibition
Marie-Therese standing next to her ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ ArtCloth Installation.
Front view of the five large hanging ArtCloth lengths in the ‘Black Box Theatre’.
View of the installation from the left hand side of the ‘Black Box Theatre’.
View of the installation from the right hand side of the ‘Black Box Theatre’.
View of the five smaller ArtCloth panels on the back wall from the right hand side of the ‘Black Box Theatre’.
View of the five smaller ArtCloth panels on the back wall from the left hand side of the ‘Black Box Theatre’.
Individual Images of Works in the ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ ArtCloth Installation and Artwork Descriptions
Title: Timelines (full view).
Techniques and Media: Digitally designed and printed fabric length, silkscreened and hand stitched employing gold foil, lutrador and cotton thread on silky faille.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 300 cm (height).
Artist Statement: The ArtCloth work, “Timelines”, depicts the fragility of life due to “The Great Permian Extinction”, which was caused by natural climate change. The trilobites (below the extinction timeline) are representative of the extinct marine species, whereas the sea horse (above the extinction timeline) represents new species, with both halves being connected via the extinction timeline.
Timelines (detail view).
Title: Sequestration of CO2 (full view). Part 1 of a diptych.
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 300 cm (height).
Artist Statement: The dyptich, “Sequestration of CO2”, explores the similar (but opposing in direction) diurnal patterns of photosynthesis and respiration in an Australian Ecosystem during the Carbonaceous period.
Sequestration of CO2 (detail view). Part 1 of a diptych.
Title: Sequestration of CO2 (full view). Part 2 of a diptych.
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 300 cm (height).
Artist Statement: The dyptich, “Sequestration of CO2”, explores the similar (but opposing in direction) diurnal patterns of photosynthesis and respiration in an Australian Ecosystem during the Carbonaceous period.
Sequestration of CO2 (detail view). Part 2 of a diptych.
Title: Gondwana (full view). Part 1 of a diptych.
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 146 cm (height).
Artist Statement: The ArtCloth diptych, “Gondwana” explores ancient plants, which reveal their Gondwanan origins and comprise a diverse mosaic of vegetation communities from rainforests to grasslands.
Gondwana (detail view). Part 1 of a diptych.
Title: Gondwana (full view). Part 2 of a diptych.
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 146 cm (height).
Artist Statement: The ArtCloth diptych, “Gondwana” explores ancient plants, which reveal their Gondwanan origins and comprise a diverse mosaic of vegetation communities from rainforests to grasslands.
Gondwana (detail view). Part 2 of a diptych.
Title: Tropical Heat (full view).
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 120 cm (height).
Artist Statement: Kakadu National Park is a protected area in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin. As anthropogenic climate change will accelerate the Park will come under an increasing threat. This ArtCloth work depicts the threat posed to Kakadu by flooding, sea level rises and extreme heat.
Tropical Heat (detail view).
Title: No Autumn (full view).
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 120 cm (height).
Artist Statement: I live in the temperate zone in Lake Macquarie, NSW, which is approximately 150 km north of Sydney. In 2014 (and subsequent years) we had “No Autumn”. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology recorded that it was the warmest autumn on record in the Sydney and surrounding regions with both maximum and minimum temperature well above the average. This ArtCloth piece explores the impact of having “No Autumn”.
No Autumn (detail view).
Title: Flames Unfurling (full view).
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 120 cm (height).
Artist Statement: The Australian landscape has been and will always be bedeviled by bushfires. To this day, the manner in which Australian biota has tolerated and then exploited bushfires for reproductive advantage is still not understood and so is a topic of debate. The ArtCloth work, “Flames Unfurling” explores the destructive power of a drier world due to anthropogenic climate change.
Flames Unfurling (detail view).
Title: Black Saturday (full view).
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 120 cm (height).
Artist Statement: The 2009 bushfires in January and February ravaged many parts of the State of Victoria and touched directly and indirectly many millions of people in the State, across Australia and internationally. The ArtCloth work, “Black Saturday” depicts the devastation of this single catastrophic event.
Black Saturday (detail view).
Title: Tropical Jewels (full view).
Techniques and Media: The artists signature MultiSperse Dye Sublimation (MSDS) technique employing disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on delustered satin.
Size: 60 cm (width) x 120 cm (height).
Artist Statement: The Daintree Rainforest, which lies on the north-east coast in Queensland is one of the oldest ”wet tropics” rainforests in the world - 135 million years old. Of the world’s 19 primitive plants, 13 are found in the Daintree Rainforest. Due to its unique evolutionary history the Daintree Rainforest is at present World Heritage listed but will be under threat due to anthropogenic climate change.
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank Tamzin, Julie and all the people associated with the 2018 CrossXpollinatioN exhibition for their efforts in administrating my entry, for underwriting the delivery and return of my artworks, and for paying for my accommodation during my stay in Colac. I would like to thank Carole, Andrew, Nick, Chris and Brian and the lighting team for hanging and lighting my ArtCloth works. I would also like to thank my fellow feature artists and judge, Melissa, for her comradery when we were assessing artworks. I would like to thank the audio/visual team for setting up my PDF file for my talk and to the people who attended my talk. Thank you Tamzin and team - your efforts are greatly appreciated!
Preamble
For your convenience I have listed another two posts in this series on this blogspot:
‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’
Tarndwarncoort (Tarndie)
Introduction
In September 2017, Hal Martin, the then Manager of the Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre (COPACC), Colac (Victoria, Australia) invited me to consider submitting a proposal as a Featured Artist for the "2018 CrossXpollinatioN" exhibition titled "Journeys" at the COPACC Civic Hall, 7th - 29th, July, 2018 which traditionally featured three-dimensional textile and fibre artworks. Based on COPACC’s criteria (see below) I submitted a proposal for my installation concept titled, "Timelines: An Environmental Journey." My proposal included: schematic diagrams of the installation; images of works in the installation; installation artist's statement; individual artwork statements; my curriculum vitae and biography.
Featured Artist Invitation Information [1]
The Featured Artist's section of CrossXpollinatioN comprises artwork/installations utilizing textiles and fiber in at least some of the elements of the work. This is an invited section, curated by COPACC together with an independent appointed curator.
The Featured Artist's are the main focus in the COPACC Civic Hall, the venue for CrossXpollinatioN. As this space is a black box theatre, they are able to create a wonderful and unique ambience in which the works are displayed. The artworks are shown to their best advantage, spotlit by theatrical lighting, with plenty of room and height to make each installation really special.
CrossXpollinatioN History/Background [2]
CrossXpollinatioN is an exhibition that has been running annually for the past five years in Colac, Victoria. The "Featured Artists" component is one very important aspect of the exhibition, which includes an Art Awards section, a Wearable Arts Market, Workshops and Artist's Talks. Its intention is to provide an opportunity for leading artists in the fiber and textile arts media to investigate exciting new ways of expression and “Cross-pollinate”.
The exhibition has grown to become a major focus for both COPACC (Colac Otway Performing Arts and Cultural Centre) and RRRTAG (Red Rocks Regional Theatre and Gallery) in their annual exhibition calendars. CrossXpollinatioN attracts works by some of the best practising artists in Australia.
Its significance in the wider community has increased with every year and the exhibition is attracting artists and visitors from both within Victoria and interstate.
It is the organizer's intention that CrossXpollinatioN will continue to grow year by year, becoming an increasingly significant event in the national textiles art calendar.
A general view of the 2018 CrossXpollinatioN exhibition, "Journeys".
A general view of the 2018 CrossXpollinatioN exhibition, "Journeys".
A general view of the 2018 CrossXpollinatioN exhibition, "Journeys".
2018 CrossXpollinatioN Festival of Textile and Fibre Art: Journeys
In addition to the "Featured Artist’s Section", the exhibition also included "The Art Awards exhibition at COPACC", which ran alongside the featured artists in the Civic Hall. Entries were open to all artists working in fiber and textiles and entrants were encouraged to collaborate and “cross-pollinate” to create their work. There were three separate art prizes on offer:
(i) The "Journeys" Art Award - $2000.
(ii) The Tarndie Fibre Art Award - $1500.
(iii) The People’s Choice Award - $500.
The CrossXpollinatioN exhibition at Red Rocks Regional Theatre and Gallery (RRRTAG) at nearby Cororooke showcased creative two- and three-dimensional artworks from both established and emerging artists, once again referencing textiles or fiber and exploring the theme of "Journeys."
The invited "Featured Artists" section which was curated by COPACC together with independent, appointed curators Carole Redlich and Andrew Delaney featured the following artists (in alphabetical order): Vicki Couzens, Peter Day, Sue Ferrari, Melissa Knothe Tate, Liz Powell and Denise N. Rall, Mary Preece, Barbara Rogers, and Marie-Therese Wisniowski.
Note: All artist's statements are courtesy of the "CrosspollinatioN Festival of Textile and Fibre Art: Journeys" exhibition/events program.
Artist: Vicki Couzens.
Title: "Grandmothers Cloak" (detail view).
Photo Courtesy: Netsvictoria
website - https://netsvictoria.org.au/artist/vicki-couzens/
Statement: “It is my passion for the reclamation, regeneration and revitalisation of our cultural knowledge and practices that drives me and informs the work that I do. The images and installations I create are drawn from the teachings of our Ancestors, Old People and Elders who guide me through my life. Land, language and identity are who we are….. through the use of language, stories and image our culture is made stronger, our connections are made stronger, we are made stronger.”
Vicki is a Senior Knowledge Holder for Possum Skin Cloak Story and Language Reclamation and Revival in her Keerray Woorroong Mother Tongue.
Artist: Peter Day.
Title: "Vessel" (installation view).
Statement: Peter works with schools and communities using sculpture as a means to convey messages of our fragile ecology, which is at odds with the modern world. He started making little sculptures out of driftwood 30 odd years ago, and over the years a plethora of ocean-washed finds have been transformed into art materials. Peter spends a lot of time on Victoria’s wild south coast which is a catchment for the southern ocean currents.
Artist: Sue Ferrari.
Title: "Hive" (installation view).
Statement: Sue asks us to consider for a moment a world without pollinators. When the honey bee and butterfly suffers, agriculture suffers, and so potentially do all who depend on the bounty that comes from pollinated angiosperms; the flowering plants from which we derive many of our most delicious and health-giving fruits and vegetables. As these pollinators journey in and out of our daily lives, it is important to reflect on the choices we make in our day to day activities, so many of which have far reaching consequences on the health of the environment and impacts on these fragile pollinators, which in turn will have an irreversible impact on the journey of our existence.
Artist: Melissa Knothe Tate.
Title: "Biotextilogy – believe in yourself" (part installation view).
Statement: Having studied engineering in an era of Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided-Manufacturing (CAD-CAM), she has invented a new platform for Microscopy-Aided Design And ManufacturE (MADAME). MADAME creates scaled-up textiles that mimic the natural cellular weaves of living tissues. Learning from cells, the threads they spin and the tissues they weave. This trans-disciplinary, interactive exhibition presents her multifunctional textiles and smart materials inspired by nature, tying together the fields of biotechnology and textile design on “The Cellular Catwalk.”
Artists: Liz Powell and Denise N. Rall.
Title: "She Shall Rise Up: The Suffragette’s Tableau" (part installation view one, detail).
Statement: The artists share a strong interest in how clothing reflects cultural parameters for women. Their work often relies on the creative utilisation of recycled materials. Their collaborative artwork for CrossXpollinatioN 2018 inhabits the rocky journey towards full rights for women. This work coincides with the 2018 centenary of some women’s emancipation in the UK and the US, while women in New Zealand and Australia had already been granted the right to vote. But difficulties remain in the 21st century - in 2015, women in Saudi Arabia voted for the first time. The road is still definitely a long one.
Artists: Liz Powell and Denise N. Rall.
Title: "She Shall Rise Up: The Suffragette’s Tableau" (part installation view two, detail).
Artist: Mary Preece.
Title: "Arabesque" (part installation view, detail).
Statement: Her interest in the flourishes, twirls and twining of the arabesque developed as she studied the flora of the Shoalhaven area, where she relocated to in 2008. Mary’s research into local flora led her to rekindle her interest in fibre and textile art forms. Arabesque is a series of small sculptural objects focusing on the use of a wide range of found natural materials displayed as an installation. The sequential coils, loops, twists and turns of these small works explore the freedom and restriction that is the conundrum of the arabesque.
Artist: Barbara Rogers.
Title: "Here & There" (installation consisting of seven textile artwork lengths).
Statement: Barbara works with shibori, an ancient Japanese resist dye technique. She uses simple geometric shapes to create a contrast between dyed and undyed areas of the cloth. Combining carved-board clamped-resist with traditional arashi shibori, Barbara discharges dyes from the fabrics, then overdyes them in other colours to produce highly complex textiles. Barbara’s patterns are defined by repetitions of colour and form that create a rhythm. She is experimenting how to slightly shift a pattern through its repetition. An ancient technique has inspired a modern interpretation.
Artist: Marie-Therese Wisniowski.
Title: "Timelines: An Environmental Journey" (installation consisting of ten ArtCloth lengths/panels).
Statement: The concept of Marie-Therese’s ‘Timelines: An Environmental Journey’ is based on a timeline which begins with the Carbonaceous Period and ends with Anthropogenic Climate Change issues. Most of the 10 ArtCloth pieces in "Timelines: An Environmental Journey" have been created using the artist’s pioneering signature technique "MultiSperse Dye Sublimation" (MSDS). In this technique, Marie-Therese employs disperse dyes, native flora and low relief items on synthetic fibres and fabrics.
See next week’s post, which will feature Marie-Therese’s original schematic diagrams of the Installation, images of artworks in the Installation, Installation Artist Statement as well as Individual Artwork Statements.
COPACC 2018 "Journeys" Art Award
Melissa Knothe Tate and myself were invited by Acting COPACC Manager, Tamzin McLennan, to be judges for the "Journeys" Art Award section which featured the following artists - Christine Appleby, Linda Balding, Heather Barker, Jane Bear, Kerrie Bedson, Mary-Ellen Belleville, Grace Di Muzio, Heather Frizzell, Jenny Grenfell, Barbara Hawkins, Janet McGaw, Alison McIntosh, Susan Miller, Marie Mitchell, Catherine O’Leary, Irene Pagram, Bronwyn Razem, Carole Redlich and Ingra Polic, Joanne Russell, Deborah Saunders, Chelsea Sharp, Zoe Snyder, Jo Sweeney, Sue Tate, Jenny Vick, Ada: Artist Collective, Gellibrand River Gallery Artist Collective: Deb Garland, Monica Provan, Jan Verouden and Kim Vince. Only a selection of some of the artworks in the "‘Journeys" Art Award section are presented below.
Artist: Jane Bear.
Title: "Steps of Life."
Media: Felt.
Size: 120 x 200 cm.
Artist: Kerrie Bedson.
Title: "Fish among Fishes."
Media: Cane, fabric, wool, paper, gut, wire, found natural objects.
Size: 160 x 70 cm.
Artist: Irene Pagram.
Title: "jacket for a better LIFE/JACKET for a better life".
Media: Re-purposed naval pea-coat, hand stitched with rescued threads from abandoned projects.
Size: 170 x 60 x 30 cm.
Artist: Catherine O’Leary.
Title: "Growth" (top artwork).
Media: Felt, silk.
Size: 50 x 30 x 30 cm.
Title: "Seed" (bottom artwork).
Media: Felt, silk.
Size: 45 x 45 x 40 cm.
Artist: Joanne Russell.
Title: "Tripod basket in reds."
Media: Colour grown cotton, bamboo, cotton and polycotton fabrics; calico, flax fibre, thread; cotton rope; cherrywood.
Size: 20 x 20 x 35 cm.
Artist: Sue Tate.
Title: "Lucky Big Country."
Media: Vintage linens.
Size: 86 x 86 x 250 cm.
Artist: Jenny Vick.
Title: "The Writers (ANZACs)" - (above image is one of five pieces).
Media: Natural and synthetic embroidery threads on cotton fabrics.
Size: 28 x 33 x 8 cm.
The $2000 "Journeys" Art Award was awarded to Carole Redlich and Ingra Polic for their installation, "A Journey of Healing", which was fabricated from wool, wire and hessian. The work drew upon the concept of Scarred trees as "place makers" to explore individual capacity to heal, regenerate and reconnect. It was a beautifully executed installation that visually articulated the artists’ concept and highlighted the innovative use of numerous media to explore their theme.
"Journeys" Art Award recipients, artists Carole Redlich and Ingra Polic.
Photo Courtesy: CrossXpollinatioN.
Facebook Website: https://m.facebook.com/CrossxpollinatioN/
"Journeys" Art Award: 3D textile art installation winner.
Artists: Carole Redlich and Ingra Polic.
Title: "A Journey of Healing" (installation in foreground, full view).
Media: Wool, wire and hessian.
Size: 300 x 300 cm.
"A Journey of Healing" (close up view).
Photo Courtesy: CrossXpollinatioN.
Facebook Website: https://m.facebook.com/CrossxpollinatioN/
"A Journey of Healing" (detail view).
"A Journey of Healing" (full view of the installation in the studio).
Photo Courtesy: Tammy Brown.
"A Journey of Healing" (detail view of the installation in the studio).
Photo Courtesy: Tammy Brown.
"A Journey of Healing" (detail view of the installation in the studio).
Photo Courtesy: Tammy Brown.
Tarndie Fibre Art Award
The $1500 Tarndie Fibre Art Award was awarded to Alison McIntosh for her entry, "Passage" which was fabricated from linen, felt, wood and wire construction. The work drew upon the concept of ‘Passage’ being about human diaspora. The traffic of people, refugees, forced migrations, across the globe. The donkey has always appeared in religious stories and other narratives. It has been the humble but resilient companion associated with finding refuge or sanctuary. The birds seek safe passage with hope of a new life.
Tarndie Fibre Art Award being presented to recipient Alison McIntosh by Tarndie’s Tom Dennis.
Photo Courtesy: CrossXpollinatioN.
Facebook Website: https://m.facebook.com/CrossxpollinatioN/
Tarndie Fibre Art Award: 3D textile art winner.
Artist: Alison McIntosh.
Title: "Passage."
Media: Linen, felt, wood, wire construction.
Size: 120 x 110 cm.
People’s Choice Award
The $500 People’s Choice Award was awarded to Heather Frizzell for her entry, "Hare Today" which she fabricated with a cotton fabric body, yarn, wool fibre, mohair and alpaca. The work drew upon the concept of wanting her piece to represent in a fun and engaging way the biggest of our journeys - "life". Rabbits and hares hopping from place to place like that of the child, who still holds on tight to the comfort of their bunny rug, until we reach that stage of maturity, the clichéd owl.
Heather also received a special commendation as part of the Tarndie Fibre Art Award for her entry.
The People’s Choice Award: 3D textile art winner - Heather Frizzell.
Photo Courtesy: CrossXpollinatioN.
Facebook Website: https://m.facebook.com/CrossxpollinatioN/
The People’s Choice Award: 3D textile art installation winner.
Artist: Heather Frizzell.
Title: "Hare Today" (foreground).
Media: Cotton fabric body, yarn, wool fibre, mohair and alpaca.
Size: Approximately 100 cm high.
Other Events
Other events which were held during the "2018 CrossXpollinatioN Festival of Textile and Fibre Art" included Artist Talks by Vicki Couzens, Melissa Knothe Tate, Mary Preece and Marie-Therese Wisniowski; Indigenous Art Workshops with Gunditjmara Artist and Master Weaver Aunty Bronwyn Razem; Peter Day, Artist in Residence; South West TAFE "Community Connexions" Day; "Journeys" Participatory Thread Art Project; "Sensorium" exhibition by South West TAFE; "Small Birds, Long Journey" exhibition by local primary and secondary school students; "Debutantes Dreaming" exhibition; ‘"Cloth & Color", weaving exhibition by Lilliah McCulloch; "Lincoln - Truth and Fabrication", textile installation by Andrew Delaney at Tarndie which also hosted a "Crafters-in-Residence" program each Sunday in July. A selection of some of the events/images are presented below.
Note: Information Courtesy of the "CrosspollinatioN Festival of Textile and Fibre Art: Journeys" exhibition/events program.
Gunditjmara Artist and Master Weaver: Aunty Bronwyn Razem.
Title: "Jarmbi."
Media: Wood shavings and Merino wool from Bendigo.
Size: 60 x 50 cm.
Indigenous Art Workshops: Enjoy a morning of yarning, weaving and connecting with Gunditjmara artist and master weaver, Bronwyn Razem. Aunty Bronwyn acknowledges the importance of maintaining the cultural knowledge behind weaving and the role this played in times past. She will share some traditional weaving techniques that were passed down by her mother and grandmother.
Entrance to the "Sensorium" exhibition by South West TAFE.
Exhibit: Explore your non-visual senses in an immersive art experience brought to you by South West TAFE Colac. Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Sensorium will take participants on a whimsical journey. Entry via the "rabbit hole".
"Lincoln - Truth and Fabrication", textile installation by Andrew Delaney at Tarndie (part view of installation).
Exhibition and Events: Throughout CrossXpollinatioN the historic Tarndie Woolshop will be open from 10am to 4pm. Visitors can have coffee, sit by the fire in the studio with their woolcraft, wander the garden or purchase local yarns. Each Sunday in July Tarndie will host a crafters-in-residence program for crafters and artisans to network and develop their skills.
The "2018 CrossXpollinatioN Festival of Textile and Fibre Art: Journeys" was proudly sponsored by Tarndie, Irrewarra Sourdough and Star Printing.
It is with pleasure that I acknowledge Tamzin McLennan, Acting Manager of the Colac Otway Performing Arts & Cultural Centre (COPACC) for supporting me to exhibit in the "2018 CrossXpollinatioN Journey’s" exhibition. I would also like to thank the COPACC team for their dedication and hard work, and the curators, Carole Redlich and Andrew Delaney for their expertise and vision in displaying all of the artworks in such a professional and sensitive manner. Lastly, I would like to thank the sponsors for supporting this extraordinary "CrossXpollinatioN" Festival of Textile & Fibre Art event. May "CrossXpollinatioN" continue for many years to come!
References:
[1] Invitation to become a Featured Artist for COPACC’s 2018 CrossXpollinatioN ‘Journeys’ document.
[2] Featured Artist Entry for COPACC’s 2018 CrossXpollinatioN "Journeys" document.
Tarndie Fibre Art Award being presented to recipient Alison McIntosh by Tarndie’s Tom Dennis.
Tarndie Fibre Art Award: 3D textile art winner Alison McIntosh.
Tarndie's publicity flyer show casing the exhibition.
One of the installation artworks - a frayed and faded flag.
Polwarth Sheep on Tarndie Heritage Sheep Farm.
Penzance shown within Cornwall.
The Mill at Trembath.
The John Bull Steam and Sail vessel.
A view of 65 Collyers Road, Warncoort (Australia) shows a glimpse of the rolling hills.
Polwarth Sheep Characteristics: The Polwarth sheep is a medium-sized animal with a very beautiful appearance. It has both polled and horned varieties, with the polled types predominating. These animals are large framed, robust and produce a high yielding, soft-handling fleece of 22-25 micron fiber diameter.
The Tarndwarncoort wool shop.
A partial view of the coffee shop/wool shop/gallery complex.
Some of the delicious cakes that are available at the coffee shop.
