Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

  #SeptTextileLove #STL26Day13 ‘Rethink ’ … Rethinking a work is not unusual for me …sometimes because things just don’t work, but in one recent example , it was because I miscalculated‘ time and the deadline loomed . These small stitched pieces in my head were going to be an archipelago but time beat me before I could stitch the ocean to allow these islands to float.. They ended up in an exhibitions as ‘Meditations on Mercator’ depicting the size distortion of the Mercator cylindrical map projection ! What do you think of the ‘rethink’ ?

  #SeptTextileLove #STL26Day12 ‘Friendship’ … This is a story of friendship based on the love of textiles and fibre art . Gallerist and artist, Anne Kempton and I have been friends for 15 years , meeting when we had both retired from ‘ top’ jobs in a government department and a high school respectively. Neither of us were the retiring types - Anne was establishing the first commercial textile art gallery in Australia and I was looking for a creative direction. We discovered we were both driven by a sense of social justice and community and shared similar artistic aspirations . Since then, we have co- curated exhibitions, collaborated on many projects. supported community art and women’s causes, and grown in our individual artistic expression - Anne includes more stitching in her work and she has had a more painterly influence on mine . Moreover, this friendship is multifaceted, deep and personal and one I value and treasure . Thank you, Anne.  

#SeptTextileLove #STL26Day11 ‘Language’ …when symbols in stitch say more than words … my wonderful  Wednesday Makers group  has undertaken a community peace project ‘Petals for Peace’ - stitched prayer flags depicting flowers , symbolic of peace. . We have stitched many ourselves and other stitchers from all over Australia  have also been contributing as an impactful counter to the hate speech which seems to have pervaded  our world currently - the powerful language of stitch. 

  #SeptTextileLove #STL26Day10 ‘Low Impact ?’ … today I am highlighting an admirable decision by Newcastle ( NSW Australia) textile art gallery , Timeless Textiles . When you purchase from the gallery shop, the protective wrapping is made from recycled fabric - donated abandoned textiles, repurposed clothing and household linens, and sewing project scraps. Not only is this packaging practice low impact on the environment , it doesn’t cost much and making these bags requires minimal effort and only basic skills. However it has high impact as a thoughtful, aesthetic and sustainable retail practice. What other practices have you noticed retailers are using for a lower impact on the environment?

    SeptTextileLove #stl26day8 ‘Inspiring Exhibition’ … earlier this year , the Wednesday Makers Group at Timeless Textiles ( Newcastle, Australia) celebrated International Women’s Day with their exhibition, “Inspiring Women in Stitch’ - congratulations - inspiring women honouring inspiring women .   link to video   

  ‘ Craft or Art?’ … a continuing complex question, with, I guess, has no definitive answer. I’ve often wondered about traditional practices especially … as an example , temari ( Japanese stitched thread balls ). Even authorities on temari have called it ‘an ancient folk craft ’ as well as a traditional, highly artistic culture and skill in that each design shows the unique characteristics of the maker’s free ideas and creativity. ‘ (Japan Temari Association)… My mother taught me to make temari and she would always consider her own creations ‘craft’ and to me they are ‘art’!  Craft or art? Does it really matter what we call the techniques or the outcome of what we create ?