Stars for International Women's Day 2017

2017 IWD event Newcastle

It has become a tradition in Newcastle ( NSW Australia) that International Women's Day is celebrated in style at Timeless Textiles Gallery , with a message of peace, community and compassion and a public stand against violence. Over the years, we have made artistic fabric birds to raise funds for women's refuges; stitched 500 metres of white ribbon to raise funds for the anti-violence organisation, White Ribbon; held free community workshops to create a huge fabric footpath mural; stitched prayer flags to support a women's project in India and made a giant bird which was auctioned to supply tertiary education to underprivileged women in Nepal.

This year, 2017 the focus at Timeless Textiles was again strengthening a community against violence - the One Million Stars to End Violence Project. Thanks to Anne Kempton, gallerist and the Newcastle Star Weave community , today's event was truly a celebration of all that 2017 International Women's Day stands for - "Be Bold for Change " - creating a world of equality, gender parity and peace.

2017 IWD event Newcastle - Sharon Claydon MP

2017 IWD event Newcastle - Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes

The "One Million Stars to End Violence"project began as a personal response by weaver Maryann Talia Pau to the horrifying rape and murder of a young woman in her community in Victoria. Maryann was inspired by these words :

"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Dr Martin Luther King Jnr

and sent out a Facebook message to the world to join her in weaving a million stars by 2018. This is Maryann's message :

"To me, one million stars represents how monumental the task of ending violence is and that everyone needs to participate to end all forms of violence. Each star represents a person’s commitment to practise light, hope, courage and solidarity and the one million star installation will be a peaceful statement against all forms of violence in our communities."

Maryann Talia Pau at Timeless Textiles Gallery

The one million stars will be a shimmering, bright installation at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, held on the Gold Coast, Queensland as a part of the vision of the Commonwealth Games program to build and support sustainable and peaceful communities worldwide. As leader of this global project, Maryann has been travelling to Commonwealth countries in the lead up to 2018 Games, connecting with communities and teaching weaving workshop with this message of peace. What an inspiration!

2017 IWD event - some members of the Newcastle Star Weave community.

Just as inspiring is the Newcastle Star Weave community, a small group of committed people who have been teaching many others over the last year to weave the stars with a target of 10,000 stars to be completed by International Women's Day. The goal was achieved well before today, and these stars will become part of the one million. What a visible reminder that we can all achieve a dream together. Thank you to all involved - the power of each one of you offers hope to the world.

Happy International Women's Day!

Too Precious to Waste

Stitched tea bags/ old doily "tea lights" - Wilma Simmons More than a year ago, a decision was made. The annual exhibition of NCEATA ( Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists) 2015-2016 will have the theme "Mottainai". Mottainai in Japanese refers to more than just physical waste (resources). It is even used to refer to thought patterns that give rise to wasteful action. Grammatically, it can be used in Japanese as an exclamation ("mottainai!") or as an adjective phrase ("it feels mottainai"). There is no plural form. The collection of mottainai things could be called mottainai koto ( もったいない事 ? ). As an exclamation ("mottainai!") it means roughly "what a waste!" or "Don't waste." [2] A simple English equivalent is the saying "waste not, want not." A more elaborate meaning conveys a sense of value and worthiness and may be translated as "do not destroy (or lay waste to) that

Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

This week I've been working on fish and sticks .... The sticks are the message stick art dolls which were very popular, attracting some attention and a few orders at the Wise Women exhibition. Each of the message stick dolls are from the Wise Women series, each with her own personality and message of wisdom, handwritten on a handmade timber tag. I gather the sticks during my walks around my neighbourhood and the tags are made from special bits of timber, some collected by me or my husband or from off cuts gifted to us from another doll making friend whose husband makes bagpipes. These dolls start off very simply with a wrap around a stick, in the general shape of a body. 'Naked" message stick dolls - strips of wadding wrapped around found sticks. Then I usually wrap other layers of fabric, wool, and/or fibres, over which I do some simple embroidery. I sculpt or mould small face masks for these dolls. I really like using "sari ribbon" as wrapping str

May I Present Mrs Chalumeau...

Finally Mrs Chalumeau takes a bow …She is a Pearly Queen … 695 buttons on the doll and 10 on the journal.(I think – could be more). I would like to thank Paula from Antiques and Collectables here in Hamilton, Newcastle and Raku Buttons ETSY seller for supplying me with about 500 of the vintage mother of pearl buttons, and the rest I had in my stash. I think they look great on my pearly queen, but I am truly tired of sewing on buttons. It made me think however, how many buttons must be on the elaborate clothes of the real pearly Kings and Queens! I drew my inspiration from the lovely lady pictured here, and the following description from Wikipedia. ... A Pearly King ( feminine form Pearly Queen) is a person dressed in a traditional Cockney costume covered in mother-of-pearl buttons. These costumes were treasured heirlooms, hand made and sometimes representing much of a family's wealth. .... This doll is all cloth – a little different from most of my other dolls which generally h

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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