Fearless Flowers Support Funding Fairness for Ovarian Cancer Research

Since 9 May this year, the Wednesday Group - Fearless Flowers has been busily creating beautiful hand made textile flowers to thank donors who support the Pink Meets Teal campaign for ovarian cancer research in Australia, and advocacy for funding fairness and equity for ovarian cancer research and treatment advancement.

We have received excellent media coverage on television, radio and in print and electronic media

From the ABC News 8 June 2019...
The Fearless Flowers project, launched a month ago, is already gathering momentum, with national and international artists making a commitment to get on board.

Newcastle's Timeless Textiles gallery, Australia's only commercial textiles gallery, is home to the community art group, which is driving the national campaign.

Situated at the historic Newcastle Lock-Up building, in the former women's exercise yard, members of the group are working industriously every Wednesday.

A woman in an orange cardigan holds a completed felt flower.

PHOTO: The hand-made Fearless Flowers, made by members of the Timeless Textiles Wednesday group, will be sold on International Womens Day in March 2020. (ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully)

Coordinator Wilma Simmons said the handmade flowers, made by members, would be sold on International Women's Day in 2020, to support ovarian cancer research at the Hunter Medical Research Institute via Pink Meets Teal.

"We have received flowers from international artists and we are hoping that people will gather in their own communities — get a small group of friends — and perhaps create flowers for Fearless Flowers as well," Ms Simmons said.

At the launch of Fearless Flowers in Newcastle on May 8, Ms Simmons said the group was motivated by a desire to give back to the community.

"We think, as a group, we're very fortunate," she said.

"Most of us have had very successful careers in the past and we also think that we need to give back to our community as well."

A lady with silver hair and a green cardigan with a group of textile artists in the background

PHOTO: Wilma Simmons says the group is motivated by a desire to give back to the community. (ABC Newcastle: Anthony Scully)

Here is more of the ABC news video coverage of Fearless Flowers.

We are often asked what an individual can do to help ....
1. Come along to the Wednesday group at Timeless Textiles and create a flower (s) - any week, 10.30am - 12.30pm
2. Make a flower at home and either give it to someone who will donate to #Pink Meets Teal or send the flower to us. ( Timeless Textiles, 90 Hunter Street, Newcastle East NSW 2300
3. Gather a group of friends and make some flowers together and hold you own fundraising and donate the proceeds to #Pink Meets Teal.
4. Think of other innovative and creative fundraising events you can conduct in your own community.
5. Sign the Petition for funding fairness for ovarian cancer research.

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

Wednesday's Child /2

Work in Progress - 3 of the 193 for "Stitched Up"- Wilma Simmons The work for the "Stitched Up " Project continues. See the previous "Wednesday Child" post for the background to this art project celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Newcastle Industrial School. I have been documenting the progress of my work, so I thought it might be interesting to share some of the early stages of the "stick dolls" ... Here are some of the beginning steps.. Sticks collected while walking the bushland in my neighbourhood Drying and getting rid of any insects - oven heat 75 degreesC for approx 1-2 hours. Trimmed and cut if necessary Ends sealed with matte sealing solution. Drying - solution goes on white but dries clear. First wrapping - foil to create a body shape Second wrapping - stretch fabric. Third wrapping - fabric strips Some stitching - more stitching and embellishment to come. Follow thi

Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

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