Saturday 18 May 2013

WSN A/NZ Newsletter May 2013






WORLD SHIBORI NETWORK
AUSTRALIA AND NEWZEALAND
May 2013 NEWSLETTER

Joan James                                                                                      
Secretary General WSN A/NZ 
Editor                                                                               Email: durley.jj@bigpond.com.au                                                  



UPCOMING EVENTS

Barbara Rogers will be exhibiting "Parallels" at Sturt Gallery in Mittagong, NSW, from 26th May to 21st July, with an opening by Julie Ryder on the 26th May at 11am.  Barbara is regarded by Yoshiko I. Wada as one of Australia’s finest shibori artists who has used the traditional Japanese shibori techniques to create her own modern style by building up layers of colour and design. We hope many can go along to see her inspirational work.

Barbara is a founding member of the WSNA/NZ and has greatly supported the group in making the Barometer Gallery available for our exhibitions. We all appreciate her kindness and the generosity she has shown to us.

                                                 
                                              Barbara in Paris, at the ‘Australia Naturally’ exhibition.

Thank you Barbara, for all your help.    


PROFILE -
COLLEEN WESTE  
It seems all my life I have been draping, stitching fabric making my own clothes from an early age. I inherited the genes from my maternal grandmother, an expert dressmaker and fairisle knitter.
Like many in my family I became a teacher and moved from infant to primary to secondary to tertiary. As soon as I could, I travelled overseas to work in the UK.
It was later as a young mother I decided to call myself a textile artist. We were living in Washington DC for nearly three years where as a member of Potomac Craftsmen, I studied multishaft weaving and the history of natural dyes. It was the late 70’s, a blossoming time for Fiberarts, especially in USA. Many a weekend we could be seen stirring our cauldrons of native dyes on colonial plantations.
So it was natural on my return to Australia to look at all the colours to be obtained from our eucalypts and native flora. I became a founding member of the Botanic Gardens Dye Group while studying for a Graduate Diploma in Textile Design RMIT . 


So it was natural on my return to Australia to look at all the colours to be obtained from our eucalypts and native flora. I became a founding member of the Botanic Gardens Dye Group while studying for a Graduate Diploma in Textile Design RMIT .
 

     Exquisite work by Colleen
That same time I co-convened the First Australian Fibre Conference in Melbourne bringing 40 tutors together from around the world including Yoshiko Wada.
So began my introduction to Shibori. Yoshiko was just writing her first shibori book.
Janet De Boer asked me to convene the TAFTA Forum at Halls Gap the following year and so began years of travel to forums at Mittagong and elsewhere, sometimes to teach, mostly to take study classes with Shibori masters e.g. Hiroyuki Shindo and Ana Lisa Hedstrom.  And so I added to my dyeing skills, beading, machine embroidery, etc. all combined into creative wearable art. That was and is my first love.
Could I make a living as a textile artist? I was teaching textiles part time at universities & colleges, Armadale, RMIT, Prahran and Monash while making silk work on consignment to galleries. As each course was cancelled I thought what can I do? So I decided to go retail, import French dyes and silk and freelance. If I last a year I thought I’ll be doing well, but over three decades later I’m still doing much the same (not retail after 13 years) and so grateful I can work for myself.
Retail in Brighton was such hard work and I could not say no to commissions like wedding dresses, mother-of-bride etc, a fast learning curve. I also authored a book on Silk Painting, Penguin publication, which sold out a few years later.
As a silk/shibori artist and part of the World Shibori Network there have been some recent highlights.
In 2004 I curated a wonderful shibori exhibition at Sofitel Melbourne as part of the WSN Convergence in which nine countries participated.
In 2006 a study trip to Japan especially Arimatsu and in 2008, a study tour to France which included the WSN Convergence in Paris where we had our Australian exhibition.                                                                                               
Another highlight was filming a Shibori segment for ABC TV Sunday Arts.
By this time we had moved to the Macedon Ranges in 2000 and I had discovered an amazing artistic community. Now working from my bush studio I could continue classes and mail orders but especially enter more exhibitions. A big thrill was to be accepted in WOW New Zealand and also speak about Shibori at NGV.       
                                        
                                        
                                                                    Colleen’s studio on open day
Today after seven years I am still president of The Gallery Mt Macedon, a collective of 21 artists and involved in a new initiative Open Studios programme showcasing artists in the Daylesford/Macedon Ranges area.  Hence, the incentive to keep creating new art work.
All around me and in my travels I see shibori patterns in nature. My ideas and use of materials communicate a sense of connection to place and memory.
I value the wonderful friendships I’ve made through the shibori world. We continue to support and inspire each other as we pursue our passion for textiles. Also my many students with whom I enjoy sharing my skills I’m grateful, some have become very special friends.
It has been a rich life, not financially for sure, but spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. They are the values after all that fulfil our dreams to grow as a person.
                                       As we coined at our first conference ‘Life be in it - DYE’
                          
                                           Colleen Weste


OCTOBER
WRAPPED IN SHIBORI   -   SCARF EXHIBITION

To be held at Barometer Gallery, 13 Gurner Street, Paddington, NSW, from 2nd October to 20th October 2013.

Although entries don’t close till 1st August, quite a few entries have been received from members wishing to exhibit.

All details from Beth   susie2windy@hotmail.com.  or Barbara rogersba@bigpond.com



MEMBERSHIPS

There are still a lot of members who are not financial. Beth has been sending out email receipts for any monies paid to the Network.  If you have posted in renewal monies and haven’t received a receipt, please contact Beth at susie2windy@hotmail.com.  It is not too late to renew – the more members the better the Network will become. 

WORKSHOPS

Colleen Weste will be conducting workshops in her studio 175 Waterfalls Road, MT. MACEDON, Vic. on the 3rd Thursday of every Month – bookings please – Telephone 035 426 3322 email silkandthreads@hotkey.net.au
Colleen teaches Silk Painting – Shibori Nuno Felting – Shibori Resist Dying – Indigo Resist Dying.

Colleen will also be teaching at Kimono House, Melbourne, 18 May 2013.

Cathy Moon is one of the artists involved in the ‘Spectrum’ exhibition at Gallery 159, Brisbane from June 24th -30th.
It is for invited tutors for the TAA(Textile Art Academy) which is happening in Brisbane at St Peters School from the 24th – 30th June. She will be offering 2 workshops for TAA this year.
On the 30th June Koala Conventions Open Day at the Brisbane Grammar School, Cathy will demonstrate shibori techniques.  She will also be offering 2 shibori workshops for them in 2014.  They have traditionally only offered workshops in embroidery but want to branch out into textile art.

Congratulations to Bonnie Begg and her friend Christine White for their 2 firsts at the Australian cotton Expo.  One in the wearable art section and the other in recycled cotton.  

NEWS FROM BARBARA SCHEY

Life is hectic as ever at the moment.  I am preparing for exhibiting at the North Shore Craft Group at Pymble Town Hall opening Wednesday night 12 June and going through until Saturday.  NOTE:  No Sunday opening this year.  Also on the same week is the Quilt Show at Darling Harbour – Wednesday through till Sunday.  ATASDA have a very large stand there and I am one of the exhibiting members – hope to see you there. I will be at one or the other venues from Tuesday through to Sunday.

In the middle of all this, Peter has finally built my new sewing room and I have a bench long enough for my sewing machine, overlocker, embellisher and possible new machine.  Also a new 3m long cutting out table – I am in heaven.  Machines, coffee and bathroom all on the same level!  Those who have seen my house of stairs will appreciate my joy.

We recently travelled to Victoria (and Tasmania) for Peter to sell paper at Halls Gap, known as Grampians Texture.  This is a long way for us but it is a delightful area and I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone – a truly wonderful atmoshpere.  A bus runs to Halls Gap from Melbourne.  We continued on to Tasmania and stayed with Celia Player who wished to be remembered to all those on the mainland.  Also visited Ken Smith who now runs classes from his wonderful rural home.

I taught my Thready Buttons (Buttony) once again at Context-art in the Blue Mountains, introducing some new buttons which I had time to practice whilst Peter was selling paper in Halls Gap.  I also attended a 4 day workshop with Jane Callender, affectionately known as Cally.  The workshop was all indigo with rust and discharge variations.  Whilst I would never hope to achieve the complex patterns taught by Cally (or even want to – my middle name being “random”), I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and learned quite a few new tricks, even the little knot she uses for stitching was important.


I taught my Thready Buttons (Buttony) once again at Context-art in the Blue Mountains, introducing some new buttons which I had time to practice whilst Peter was selling paper in Halls Gap.  I also attended a 4 day workshop with Jane Callender, affectionately known as Cally.  The workshop was all indigo with rust and discharge variations.  Whilst I would never hope to achieve the complex patterns taught by Cally (or even want to – my middle name being “random”), I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and learned quite a few new tricks, even the little knot she uses for stitching was important. 

I taught my Thready Buttons (Buttony) once again at Context-art in the Blue Mountains, introducing some new buttons which I had time to practice whilst Peter was selling paper in Halls Gap.  I also attended a 4 day workshop with Jane Callender, affectionately known as Cally.  The workshop was all indigo with rust and discharge variations.  Whilst I would never hope to achieve the complex patterns taught by Cally (or even want to – my middle name being “random”), I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and learned quite a few new tricks, even the little knot she uses for stitching was important
.

I taught my Thready Buttons (Buttony) once again at Context-art in the Blue Mountains, introducing some new buttons which I had time to practice whilst Peter was selling paper in Halls Gap.  I also attended a 4 day workshop with Jane Callender, affectionately known as Cally.  The workshop was all indigo with rust and discharge variations.  Whilst I would never hope to achieve the complex patterns taught by Cally (or even want to – my middle name being “random”), I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop and learned quite a few new tricks, even the little knot she uses for stitching was important.

.



Primrose Paperworks are having an exhibition later in the year at the Palm House in the Botanic Gardens named “Fusion” and Peter and I are planning another collaborative piece for this exhibition – more, closer to the time.

We are travelling to Brisbane at the end of the month and I am supposed to be teaching Buttony at Textile & Art Academy at St Lutherans College, Brisbane. Qld members, please take note, I think I need more students – please tell your friends.  I have successfully incorporated handmade buttons in some of my recent shibori work and hoping to do more.

Happy shibori-ing to all
Barbara

Message from Joan

Hi to all. 
I am taking over the newsletter once more, as Beth is busy with many other things and will be working with Barbara Rogers for the upcoming exhibition in October. Don’t forget to enter! Thanks to Beth for all the hard work that she does for us.

If you have any news, workshops or exhibitions to advertise or share with us, please contact me on durley.jj@bigpond.com.au                                                 



Sites of interest -                                                                                                                                                                                                                       www.kimoyes.com
www.strathnairn.com.au





 Reminder -
Membership Fees are now overdue for 2012 – 2013 but we will take late comers if you want to exhibit in October.
Please note Beth Windley has a new email address
susie2windy@hotmail.com.  Contact her for bank information if you want to ebank.

Best wishes to all,
Joan