Saturday, 14 September 2013
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
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.
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
Best wishes to all,
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