Gathered Threads, an invitation textile exhibition 4th June to 3rd July
Beth & Tevor Reid 14/06/22
General Statement
All quilts are made using the myriad colours of recycled denim jeans carefully selected and purchased from various op shops. They are machine pieced and quilted with some fusible applique, taking the utilitarian and making it into art. All cotton backing, cotton thread and 60/40 wool polyester wadding.
Above Corundum 150 (h) x 154 (w)
Denim is a tough and resilient fabric. Sapphire, one of the hardest gemstones in the Corundum family, occurs in a trigonal structure. The use of dark denim triangles through to washed out blues suggests a crystal structure in this triangular quilt.
Above: Singing the Blues 153 (h) x 41 (w)
A denim banner featuring and celebrating the versatility of denim in all its myriad shades
AboveBlue Haze 150(h) x 41(w)
A denim banner that celebrates the blue haze that hovers over the Eucalyptus Forests in the Australian Alps
Above : Nuance Light 50 (h) x 50 (w)
Cataract operations brought changes in sight and perception of colour, blue went from lacklustre to a vivid explosion, a nuance or delicate variation in colour and tone was more readily perceived. Recycled denim marks the changes from almost white to a deep dark blue with the grain giving movement from circle to block.
Nuance Dark 50 (h) x 50 (w)
Above: Waters Edge 30 x 30
A small quilt that provides a setting for 10 understated line drawings of birds. These drawings based on an Oyster Catcher, a sea bird widely found in coastal areas of Australia, are an exercise in conveying the sense and movement of the bird without delivering a detailed execution. Seen on a trip to Tasmania we were fascinated by their movements, always on the alert.
Above : Voice of Water 108 (h) x 43 (w)
We have always loved the water sculpture in the forecourt of the High Court with the rippling sound of water over stone. There is also another similar water sculpture that is a favourite at the Botanical Gardens in Cranbourne, Victoria. This piece is inspired by these two sculptures.
Artist Lynette Weeks
My current focus is making contemporary art quilts. Along with eco-dyeing, I enjoy using the breakdown technique to develop interesting fabric. Stitch and mono-prints are sometimes added for impact.
I live in Ocean Grove on the Bellarine Peninsula. I enjoy attending workshops where I can learn a variety of textile techniques, giving me an inventory which I can select from to enhance my work.
Above Ridge Lines at Gariwerd
2021
Art quilt
The ridge lines at Gariwerd (the Grampians, Victoria, Australia) are always dramatic. With storm clouds threatening the panorama is dark and gloomy. When the sun reflects off the rocky outcrops it is breathtaking scenery. Irresistible.
Above Rockpool
2022
The use of several colouring and printing techniques has enabled me to achieve naturalistic effects. Swirling stitching gives the impression of a rockpool. The lazy seaweed and broken shell have been printed from items I gathered from the shoreline. Some hand stitching has added further interest and texture.
Above: Waiting for the Billy to Boil, 2019 detail.
Above: Undergrowth. 2019
23rd June 2022
Sarah Louise Ricketts
Thanks to wonderful Dijanne Cevaal and ArcYinnar, Gathered Threads has given me the unexpected opportunity and the motivation to work in 2D (flat) felt again, after a ten-year break and a period of working in felted sculptural forms, followed by writing for several years.
My renewed desire to work in felt appeared during COVID, when I moved house and packed up my
studio. I could do little else but knit, including unravelling jumpers to supply wool when it could not be ordered. This taught me patience, and I became more willing to correct errors and even to start again.
To prepare for Gathered Threads, in a new studio and reunited with my materials, I chose pieces of
work started but not finished—some abandoned, some in stasis—and offcuts and trimmings from
previous work and used only yarns and threads I already had. Rather like I’d done during
COVID—making do.
It has been a wonderful experience, learning again how much I enjoy making, especially felt, and
enhanced this time with the help and company of my daughter, Alice Nothe. I hope you will enjoy
the fruits of our labour.
Image above: Detail of Life Lab, a collaborative work with Alice Nothe
Above Wall piece Life Lab p, a collaboration with Alice Nothe
Above:
The next image is of vessels as follows with a view of other works by Sarah
Surf Coast (Vessel 1) 2019-2022 , Sunshine (Vessel 2) 2019-2022 Watch that Man (Vessel 2) 2019-2022