by TARA WELSH
28 September to 22 October OFFICIAL OPENING: Friday 30 September, 6–8pm MEET THE ARTIST: Saturday 1 October, 10am–12pm
As a gardener, consumer of food and textiles and bush walker I am fascinated with plants; the shapes and cycles and the efficiency of nature using and reusing all available resources. Human modes of consumption often stand contrary to this inventiveness, leaving a stream of waste. I wanted to create an installation of natural shapes, using waste materials and craft techniques as a form of redress.
I aimed to develop an immersive exhibition that celebrates natural forms and organic colours using botanical dyes, along with materials that have come from my own wardrobe and home, as well other’s secondhand and waste materials. I have employed craft techniques such as stitching, embroidery, knitting, crochet, sting-making, weaving, natural dyeing, darning, beading, and soldering to create the works.
The exhibition is an attempt at redressing consumption with production, remedying a small amount of the waste we produce, and creating (hopefully) something beautiful with something that can become an ugly disaster in many parts of the planet: discarded textiles.
