Documenting the Documentation

An important part of being an artist is getting your work professionally documented. My partner Shane Jones and I have been using the services of photographer Tim Gresham for many years, in my case, for nigh on three decades. Fortunately for us, Tim also moved to Ballarat in recent years, although he still has numerous clients in Melbourne. 

In the first two shots, Tim prepares to photograph my reworked drawing Visible Mending in his Ballarat studio. My protagonist’s body decoration is based on an embroidery design by May Morris, doyenne of the British Arts and Crafts movement.

Tim Gresham is also one of Australia’s most accomplished tapestry weavers and he still works part-time at the renowned Australian Tapestry Workshop. To the left of my drawing (third view below) is one of Tim’s exquisite woven tapestries. At the photo session I was struck by the remarkable synchronicity between our two works. Their connection is purely serendipitous, yet it’s almost as if one was made in response to the other.

A PASSION FOR TAPESTRY: opening night

Red Comb #2 (2007) based on a detail from my painting 8 Women (2005) wool and cotton, 15 x 16 cm
Woven by Cheryl Thornton 

A PASSION FOR TAPESTRY, which opened last night at the Australian Tapestry Workshop, comprises 18 small tapestries from the private collection of Tuppy Cole, all of them acquired from the ATW. The exhibition includes Red Comb #1, woven by Rebecca Moulton (fourth image below). For a clearer view of Red Comb #1 sans reflections, go HERE.

Revisiting Red Comb #2, woven by Cheryl Thornton

An unexpected surprise was the accompanying exhibition of tapestries from the workshop’s collection, including Red Comb #2, woven by ATW master weaver Cheryl Thornton (pictured top). I was thrilled to see this little gem again. I admire Cheryl’s work enormously and it’s well represented in both shows.

L-R: Cheryl Thornton and I outside the Australian Tapestry Workshop in 2007

Pictured with Red Comb #1, woven by Rebecca Moulton

The red comb tapestries were commissioned by the ATW in 2007 and are based on individual panels from my multi-panelled painting 8 Women (2005). In the intervening years, life has come to imitate art. My own locks are now the same shade as the intricately woven hair in both tapestries.

As the following photos will hopefully attest, a visit to the Australian Tapestry Workshop is highly recommended.

Opening address by Antonia Syme, Director of the Australian Tapestry Workshop. On the right (holding the bouquet of
flowers) is tapestry collector Tuppy Cole

Centre, left: ATW Director Antonia Syme, centre. Far right: ATW weaver Chris Cochius with Shane Jones

Photo credit for Red Comb #2: Viki Petherbridge. The photos of me (taken on an angle to avoid reflections) are by Shane Jones.

The exhibitions continue to 1 February, 2019.

A PASSION FOR TAPESTRY 
Australian Tapestry Workshop
262 - 266 Park Street,
South Melbourne VIC 3205

Gallery hours: Tuesday - Friday, 10am - 5pm

PASSION FOR TAPESTRY

Red Comb #1, 2007, 39 x 39 cm, woven by Rebecca Moulton at the Australian Tapestry Workshop
Collection: Tuppy Cole. Photo credit: Vicki Petherbridge

In 2007 the Australian Tapestry Workshop in South Melbourne commissioned two tapestries based on my hair ornament paintings. (I had to double-check the date, because I simply cannot believe how many years have passed since then).

Red Comb #1, which was woven by ATW weaver Rebecca Moulton, is part of an upcoming exhibition, PASSION FOR TAPESTRY: Small Tapestries from a Private Collection. It has set me off on a short trip down Memory Lane. The following photos were taken at the Australian Tapestry Workshop, all those years ago.

Red Comb #1 on the loom

Weaver Rebecca Moulton at work on Red Comb #1

L- R: Shane Jones, Sara Lindsay and Rebecca Moulton

L-R: weavers Chris Cochius, Robyn Mountcastle, Cresside Colette, Tim Gresham and Cheryl Thornton. Cheryl wove
the second tapestry based on my work, Red Comb #2.

Rebecca Moulton and myself at the opening of ATW show in which the newly-completed
tapestries were launched

PASSION FOR TAPESTRY: Small Tapestries from a Private Collection

Artists: GW Bot, Belinda Fox, Graham Fransella, Helen Fuller, Deborah Klein, Pauline Nangala Sunfly, Nusra Latif Qureshi Weavers: Sue Batten, Grazyna Bleja, Chris Cochius, Amy Cornall, Louise King, Sara Lindsay, Rebecca Moulton, Laura Mar, Cheryl Thornton

Opening celebration: Tuesday 13 November, 5:30pm Exhibition: 7 November 2018 - 1 February 2019

A Passion for Tapestry is an exhibition at the Australian Tapestry Workshop of small tapestries from the collection of Tuppy Cole, long-term friend and supporter of the ATW. Throughout her long association with ATW, Tuppy has collected many wonderful tapestries. The exhibition features 18 small tapestries, woven since 2004, by weavers at the ATW. The collection includes tapestries that interpret designs by significant Australian artists, as well as tapestries based on the weaver’s own designs. Many of the works are experimental and demonstrate the open possibilities of the tapestry form. Together, the exhibition presents a diverse snapshot of contemporary tapestry, and the imaginative styles of ATW weavers past and present. PASSION FOR TAPESTRY  Australian Tapestry Workshop 262 - 266 Park Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Gallery hours: Tuesday - Friday, 10am - 5pm

Streeton Prints and the Weavers' Picnic

In between seemingly endless preparation for From the Bower; patterns of collecting, a forthcoming group show at Warrnambool Gallery (and a couple of other events besides) last weekend Shane and I actually managed some time out. On Friday afternoon we drove to Queenscliff Gallery and Workshop for the opening of the much-anticipated launch of STREETON PRINTS. It is real coup for this wonderful gallery, and a surprise for admirers of the Australian Impressionist painter, Arthur Streeton. Until recently, most of us had no idea that he even made prints. 

Pictured below at the opening event, L-R are gallery directors, Theo and Soula Mantalvanos. Far right is Margie Brown, General Manager of the Print Council of Australia, who gave a fascinating and enlightening opening address. Shane is particularly passionate about Streeton's work and recently posted about the exhibition and our delightful, but all too brief Queenscliff sojourn on his art blog. The link is HERE.

On Sunday afternoon, back in Melbourne, we attended the 2017 Weavers Picnic, which this year was held in Caulfield Park. Many of our old friends, including Tim Gresham, Sonja Hanson, Chris Cochius, Robyn Mountcastle, Sara Lindsay, Oenone Oxelade, Joy Smith and Cresside Collette are skilled tapestry weavers who honed their craft at the legendary Australian Tapestry Workshop in South Melbourne. They kindly include Shane and I in this annual event, having charitably proclaimed us Honorary Tapestry Weavers.
Photo credit: Dean Varndell.