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Canberra Today 15°/19° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Quilts that exhibit their environment

“Dreaming of Rajasthan III” by Fiona Gavens Photo: OzQuilt

Craft / “Australia Wide Seven: An Ozquilt Network members”, at Belconnen Arts Centre. Reviewed by MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE.

THIS outstanding exhibition is presented by the OzQuilt Network, Australia’s organisation for art quilters. It’s of the highest quality.

OzQuilt’s purpose is to raise the profile and status of art quilt-making in Australia. The quilts on show – 40 of them – are all 400 x 400 mm, giving a sense of cohesion.

Many of the quilts respond to the environment and the aftermath of the fires in eastern Australia at the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020.

Judy Hooworth is showing “Summer Sketch II”, depicting tree trunks with burnt leaves and branches, and a burnt background. She sums up her feelings in a brief statement: “A summer like no other…”

Alison Withers, “Trek”. Photo: OzQuilt

Alison Withers takes viewers on a walk over ancient landscapes in the Victorian region of Wimmera in “Trek”. A large red X marks the spot – presumably the lookout – where one can take in the views across the Wimmera plains. The track includes rocks, windblown caverns and brilliant colours. This is a stunning quilt.

An uplifting quilt is exhibited by Sharon Peoples. “Help in the Garden” is machine embroidered on soluble fabric. Peoples describes the help that willie wagtails gave her during an intense period in her garden when she was dealing with cabbage moths feeding on her broccoli. Lacy white butterflies flutter prolifically over the surface of her work, even up her gloved arms while a bright caterpillar is held between her fingers.

‘Bird count’ by Judy Wilford. Photo: OzQuilt

No matter the destruction to the planet, some significant events continue. The shearwater migration is beautifully shown in an embroidered quilt by Judy Wilford. She captures the birds themselves, the breeding grounds and the shallow waters where they feed. She is widely known for her delicate embroidery, showing flora and fauna.

“Dreaming of Rajasthan III”, by Fiona Gavens, is a vivid reminder of the colourful life and costumes of this Indian state. Small pieces of coloured fabric are stitched together and overlaid with other colourful strips.

Artists and craftspeople draw inspiration from an infinite variety of sources. Sue Cunningham used a 1908 textbook to create her work “Layout I”, a guidebook for “little mothers” to learn how to sew as neatly as possible. The hand quilting is traditional basting.

Every member of OzQuilt is a highly respected quilt-maker, both nationally and internationally. This exhibition shows the high standard the makers maintain. Some have pushed the boundaries of quilts – traditionally three layers of materials – stitched together. It is an exhibition well worth a visit, and a close examination.

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