Craft / New exhibitions at Craft + Design Canberra, Civic, until December 9. Reviewed by MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE.

“SPOON Theory”, by Elizabeth Curry, is a concept developed by an individual who suffered from an invisible illness.

Elizabeth Curry suffers from autism, depression and anxiety. She states that this exhibition, which leans on the Spoon Theory, marks a major milestone in her life: one of acceptance, understanding, and self-confidence.

Curry is exhibiting 18 spoons set around a meal table, most in silver-plated nickel silver, which describe various emotions she experiences regularly. The spoons, mostly, are regular sized dessert spoons. There is wry humour in the depictions of the spoons.

The handle on “Exhausted” is folded into a small version of itself, with the bowl of the spoon holding it together. Most people experience exhaustion, but I suspect in a quite different way to someone who is trying to fight or deny it. This spoon reminds me of a deflated balloon – exhausted and sad.

Curry has produced a catalogue, with each spoon shown with an image of food. “Faulty” is shown with a carrot which might appear in the “odd bunch” in a local supermarket.

“Frustrated” is particularly potent – all that is left of the bowl of the spoon is the rim around it. The image is of someone trying to eat a bowl of cereal. The poignancy outweighs the humour of this work.

Another spoon is titled “Incomplete”. It is shown with a boiled egg, and other accoutrements of breakfast but the tip of the spoon is missing.

This exhibition is a graphic way of demonstrating to those who are not autistic or not on the spectrum, how a person is feeling at any one time.

Thus, the exhibition serves two purposes: one to show the work of this artist, the other to demonstrate how she feels at any given time. This is an intensely personal project and Curry is showing considerable courage in exhibiting it at Craft + Design Canberra. I found it very enjoyable.

ALSO being shown at Craft + Design Canberra is the 2023 Annual Members’ Exhibition.

Traditional craft techniques are being re-interpreted, by people relatively new to craft, and those who have been working for many years in the field.

Many members are exhibiting their work, and viewers will get an excellent overview of work currently being created in Canberra and surrounds.

Lissa-Jane de Sailles, who lives in the Shoalhaven, and was initially trained as a dancer, has turned to basketmaking and is exhibiting three “Callistemon Wands”. Found sticks – maybe collected from the beach, as they are smooth and worn – have basket sleeves slipped over the end, with fine, golden stamen inserted.  Long strings fall from the base of the wands. These works are simple, but evoke the wonderful callistemon flowers/shrubs.

Nicola Knackstredt is a jeweller, who works in fine silver sheet metal. In this show she is exhibiting silk fabric tied around loops of fine silver wire to create a voluptuous neckpiece that sits at the base of the neck. Titled “Untamed”, the strips of silk are left frayed, as if to emphasise the natural opulence of the silk and the voluminous quality of the neckpiece.

Three-dimensional weaving or complexity weaving is not often seen in Canberra. Melanie Olde explores this form of weaving and is showing a complex work from paper and nylon monofilament threads to weave multiple systems of organic cellular structures. She is internationally recognised for her weaving, and we are fortunate to have her in Canberra.

Olde has professional experience and is currently studying for a Master of Arts. This form of weaving is recognised in the US and Europe, but is not so well known in Australia.

This is a big exhibition and offers a wide variety of high standard work to viewers.