Feature Artist | Cheryl Hutchens

Tell us about yourself, how would you describe your work? My work explores the experience of illness and the fragility of the body. Recent work has used embroidery to investigate some common viruses and bacteria which cause us pain and suffering.

Who or what inspires you to create? Most of all I really like making things. If I wasn’t making art I’d be stitching home wares or making clothes. I’m fascinated by the internal workings of the body and I get a great deal of my inspiration from medical textbooks, documentaries and TV shows like Embarrassing Bodies.

What materials do you like to work with? Any fibre, but mostly cloth based textiles. At the moment I’m really interested in embroidery and knitting.

What are your favourite 5 art related websites or blogs?

www.craftaustralia.org.au – for industry news and information about grants, competitions and exhibitions

craftvic.org.au – I would like to say I visit just for news…but often also for shopping

www.ravelry.com – a fantastic source for knitting inspiration

yarnstorm.blogs.com/jane_brocket/ – wonderful blog by an English author devoted to all the good things in life (…knitting, quilting, baking) and she posts beautiful photographs of her creations and travels

www.visualarts.net.au – NAVA is good for arts business advice (and you can look me up in the artist galleries here to see more of my work)

If you could give one piece of advice for emerging artists, what would it be? Make the work that you want to make and don’t be influenced too much by other’s opinions.

Cheryl Hutchens graduated from the South Australian School of Art in 1999 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts. She studied dress-making at Douglas Mawson Institute of TAFE before moving to London in 2003, where she lived for two years and worked in the Library and Archive of the Tate Gallery. Cheryl was a finalist in the Stanthorpe Art Festival and the Lethbridge 10,000 Small Scale Art Award in 2010, and in February this year her Break, suffer, heal series was acquired by the Adelaide University’s art collection. Cheryl is currently undertaking post-graduate study at the South Australian School of Art.

Feature Artist: Rachel Penn (UK)

Get ready for one of most in-depth feature artist post Red Thread has ever had. Rachel Penn contacted us after moving recently to Adelaide after graduating from the Chelsea School of Art Textile Design program and I couldn't wait to share her practice with the Adelaide community and our readers to gain an insight into her unique and striking pieces. Read on...

Tell us about yourself, how would you describe your work? I think I would best describe myself as an all rounder. Although I have predominantly focused on knit and crochet for the last few years I would still consider myself a mixed media textile designer, I love to get involved and experiment with all processes and materials, exploring the true potential of fabric design. I especially have a passion for niche, constructed and very detailed textiles that have a strong focus on concept, following them through into bespoke or editorial fashion, jewellery and interior pieces. I find it particularly uplifting seeing my design work through to end, from drawings and samples, to the finalised collection. 

Who or what inspires you as a textile designer? The inspiration behind my previous projects has always varied depending on the brief given. I like my design ideas to follow a strong narrative, taking inspiration either from the diverse patterns and constructive qualities of architecture to the organic forms and structures in nature. I particularly love to explore different cultures and the diverse aspects of life within them, looking at historical craft techniques and the art associated with individual countries. I also believe that drawing, painting and taking photos are extremely important parts of the design process when it comes to developing your ideas and gaining inspiration about a subject. 

What materials do you like to work with? My list of favourite materials to work with is always changing depending on the project at hand, however I have focused alot on knit and crochet the past couple of years. Having very little prior knowledge of the craft, with its heavily traditional connotations, I felt it gave me the opportunity to explore the potential within a constructive process, finding new ways to use yarn as a basis for mixed media, structural design. I love to experiment between the contrast in hard and soft materials, which I focused on in my final degree show project.

What did you most enjoy about the Textile Design program at Chelsea College of Art? I believe that the best thing about my Textile Design degree at Chelsea was the opportunity to meet like minded, creative individuals. I loved working in the studios amongst my peers, immersing myself in contemporary design 24/7. Also the fact that I was based in London was a huge bonus as it fed my enthusiasm for knowledge and inspiration, something that has brought me to Australia with a desire to see and experience more worldwide.

Is textiles highly regarded as a medium in contemporary visual arts culture? Textiles has the ability to connect us to our past through the tradition of the craft. It can create social identity, bring together communities and represent culture, and this is something that I as a designer try to represent in my textiles through hand crafted techniques used in a contemporary style. It is important to bring textiles into the present contemporary visual arts culture as it is way to connect to the individual using nostalgia.

What are your favourite 5 art related websites or blogs? Well I would say that my favourite website and blogs depend on what I am researching at the time. Previously when in London, I always used to look at the big museum websites such as the V&A, Tate and Somerset House, for inspirational artists and designers or for current exhibitions. I love looking through blogs as you never know what someone else has discovered such as an art piece, fashion designer or illustrator, that could inspire your own work. 

How do you think living in Australia, will influence your designs? As a designer I feel that is extremely important, especially if your given the opportunity, to stimulate your senses and to see as much as possible. After living in london for 4 years I was ready to experience something new, a different environment and culture to inspire me, and when my Family up and moved to Australia, it presented me with this opportunity to begin my discoveries. Im hoping that being here will enable me to explore another side of the world that I have not yet had the pleasure of seeing, immersing myself in the art, community and place.

Red Thread Collective looks forward to meeting Rachel at the next meeting on Wednesday 21 September, but for now check out her website and blog to see more of her amazing works. 

Lair of Crazy Creatures by Luka Vaitkeviciene

Red Thread Collective member and Illustrator Luka Vaitkeviciene recently arrived in Australia from Vilnius in Lithuania. Luka describes her hometown as little and cozy. Interestingly, yet possibly unconsciously I find she has been drawn to a similarly portrayed city in Adelaide. Her candid and somewhat childlike depictions of animals and people are inspired by her everyday surroundings, “the streets, funny people with funny dogs, old things with stories and children’s books”. Preferably working with the humble pen and paper, Luka has incorporated her designs onto ceramics, bags, badges and dioramas, all of which you can admire on her website.

Luka’s Top 5 blogs

www.scarygirl.com/ - I used to check this often and it inspired me a lot.

animalsindresses.blogspot.com - my friend’s blog on her favourite things and her art.

kushkomikss.blogspot.com/ - It's a Latvian blog about comics, they make nice little comic magazines and put information about comic contests.

juliapott.blogspot.com/ - love her animals!

www.art-dept.com/illustration/fahlen/ - this is very inspiring Swedish artist

RTC members enjoy hearing about the differences between our two cities, Luka’s new characters and stories and we hope that whilst living in Adelaide, she finds some ‘aussie’ inspirations for her illustrations... starting with attempting to draw wombats.

Feature Artist | Briony Vickery

Tell us about yourself, how would you describe your work?

I don’t like to think too much about it, I just like to make things. My work is probably best described as organic, and I don’t mean that in a trendy sense, it is just developed in a fairly organic way. No rhyme or reason behind it necessarily.


Who or what inspires you to create?

Quite simply, my inspiration is drawn from my need to make things. Ever since I was a little girl I have been driven to make things. I am not sure why, perhaps it is genetic or just that it is something that has always made me happy and content. I also have an innate love of beautiful things so I guess it is only natural that I keep creating beautiful objects that look lovely or can make the wearer look lovely.

Where was your inspiration drawn for this work? The simple nature of crochet enables me to build a piece, stitch by stitch without necessarily knowing where I will end up. And by adding pearls into the piece, this allows me to put things in order, to complete the piece with perfect placements that create definition and contrast. These pieces are more about the making of the object, a reflection about the world we live in and a method I have to processing information and emotions in an orderly fashion. But I also must say that I have a true love for beautiful objects.

What are your favourite art related websites or blogs?

I love reading magazines so I guess I would suggest www.selvedge.org and www.peppermintmag.com, they several links to many things, organisations and other creatives that I love.

What materials do you like to work with?

I predominantly work with textiles and traditional materials such as beads and buttons etc. I use these materials due to an influence from my Mum and Grandmother but also these materials readily available, and for their domesticity in which they can be collected and reused. I believe in the importance of sustainable living, therefore reusing materials is important to me. Fresh water pearls and shell buttons whilst beautiful also give me a strong connection to the island where I grew up and connect me with my memories of hours spent collecting shells.


Briony Vickery studied Fashion Design at Douglas Mawson Institute of TAFE before proceeding to study visual arts at the South Australian School of Art in 2003.  During this time, Briony exhibited at the annual ‘Designing Futures’ Fashion Industry Parade where she received an Award for Excellence. In 2003, she was a finalist in the Textile Institute Design Award and received the George Gross and Harry Who Design Achievement Award.

Lara Torr | Feature Artist

Tell us about yourself, how would you describe your work?
I'm an artist and arts administrator. I juggle jobs in the arts and disability sector and urban renewal with my independent practice. There's a strong community focus in both these jobs and it means lots of meetings and conversations with lots of people. In contrast, my artwork is quite personal and quiet. Often small.

While I love working with other people to help them get creative projects off the ground, it's nice to have my own work to escape into.

Who or what inspires you to create?

I spend a lot of time on public transport and the combination of travel and thinking time seems to result in lots of ideas. I think it's really nice to spend a bit of time just sitting and thinking, so fellow passengers often see me smiling like a fool or making little notes and drawings on the scraps of paper in my bag.

Where was your inspiration drawn for this work?

I have been studying antique embroidered samplers for a number of years. They are primarily practical, rather than decorative, objects and I see them as a record of labour.

I’ve also been musing about the fact that portraiture often gives the impression that people in the past never moved; that life was conducted in painted freeze-frames featuring Sunday best and an indirect gaze.

What materials do you like to work with?

Paper and ink seem to be the mainstays for me with forays into fabric, plaster and sometimes metal.

What are your favourite 5 art related websites or blogs?

I mainly read cooking blogs (I think I make better art on a full stomach) but recently I've been a fairly regular visitor to these two sites:

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/electronicswatchbook a great pattern resource and http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld this site grew out of the amazing series of  podcasts 'A History of the World in 100 Objects'. Totally fascinating.

If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring artists, what would it be?

Arts takes time. Be patient.

Lara Torr graduated from the South Australian School of Art in 2006 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours). She has exhibited locally and nationally, including selected work for Hatched, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art and the touring exhibition Undercover (The Artist Book). She currently works at ArtsSA for the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust and is a project coordinator for Renew Adelaide.

Laura Haigh | Feature Artist

Tell us about yourself, how would you describe your work?

I work predominantly in textile, fibre based work - from paper, to soft scupture - to explore notions of the constructed identity, personal story and history and links between natural growth and personal growth.

Who or what inspires you to create?

I am inspired by words, stories, text, nature and natural form, tactile qualities of fibre, pattern and technique in textiles.

What materials do you like to work with? I enjoy working with thread, free machine embroidery, paper, translucent textiles and found/recycled textiles.

Where was your inspiration drawn for your work in ORNATE?

I was inspired to work with a lace-like form for my piece after visiting the Lace in Fashion exhibition at the NGV last year and drawing connections between the physicality and associations in lace work and the history of lace and the notions of story, memory and identity that I have been interested investigating.

What does "pattern" mean to you as a contemporary textile artist?

For me, pattern in textiles is the perfect medium for exploring patterns in our internal, emotional worlds - patterns of behaviour, thought and action become threads that form our identity and interpretations of the world. I live in a world experienced though a veil of interlocked text: laced and woven together.

What are your favourite 5 art related websites or blogs?

Oh, thats a bit of a tricky one, I'm not really sure - I'm always looking up new things depending on where my thinking/ project research is at! I'm currently looking at a lot of exhibition catalogues - particularly lace based and reading 'extreme knitting and lace'.

If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring artists, what would it be?

Keep creating - in any way - and never stop learning new skills! If I'm not feeling particularly like making anything for a while I will just try cook a new recipe. Reading a new magazine, looking at pretty things or teaching myself a new skill/technique.

Laura Haigh graduated from the South Australian School of Art in 2008 with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Textiles). Her work was selected for the Helpmann Academy Graduate Exhibition in 2009 and has exhibited locally at Magazine Gallery, Carclew Youth Arts and as part of Format Festival including a live sewing performance in 2010 and this year's snow globe collaborated with Lara Torr.