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.