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.

ORNATE: South Australian Contemporary Textiles

For the next few months leading up to May, we will feature the artists exhibiting in ORNATE: South Australian Contemporary Textiles at Prospect Gallery. The exhibition of eight emerging contemporary textile artists aims to signify textiles as an innovative medium in contemporary visual arts culture.

Ali Carpenter, Kara Growden, Laura Haigh, Kate O'Leary, Jessica Sanguesa, Ashleigh Taylor, Lara Torr and Briony Vickery have taken a variety of approaches to the  theme of "pattern" with an underlying ambition of reinventing the ideals and importance of the "hand-made" to a culture that is strongly influenced by the mechanized.

The exhibition dates run from 1-22 May with an opening event to be held on

Sunday 1 May 4-6pm.

Image: Kara Growden, Toile Country, 2010-11, recycled wallpaper,

 dimensions variable - 100 origami roosters

Home Stories | Artroom 5 opening

Whilst the weather may be grim this weekend, head indoors to see the latest works from artists including Irmina van Niele, Sera Waters, Bridget Currie, Troy-Anthony Baylis.

Adelaide Central School of Art has collaborated with the Migration Museum of SA, to present new works from a select group of artists with migrant heritage. Curated by Vivonne Thwaites, the artists Chris Aerfeldt, Roy Ananda, Caroline Facelli, Irmina van Niele, Lee Salomone, Kylie Waters and Sera Waters draw on social history material held in the Museum's collection that refers to their heritage, as inspiration.

The exhibition runs from 11 February - 19 March and public talks are to be held on Friday 25th February 12pm by Roy Ananda, Kylie Waters and Saturday 5th at 1pm by curator Vivonne Thwaites.

Also opening this Sunday 6pm is an exhibition of new works by Sera Waters, Bridget Currie and Troy-Anthony Baylis at Artroom5, Henley Beach.

For more information on the artists visit ACSA and Artroom5 websites.

Image: Irmina van Niele, Crude Comfort (Detail), 2010-11, found worn

cotton household linen, silk and cotton thread, plant dyes 

Textiles Workshops | Adelaide Central School of Art

For those looking to hone or extend their skills, check out Adelaide Central School of Art's semester one short course program here. 

Sera Waters will be presenting Embroidering Contemporary Art from May 2 - June 27. This course marries the learning of embroidery techniques with lectures which delve into the traditional histories and contemporary contexts of embroidery in art and the wider community. Students will learn a range of basic traditional embroidery skills, including those used in gold work, black work, crewel work and silk-shading, as well as beginning and finishing techniques. With the focus of embroidery in contemporary art, students will be encouraged to expand upon the skills learned  with alternative materials and in non-conventional ways. Cost $560

Sculptural Forms: an exploration of natural fibres by Sandy Elverd May 14 - June 4, will explore the potential of natural plant materials to create a series of small sculptural forms using a variety of techniques and materials. Basketry, string making, netting and random stitch are some of the areas to be explored. A range of resources will introduce participants  to fibre sculpture within Australian and a global context.  Cost: $390

For more information on short courses contact the school on 8364 5075 or visit their website. 

Sera Waters

Things Happened, 2010

card, teatowel, cotton, wooden beads, trim, stuffing

Photograph: Grant Hancock

Textiles Material Revolution | Cecilia Heffer

Welcome back to an exciting New Year, we hope you enjoyed the festive season with family, friends and good food. 2011 will be a prosperous year for many members of the Red Thread Collective, with a significant survey of emerging contemporary textile artists at Prospect Gallery in May, several other solo and group exhibitions and new members joining us as we provide a supportive and friendly network to create and share ideas. 

As we get back into the swing of things there are many new opportunities on the horizon including residencies, exhibitions, grants and awards, and Craft Australia has a diverse range of national and international events to offer on their website visit here or sign up to ca enews to keep up to date with all industry news.

An interesting article I came across on the website was by Sydney based textile designer Cecilia Heffer who completed a residency at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, 2008. Heffer presents five designers to discuss the relationship between textiles and technology and the ground breaking initiative Nobel Textiles. For the full article visit here and stay tuned for updates on our first meeting for the year.

provocations - Masterclass with Ruth Hadlow

Internationally acclaimed process-based artist Ruth Hadlow is offering a 5 day masterclass at Yarralumla, Canberra from 24 - 28 January. Ruth ran the textiles retreat in the Flinders Ranges whilst I was at university and her knowledge and guidance was a turning point for myself as an artist. This intensive program of discussions, readings and projects explores a range of possibilities for challenging and extending individual practice. How might one stretch in new directions, push work to go further, extend ways of thinking and practicing? The program aims to stimulate and challenge, to enable debate and innovation, to extend notions of practice, and above all to provide a space for the development of ideas.

Residential fee: $600 | full tuition, accommodation and meals (Sunday dinner to Saturday breakfast) 

Non-residential fee: $360 | full tuition, morning & afternoon tea, and lunches

Registrations closes on 31 December, to express your interest for the Provocations Masterclass or for more information contact Ruth Hadlow by email ruthhadlow@yahoo.com.au

Our stall at Box Factory Community Christmas Market

Come see us next weekend at the Box Factory Community Christmas Market where we will be selling our beautiful handmade arts and crafts including unique christmas-themed wares to get in the chrissie spirit. Plenty of things to keep you entertained like workshops, homegrown food exchange, games and whose never to old to get their facepainted...

11 December 10am - 2pm

59 Regent Street South Adelaide

Also sincere apologies to anyone who came later on during the meeting this fortnight, we finished the session earlier than posted but we will be back in full swing next fortnight on 15 December and look forward to seeing what you are working on and meeting some friendly faces!!