As Far as the Eye Can See

Question: What happens when 22 women who work as professional designers, artists and dancers to doctors, scientists and project managers put their crochet skills to good use? 

Answer: A gallery size, giant eye artwork including 500 hand crocheted squares using 182,784 stitches all in the name of raising funds for Gap Filler, a creative urban regeneration initiative that is taking art and community to Christchurch's vacant city spaces after the city's devastating earthquake in February. 

The work is currently on display at Rodeo, 162-168 Gilbert Street, Adelaide until 28 October before heading to Christchurch to be exhibition in November. For more information and images visit the website here.

The group seeks to continue making a contribution to the Christchurch community through ongoing projects to connect artists, community and provide story.

Looking for Contemporary Textile Artists...

Recently I have been noticing a large volume of viewers of the Red Thread blog are searching for Contemporary Textile Artists. It’s fantastic to see there are so many people interested into the modern interpretations of traditional textile crafts but where can you find sources of artists for a medium that could be seen as an aged sideline in the contemporary visual arts culture? Answer: Below I have featured three titles that I have come across, each listing an amazing array of contemporary textile artists for you all to check out…

By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art

In a response to the sleek forms and perfect angles of most late twentieth century design objects, many of today's artists and designers are returning to handmade work such as hand lettering, hand drawing, and hand sewing. From books to pillows to T-shirts to toys, the pieces in this volume define an alternative view of contemporary design. Artists include Kirsten Hassenfeld, Victoria May, Kent Henricksen, Aya Kakeda, Dave Cole, Margarita Cabrera and Kelly Breslin.

Slash: Paper under the Knife

Published to accompany a traveling exhibit opening at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, Slash: Paper Under the Knife examines the resurgence of traditional handcraft materials and techniques in contemporary art and design. Highlighting the work of forty-five international artists, among them Noriko Ambe, Ben Cowd, Dylan Graham, Oliver Herring, Georgia Russell, Olafur Eliasson, Tom Friedman, William Kentridge, and Kara Walker, the book features not only cut but also burned, torn, laser-cut, shredded and sculpted paper art.

Contemporary Textiles: The Fabric of Fine Art

This book is a stunning and comprehensive look at emerging artists from one of the most exciting mediums in the fine art world today that profiles some of the most daring and innovative examples of textiles in fine art. Artists include Matthew Barney, Maria Pineres, Jennifer Angus, Elaine Reichek, Jessica Rankin, Rosemarie Trockel, Yinka Shonibare, Tilleke Schwarz, Cosima von Bonin, Ghada Amer, Annette Messager, Mike Kelley, and Christo and Jeanne Claude.

Enjoy J

Science Sewing Circle | Sera Waters

As part of Flocked: collecting bird stories from SA exhibition at the South Australian Museum, artist Sera Waters will be hosting a Science Sewing Circle on Saturday 14 August 1:00 – 3:30pm. Bring along a stitching project and bird stories to share and experience the museum’s bird collection in the Biodiversity Gallery.

This is the last week to see the Inside SAM's Place exhibition which is an ongoing collaboration between Craftsouth and the South Australian Museum. Bookings are essential so please register on 8207 7090,

Waters has spent the last several months studying bird collections in the South Australian Museum and gathering personal bird stories from the public via a blog and a nest box installed in the museum foyer. Flocked  features new textile and embroidered work presented, together with bird skins, eggs and nests from the museum collection, creating a rich and complex world of anecdote and art celebrating the colourful culture of local birds and people, and the connections between them. "After the wonderful time I spent with the bird collection, and with individual birds, it struck me how much their world is intertwined with ours, and how reliant we are upon one another," says Waters.

Image: Sera Waters, Self as Plover, 2011, printed linen, felt, crewel and sequins, cotton + card, 130 x 80cm

Red Thread SALA Walk | 20 August

It's SALA Festival time again! And what better way to visit the fantastic variety of SA artists than with your fellow red threaders.

Join us on Saturday 20 August 11am | Meet at The Three River fountain on Victoria Square for a day of exploring our local talent and share our love of art. Some of the exhibitions so far include visiting Central Studios, Grote St, along King William and Pirie Street to Wish List 2011, Craftsouth and strolling through Adelaide Arcade to visit the Art Gallery of SA and Flinders University City Gallery as well as many others. Visit each of the links for exhibition information.

If you could please register your interest, by emailing k.growden@live.com or posting below.

Download the map and itinerary here and make sure to share with friends, and also bring a small amount of money for coffees and cakes along the way.

SALA Festival runs from 5 - 28 August and the full guide can be viewed on their website.

 

Image: Stephanie Radok, We speak your language, 2010 | solo exhibition at Flinders University City Gallery

the empty nest | pozible crowdfunding

For my upcoming solo exhibition, the empty nest at Seedling Art Space in October, I have established a community funding intiative through Pozible. Click this link for full project description and to make a pledge.

Pozible provides creative project creators with a platform to present their ideas to a worldwide audience. If anyone likes the idea, they can support it by pledging money to the creator's project. In return for their support, the project creator will offer rewards depending on the level of funding, essentially differentiating itself from the normal funding process.

 

As a textile artist, my practice predominantly utilizes the medium of handmade and recycled paper to transform a ubiquitous material from a flat surface into a three dimensional form. Exploring the notions of memory, belonging and the handmade I focus on altering the surface of the paper to create tactile qualities. This exhibition will be a significant professional development opportunity to present my first solo show as an emerging artist. 

 

Contributions of $10+ will fund a mentor/writer fee by Dr. Irmina van Niele, costs of production and installation needs, gallery hire, printing of invitations as well as play an important role in the development of my work as an emerging artist. 

 

Your support through pledges, forwarding this link by email or through Facebook or Twitter would be greatly appreciated. If you think anyone would be interested in supporting the project or if they would like more information, please feel free to contact me at k.growden@live.com

India Textiles Tour with Barb Mullen

Experience the rich textile culture of the Gujarat region in India with passionate and highly skilled textile artist Barbara Mullen. It was wonderful to meet Barb at the last Red Thread meeting and hear about her enduring practice as a maker and teacher of traditional textile techniques as well as running international textile tours. 

For thirteen days 10 ~ 22 January 2012, participants will be able to immerse themselves in silk, cotton, calico and wool, by visiting the Rabari tribal village, Maharajah's Palace in Gondai, Calico Museum of Textiles and Kutch's specialist textile and craft villages. Price per person $A5890 includes all airfares, most meals, accommodation, transport, workshops and transfers. 

For more information the tour is produced by World Expeditions contact on 1300 720 000 or enquires@worldexpeditions.com.au

Crochet + Social Activism Unite

The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef - "Ladies Silurian Atoll" (detail). 

Photo © The Institute For Figuring (by Margaret Wertheim)

When I conjure up images of one of Australia's great wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef, I picture an explosion of colour in the most electric hues. Whilst I haven't been lucky enough to visit the colossal reef system stretching for over 2,600kms, I am afraid I will be disappointed with what I would see. Scientists now believe with the affects of global warming, the reef will become devastated in coming years. Now you may be wondering if Red Thread has turned into a group to analyse the natural world and its many manifestations. Wrong! In 2005, sisters Margaret and Christine Wertheim created the worldwide Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project to pay homage to the threat of devastation to this fragile monster. Initially beginning in their humble living room and gradually expanding throughout their house, today their are crochet communities or 'satellites' popping up in Chicago, New York, London to Dublin and Capetown. Now the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus) is calling for South Australian craftspeople to join in and create your own hyperbolic model which marries handicraft with mathematics, marine biology, social activism and community art on a global scale. To see the many worldwide contributions to the projects visit RiAus and get inspired and get on board.