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After dreaming up the project initially with the title 'Encounters on the Textile Web', we decided to slightly adjust the name for the event to be held at Braemar Gallery, Springwood in May '98 to 'Encounters of the Textile Kind'. We did not want to cause any confusion about the type of networking we were aiming to promote, definitely physical, hands-on and face-to-face (not a computer in sight) for a weekend of fun, workshops, lectures and an exhibition of work from textile artists of the Blue Mountains.
Ironically, as it turned out, the symbol chosen for the logo is known as "Penelope's Web", a symbol which demonstrates a constellation of stars interconnected by a single line or thread, and spinning out from the central unifying concept. Through the event we hoped to create connecting threads to the different types of networks we as textile artists might be seeking. We are grateful to have received a small grant from the NSW Government City of the Arts funding to help put our vision into action.
Laura Murray Cree, Editor of Art and Australia, started the talks from our panel of special guests with a very lively presentation of slides from the works of artists who use the grid format in their work, including Lesley Tilley, Hillary Mace, John Young and Rosalie Gascoigne. She also reminded us of the early works in textiles of Australian artist Wendy Stavrianos, and Judy Chicago's 'Dinner Party', both of whom have engaged the art world in spite of their use of so-called feminine/female medium. Encouraging us to keep 'doing' what we re doing, Laura thoroughly affirmed the textile media as valid expressions of our identity as women and artists.
As if reinforce Laura's exhortation, Jan lrvine (who later opened the exhibition at Braemar Gallery), spoke of her matrilineal connections to the textile arts over several generations which had engendered in her such a love of stitchery. The story of her multifarious adventures into exploring and promoting the textile medium helped us realise that there are other people out there 'doing it'. Helen Lancaster gave us further evidence that the world could be at our doorstep, with adventurous tales of taking her wonderful marine-life collection of wearable art all the way to the Middle East. Our two other guest speakers, Jo Heitter from Craft Australia, and Karen Fail from Fairfax Press, provided us with informative insights into how to promote our work, both in the market place and through having it published.
Whilst this forum time gave rise to much animated discussion, it was time for some serious hands-on workshopping on the Sunday. The five tutors, Kath Wilkinson, Fiona McDonald, Yvonne Chapman, Sue Wademan and Annabelle Solomon, shared their skills in surface texture, doll-making, using mixed media, fabric collage, and creating new quilt design. All workshops were enthusiastically attended and the creative juices flowed. We all took great leaps forward, and some of the pieces started on the day were exhibited in the Friends of Braemar Exhibition a few months later.
We consider the 'encounters' event to have been a great success and a showcase of many talented textile artists of the Blue Mountains, a positive step in promoting the textile arts generally - the number of visitors to the 6 week exhibition at Braemar Gallery set a record for Braemar's tenth anniversary.
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