E-mail: Dianne.Firth@canberra.edu.au
Starting with traditional bed quilts several decades ago, I have moved to using the quilt medium as a vehicle to explore issues and express ideas. Many of my works are informed by my training as a landscape architect and also from my observations of the relationships and interactions between nature and people. Using a process of abstraction I like to manipulate line, colour and texture to capture an idea, highlight an issue, or evoke a visual and emotional response in the viewer.
My quilts are held in public and private collections in Australia, Europe and USA including: the National Gallery of Australia, the Canberra Museum and Gallery, the Powerhouse Museum Sydney, Museum of Australia, Canberra, University of Canberra Art Collection, Wangaratta Gallery Victoria and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.
Waterholes
Retail Price: $1500
Dimensions: 190 x 106cm
Statement: This whole cloth wool quilt was inspired by the dry stone gardens I saw in Japan. Could they be islands surrounded by the sea, bubbles floating on water or just rocks set in raked sand?
Photographer: Dianne Firth
Botanicus
Retail Price: NFS
Dimensions: 68 x 139cm (H x W)
Statement: This work imagines how plants might grow in space if they are not restricted by gravity, as they are on earth. Viscose felt is held between layers of polyester net and machine stitched through all layers.
Exhibitions: Selected for ‘Metamorphosis’ exhibition at Whitehorse Artspace Gallery, Boxhill Town Hall, Melbourne 14 November to 21 December 2019
Photographer: Andrew Sikorski
Trundling Orbs
Retail Price: NFS
Dimensions: 85 x 104cm (H x W)
Statement: The sun, earth and moon partake in a slow rhythmic dance across the sky.
Exhibitions: SAQA’s travelling exhibition Dusk to Dawn
Photographer: Andrew Sikorski
The Kiss
Retail Price: NFS
Dimensions: 83 x 87cm (H x W)
Statement: Lips – large and sensuous
Exhibitions: ‘Rhapsody’ at Visions Art Museum San Diego USA 2019
Photographer: Andrew Sikorski
Three Stones
Retail Price: A$850
Dimensions: 58 x 58cm (H x W)
Statement: Water-worn stones are a continuing source of inspiration. Orange felt,
representing stones, is held between two layers of net, representing waterwhile machine stitching represents flow patterns.
Exhibitions: One Step Further 2019, Bundoora
Photographer: Andrew Sikorski
Seaweed
Retail Price: NFS
Dimensions: 136 x 91cm (H x W)
Statement: Seaweed gently waving in the ocean current became the inspiration for this abstract work
Exhibitions: Golden Textures 2019
Photographer: Andrew Sikorski
Twisted
Retail Price: NFS
Dimensions: 100 x 70cm (H x W)
Statement: Two strands start to twist together.
Exhibitions: ‘Connected’ for SAQA Oceania, Tuggeranong Arts Centre, ACT
Photographer: Andrew Sikorski