Textile art has community appeal
THE dynamics of group exhibitions vary according to the artists who comprise them.
Some may be linked by a theme or topic, some by the membership of a cohort of creatives with a shared passion for a particular discipline in the arts.
Others may reflect the unbridled enthusiasm seen in exhibitions presented by schools, societies, or even charitable organisations.
A significant and unifying factor, however, is the sense of community involvement, sharing skills, and more importantly, opening the doors of visual communication.
The Rosalie Gallery in Goombungee is hosting Reflections, an exhibition by nine members of Tangled Threads, a Kingaroy based group of regional textile artists.
Using hand and machine stitching and piecing, collage, found objects, eco dyed fabrics, exotic textiles, painting, photography, printing, stencilling, and surface embellishments, the artists have produced colourful and decorative wall works, costumes, and odes to memory and nature.
The articulate room sheet discusses the visual quandary often conjured by the notion of reflection.
The relationship between appearance and reality is played out in reflections that also contain aspects of how we approach a subject, and more importantly, how we feel about it.
Awareness, knowledge, and experience colour our understanding of how things seem.
We ponder, see connections, juggle memories and thus inwardly reflect – which in turn shapes our responses.
To paraphrase the writer Anaïs Nin, “we do not see the world as it is, we see it as we are”. Many of the works are reflections by association such as Michelle Seiler’s Shipwrecked, the resilience of nature seen in the fire studies by Barbara Jenkins, the elegant louvred effect in Ruth Wagner’s Reflections, and the historical connotations in Hints of Elizabeth I by Jane Walduck.
The jaunty tropical fish teacosy by Kay Joyce reflects the attention to detail seen in the retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story by Carol Weekes.
The subtle shadows in works by Kerry Dahms act in counterpoint to the softly diffused light in A shy and hidden bird by Marion Lees.
The circular works by Jan Scudamore, collaged from her collections of bits and pieces including lace doilies, buttons, and snippets of product packaging become nostalgic memoirs reflecting changing tastes in style and fashion.
This exhibition has great community appeal and continues until October 10.
The extended season of the Downlands Art Exhibition means that there is still time to see this impressive smorgasbord of exciting and vivid artworks.
This show, with “something for everyone”’ continues today and tomorrow from 10am until 4pm.
Featured artist Kathy Ellem’s portraits of working horses capture their strength and nobility, while Jobella Bennett’s wire octopus is cleverly quirky.
Skate decks by Travis Hendrix are finely detailed and complemented by Josie Birchall’s Home series depicting caravans.
There is also a stunning selection of Indigenous works by award-winning artists.