Craft and Textiles

INGRID DUBBELT MEDIUM: TEXTILE BASED: WAITAKERE AUCKLAND Inspired by her uncle, William Mason, a textile and wallpaper printer in the 1960s, Ingrid followed in his footsteps not only inheriting his love of interiors and design but also his printing screens. Ingrid completed a post-graduate Diploma in Textile Design at the Central School of Art in London. On returning to New Zealand in 1986 she established her own studio, Ingrid Dubbelt Textiles where she creates designs for sale and original one-off commissions. Ingrid loves the way that interior fabrics are both beautiful in design and cloth, but also useful in everyday life. Her unique patterns have found their way from tea towels to bedspreads, curtains to upholstery. Even now in this era of digital processing there has been a resurgence of hand-crafted items unique in character and design with the beauty of irregularities inspired by the natural world. Ingrid is inspired and influenced by many forms of art and architecture. A fascination with the Polynesian tapa cloth began while conducting research in the British Museum while studying at the Central School of Art in London for a Post Graduate Diploma in Textile Design. Her most recent work has been influenced by Marimekko, a leading Finnish textile company who produce striking modern designs. She enjoys their simplicity. In between her work with textiles and time with her family, Ingrid teaches English to adult refugees. She has a Masters Degree in English literature.

KRISTIN KELL MEDIUM: ENVIROMENTAL ART BASED: PIHA Kris Kell is a Piha based Environmental Artist. Having an isolated, rural upbringing bought Kris close to nature and from an early age found this environment a place of retreat and safety. Through this association with the natural world she works in a ‘primitive’ art style and sees wild design in everything from the shape of a landscape to the most miniscule leaf, fungus or shell, she then seeks to use these raw, natural materials in a collaborative way. Her work as an independent artist with Waitakere City’s Project Twin Streams has allowed her to share her love of natural fibres with children by creating sculptural stream creatures; this is often done streamside on planting days. Kris also commenced teaching at the Corban Estate Arts Centre in 2007 where she offers regular children’s workshops, and is also involved the annual Schools Trash to Fashion competition. Kris has a Diploma in both Environmental studies and Visual Arts and while studying participated in many group exhibitions, she also had a solo exhibition at the West Coast Gallery in 2008.

ANN UERATA MEDIUM: FLAX WEAVING BASED: WEST AUCKLAND When Ann Uerata attended a night class in Flax Weaving at Auckland Unitec in the late 1990’s she was driven more out of curiosity, than a view to make it a full time occupation. In addition to her Bachelor Degree in Maori Studies, she has also completed a Diploma in Fine Arts (Weaving), and what started out as an interest has now grown into a full time passion. Ann’s weaving is based on the traditional methods taught at Unitec. Her processes such as the harvesting of flax, and the various uses of flax fibre, respect the traditional ways, When it comes to weaving style, Ann prefers to weave ‘fine’ rather than ‘wide’ and is known for her beautiful ‘Muka’ creations. ‘Muka’ which is traditionally used in the production of Maori cloaks is the white inner fibre of the flax plant and requires a more lengthy and methodical preparation than straight flax, but it produces a delicate fine product. Ann is a resident studio artist at the Corban Estate Art Centre, and also shares her knowledge of traditional Maori art of weaving by teaching classes at the Art Centre.

CLAIRE HEY MEDIUM: MIXED MEDIA BASED: AUCKLAND Love, nature, play, flights of fancy and written reflections on life; these things inspire and nourish Claire Hey. Wisps of her poetry hover and weave around her images which float and jostle in exuberant fashion. The whimsy of her ‘domestic arts’- her hand-printed and painted aprons and tea-towels, echo, in more playful form, the multi-levelled reference of her dreamy paintings. A graduate of textile and fashion from the U.K, Claire went on to regularly exhibit paintings with collages of embroidery and textiles, acquiring commissioned work in the process. She now paints and tutors, including at Corban Estate Art Centre, guiding people to use their environment and dreams to create rich, meaningful imagery. Claire herself, juggling a hectic family-life and her creative work, uses images of the flora and fauna she can see out her kitchen window as well as family photos and free form abstraction. These artful aprons and tea-towels are designed to inject a magic into the domestic routine of home-life. Robust, washable and begging for the stuff of life to be added to their flickering surfaces, these are art-works that are accessible, affordable and unpretentious.

ROSE MOREIRA MEDIUM: KNITTING, TEXTILES BASED: WAITAKERE A Waitakere artisan, Rose Moreira’s striking range of shapely scarves and nature-inspired knitted brooches and hair-clips are inspired by her colourful Brazilian heritage. Working under the name Cachecol which means scarf in Brazilian, Rose’s range is characterised by organic shapes, often curling, twisting, and ‘budding’. With their unabashed love of colour and idiosyncratic design, they exude a sense of fun, vitality and zest for life. The indomitable spirit of her disabled mother and the hand-craft skills (knit, crochet, sewing, and embroidery) she passed on to her daughters have provided the impetus behind these artful body adornments. “She was the most amazing person that I have ever known. (She) lived in a wheelchair for almost 20 years of her life however she was unstoppable and has inspired many people … to develop their potential. Mother, I will eternally carry you in my heart and impress the love and colour of your life on each piece that I make

SUE COLLEY MEDIUM: FIBRE SCARVES BASED: TAUPO Sue Colley lives on a lifestyle block of land on the outskirts of Taupo with her husband, a full coop of chickens, a small flock of Suffolk sheep and a bursting veggie patch. She has a range of artistic interests including; painting, lead-lighting, photographic manipulation, and of course fibre work. Her early schooling experiences and later involvement with Play centre during her children’s early years encourages a freedom of expression and sensitivity which is apparent in her art. She has a strong love and interest in the gifts nature offers, using them in her crafts where possible. Much of the wool used in her scarves is from her own sheep, often dyed with plants grown in her own garden. Colours are selected that are just a little bit different and the scarf takes on a fun unique life of its own as it comes together.

VELVET MOSS MEDIUM: HAND PRINTING BASED: AUCKLAND Velvet Moss was established in 2009 by enterprising creatives Jill Butler and Terri Gasparich. They specialise in hand printed limited edition designs which are used in home décor series such as their stylish linen covered coasters, and their popular and colourful range of fabric covered cards. Inspired by a range of visual stimuli, these include Pacific motifs, Celtic designs and suggestively retro floral patterns. The designs with their strong shapes and graphic clout echo the ‘can do’ ethos of this up-beat, inventive duo.

ANITA PETERS MEDIUM: HAND PRINTING BASED: AUCKLAND Anita Peters specialises in various aspects of fibre art and textile design. Her interests range from traditional English basketry through to the wearable arts and various methods of applied design for fabric. Screen-printing is just one aspect of what this creative artisan produces – her designer tea-towels, combine her passions for fabric as well photography. Photographic details are re-worked into punchy graphic images and hand-printed with silk-screens onto 100% cotton. These unique iconic kiwi images, art-works in themselves, are heat-set and wash well and are the perfect, affordable gift for sending overseas to homesick Kiwis.

BARBARA JOY HAND KNITTED HATS

BEV LATIMER FELTING, WOOL AND SILK SCARVES