With our borders closed, West Australians are encouraged to ‘Wander out Yonder’ and explore the spectacular landscape within our isolated state. In the Wheatbelt east of Perth, the farming communities only benefited from piped water since 2000. Constructed by European settlers, low walls on raised granite outcrops that collect and channel water to a tank are still in place. Natural cavities, gnamma holes, also collect water, and were in use long before this settlement. Wave rocks’ dramatic stripes of colour dribbling down from overhangs were created by water action dissolving and re-depositing minerals from the granite. A trip exploring these features compelled me to create a textile memory. I found the sumi ink to be an exciting medium to express these free flowing lines.
Materials: Merino wool fibre, paj silk, silk and bamboo fibres dyed with curry tree berries. Sumi ink, a Japanese drawing ink composed of charcoal and alcohol, silk dyes, Posca pen. Techniques: Felted wool fibres, integrating panels of sumi inked pre felts, sumi ink line drawing, wax resist and silk painting, steam fixed. Lamination of wool fibres and painted silk. Sumi ink and painting on silk for backing. Layered and hand quilted
