VISION STATEMENT
To encourage and assist fibre artists to achieve their
fullest potential by providing advice, facilities
and educational material in an enjoyable
social environment.


Meetings held weekly on Wednesday at Possum Hollow Hall within Townsville Showgrounds, Hyde Park. 10am - 1-00pm

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Alba Leucos Opening









The opening of our very successful and distinctive exhibition was held on Sunday.  Click here to see all the fun

Monday 22 August 2011

Beryl Bull

The fact that you’re a member of Fibres and Fabrics shows you are  creative by nature. Define yourself – art/craft wise? I’ve always loved painting on canvas – nothing serious. I’ve always loved fabrics and blingy stuff. This, combined, has led me into an interest of cloth doll making and beyond, into fibres and fabrics.



Beryl's own pattern Citrus Chique 2009
Are you more comfortable working in one particular medium than most others? No – I am now trying it all – but it did take me a while to experiment away from bought commercial fabrics, like about 45 years! I’m finding paint, paper and glues creeping into my thoughts at the moment, too.
Are there any artists or crafters who, more than any others, have influenced you in your creative life and why? Yep – Barb Neunhoffer  (local) – she has shown me how to experiment with my sewing machine to have fun and she always shares her skills. And Janet Banks has been an influence with her skills at journalism and adding zing to an ordinary book, preloved or hand created.
Describe your workspace.  Quite organised and tidy. I work in a small room so I need objects organised around me for easy access. I like to know where the items are stored/packed so I don’t waste time searching.
What 3 tools could you not live without? Acrylic paint, sewing machine, pens and pencils.
Do you keep a sketchbook or journal?  No. I did try once. Just have fun experimenting and forgetting how I created it now! 



Madame Butterfly sold in 2006
We all share our knowledge at Fibres and Fabrics. Do you extend this in any way by participating in or teaching workshops? Arrr – did teach a fabric painting workshop once, but am keen to participate in anything going.
How do you inspire your creativity when you’re stuck?  I’ll have a flick through a magazine or book from Fibres’ Library. Or lay awake all night thinking up ideas. I’m the Goddess of Dreamland!
If cost wasn’t an issue, what avenues would you choose to explore to expand your skills? Perhaps go to more workshops that are provided around the country by International and Australian tutors.
How do you balance your life?  I don’t put much thought into life really, as long as I’m happy, healthy and fit, I let things fall into place.



Book cover of created paper fabric




Have you, or do you intend to, exhibit any of your work, either collaboratively or alone? If so where and when? I’m happy to exhibit my work wherever, but mainly as “show and tell” type displays. I have done and will continue to do any collaborative works with Fibres and Fabrics Association.
What does your work mean to you? It makes me feel blessed that I have the skills to produce an art piece of some sort. Art and craft work is calming, stimulating and an outlet to express myself.

Well, if that's just an entree to what you'll be doing as you keep "trying it all", we have some treats still to look forward to, Beryl.

Sunday 14 August 2011

Veronica Sands

The fact that you’re a member of Fibres and Fabrics shows you are creative by nature. Define yourself – art/craft wise? I would say more textile - cottons, wool - knitting, crochet, cross stitch and more recently Bobbin Lace.
Are you more comfortable working in one particular medium than most others? Yes, just the ones mentioned not fond in getting stuck up, no glue junky here. The three photo's I have attached are of an "Angel" cross stitch I finished a couple of Years ago and of a cross stitch "Frog Pile" and Bobbin Lace that I am working on now.







Are there any artists or crafters who, more than any others, have influenced you in your creative life and why? My father was always making things and as a child I use to sit in his work shop and watch him turn out some beautiful lamp shade stands and fruit bowls on his lathe then mum would make the shades. More recent, my sister Margaret has been working on a beautiful Bobbin Lace piece and on my trip to Perth in March she taught me how to do it.

Describe your workspace. I have a spare room with a trestle table for my cross stitch and sewing and a drafts table for my Bobbin Lace.
What 3 tools could you not live without? I guess they would be my frames I work with makes working the cross stitch easier, cottons and needles and also my draft table its great to be able to adjust the height and slant of the table.
Do you keep a sketchbook or journal? No, not now. I use to and can see the value in having a record of what I have made so it will be added to my list of things to do.
We all share our knowledge at Fibres and Fabrics. Do you extend this in any way by participating in or teaching workshops? No not now. When I was working in Aged Care both in Nursing Homes and the Respite Centre I taught a lot of different crafts.
How do you inspire your creativity when you’re stuck? I like to look through craft books and craft shops.
If cost wasn’t an issue, what avenues would you choose to explore to expand your skills? Attend work shops on what interests me.
How do you balance your life? I try to do a half hour of exercise each day and I enjoy listening to music.
Has any of your work appeared, or is it going to appear, in a display or exhibition either collaboratively or alone? If so where and when? No, not as yet
What does your work mean to you? A lot, I like and need to be doing something with my hands and I enjoy seeing a project taking shape.

Thank you Veronica for giving us this insight into your work.

Sunday 7 August 2011

Our One and Only Dinie Gaemers

You’ve been a member of Fibres and Fabrics pretty much from the association’s inception, haven’t you? Joined in 1976.
You’ve filled many valued roles within the group. Tell us about your present role? My present role is of being the Archivist and Historian. I offered to compile Fibres’ first 25 years of History in 1998, for which I had to compile the archival information first and I have been doing that since. I also wrote the following 10 years of history.

I know you’re very creative. Can you define yourself – art/craft wise? For daily fibre activities I lean towards practical articles that can be used, but extend myself for Exhibition entries. I used originally the technique of knotting, Macramé, for this purpose, which was followed very closely by coiled basketry and hand sewn hexagon patchwork

Are you more comfortable working in one particular medium than most others? I like most of the Fibre techniques, but I am definitely not a fine embroiderer, embellisher or dyer.

Are there any artists or crafters who, more than any others, have influenced you in your creative life and why? Not really.
Describe your workspace. I use the spare room for storing things, use the dining room table a lot and usually work anywhere where I can sit comfortably.

What 3 tools could you not live without? Above all the tools I use, the most precious one is my hands.

Do you keep a sketchbook or journal? No.

             





We all share our knowledge at Fibres and Fabrics. Do you extend this in any way by participating in or teaching workshops? I have participated in many early workshops, and have taken my expertise to members of the group and also to the wider community e.g. friends, youngsters and worked a number of years with physically handicapped young people, which was a very rewarding time.

How do you inspire your creativity when you’re stuck? Usually hang it up on the wall or leave it somewhere to be seen.

If cost wasn’t an issue, what avenues would you choose to explore to expand your skills? Not important to me anymore.
How do you balance your life? Life balances itself.

Have you, or do you intend to, exhibit any of your work, either collaboratively or alone? If so where and when? Have exhibited in the Fibres’ exhibition ever since 1976 and plan to continue. Have exhibited nationally in the early years. The last few years collaboration has been introduced to the group with a most successful exhibition “Threads of Habitat’ and “Alba leucos” exhibition, presently being constructed.



What does your work mean to you. Love it!



 
Thank you for talking to us, Dinie. Your energy, enthusiasm and creativity are an inspiriation to us all.

Thursday 4 August 2011

Wednesday 3 August 2011

Fibres and Fabrics Take up Residence.


Wednesday, 3rd August 2011, and Fibres and Fabrics meet in their new home for the first time. Lots of helping hands went along to unpack and the library, under Birte's tender direction, is looking quite at home in the cold room. Members enjoyed the novelty of staying at their tables and not having to move for the meeting. Fiberians are flexible and adaptable and will make the most of every given challange and it show! May our stay in the shed be happy, inspiring and welcoming to all.
And here we have the Possum Palace. Is that a royal blue velvet curtain I see? In Annette's words "it's where the resident possum sleeps, he was there yesterday but up a bit higher from the bulge in the bottom of the blue fabric. Not sure what the consensus is on him, but if he goes another will move in, so maybe better the one we know than the one we don't.. lol.." Perhaps we should run a competition to give him (let's hope it's a him and not a pregnant her) a name and just adopt him. Leave your suggestions in the comments below. (I've adjusted the settings so that it's easier to leave comments - give it a try?)