On until January 17th 2022
For our second year we are offering a curated selection of items made for the home. These have all been made for this particular collection – so fresh and exciting new works here. The artists and makers were required to make their works using only natural fibers. So even the cushions are stuffed with wool or feathers. This is an important aspect of the work we are doing at ‘from out of the blue studio gallery’ as we try to encourage sustainable and renewable practices that are environmentally friendly. If this is an idea you support then please do pop in to see these works.
Artists whose works are included in the collection have come from around new Zealand and the works have been made with a wide variety of techniques and materials.
Suzan Kostanich has created four special cushions that are cotton velvet with a surface insert of exquisitely fine hand crocheted wool. She describes how in times gone by one of the defining characteristics of a woman was her level of expertise in the art of handiwork, the very fact that she had time to pursue such pastimes also in part defined her social status. These cushions are a contemporary redefinition of th practical and enduring nature of “women’s work”.
Gill Evans is one of the gallery’s most conscious up-cycler of materials. For this collection Gill has created four items that all use previously loved cotton fabrics as the foundation for nuno felting.
This exhibition is enriched by a variety of felted vessels made by two of the regular gallery contributors. Heather Wratt and Beth Pottinger-Hockings.
More of the vessels these two talented artists have currently displayed are on their individual artist webpages:
Heather Wratt. /https://fromoutofthebluestudiogallery.com/heather-wratt/
Beth Pottinger- Hoskings
Not only are there vessels but Beth has also created two of her magical felted balls which are included in the collection.
But not all the vessels currently exhibited are felted. We have a wonderful range of hand-knitted vessels by Jan Macneil. Jan uses Sari-silk waste, assorted other natural fibres, wires and glass beads to produce organic vessels of varying shapes and colours. Each one of these pieces is a trip in the imagination to another place and time. They are created to be held and inspected with full attention to all the tiny magical details.
Nynke Piebenga is one of new Zealand’s premier weavers. She has consistently provided our gallery with her very specially handwoven textiles.Linen runners with her trademark traditional house design on the borders are always a collectable item, as well as her placemats with hemp and linen combinations.
There are several of Nynke’s super snuggly blankets in the display as well – woven in a wide range of traditional patterns with modern colour ways and textures. But blankets, throw rugs or Lapghans are also supplied by other makers. Christine Keller has two of her hand-dyed and woven small blankets for anyone – a limited series. Debbie Dawson’s rich and scrummy Lapghan is also included in the exhibition.
Bronwyn White enjoys living and creating in Paraparaumu where she is constantly inspired by gardens and plants. Her close stitch work on canvas combines colours and textures to create beautiful images abstracted from these influences. Her current works are developed from a project with a lavender farm. The shades of colour this has inspired Bronwyn to use are peaceful and serene. There are two framed pieces on display.
There is something for everyone to enrich their homes with or to gift to a friend or family member.