Threadlines Exhibition Catalogue - Anglesea Art Space

24 Feb – 13 Mar 2022

“Along with cave paintings, threads were
among the earliest transmitters of meaning...”
Anni Albers: On Weaving, originally published in 1965
Bauhaus Artist - early textile pioneer
Maria Cook, Barbara Roe Hebb and Marian Young share a love of
materials and texture, and while they work at the intersection of art,
craft, illustration and design, they are threaded together by story
lines and the meditative actions of repetition, layering and
discovering how things are made.
Textile and multi medium artists have played an important role
keeping ancient artforms alive, as well as the gentle act of play.
They challenge the bias that ‘women's work’ is less than, second
rate – adding to the growing value of the handmade, and
acknowledgement that practices considered domestic, overly
personal or too varied, contribute to the creation of truly
meaningful art. Because they tell us stories.
The exhibition Threadlines was conceived to coincide with
International Women’s Day 8 March and Women’s History Month.
Front cover: Maria Cook > ‘Love Plus’ detail
Below: Maria > Barbara > Marian

Maria Cook
“…it’s like a slow love story once you start hand quilting.
The more I spend on my quilt the more I love it.”
Maria Cook is local textile artist, whose work examines and
translates textile traditions into contemporary stitched works.
More recently she has been working in a limited colour palette
with discarded materials, layering and patching fragments
together, combining them with machine and hand stitch – a slow
and thoughtful creative process. Regularly showing in group and
solo exhibitions and juried into international shows, her work is held
in private collections here and overseas. Maria currently teaches
locally and takes specialised workshops on a regular basis.
@apiecefullife

Barbara Roe Hebb
Since childhood Barbara has enjoyed the challenge of discovering
how things are made. With her main medium of weaving, she has
also explored fibre art sculpting and repurposing materials - from
fabric and yarn to everyday objects. To see the potential held
within materials is a continual source of inspiration. Looking up at
night one feels a sense of wonder, peace and respite - whether a
‘Moonless Midnight’ or the night of a ‘Blood Moon’, ancient
‘Threadlines’ are held in the planets and stars - Barbara has
expressed this through textiles. “We are fortunate that Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are still looking up at the skies as
they did over 65,000 years ago, well before the Greeks named the
Zodiac Constellations.”
@hebb.roe.barbara

Marian Young
Marian has lived on the Surf Coast for 40 years. She was the art
teacher at Torquay College for 16 years and has had great
pleasure in instilling a love of art exploration with 1000s of students.
Since her retirement it is now her time to use many of those same
explorations in creating her own pieces of art. Marian is a versatile
artist and is always interested in pursuing new creative pathways.
She is also working on contemporary embroidery and tufting
pieces that embody her love of colour, thread and textiles.
@artbymazzie

Marian Young > ‘Nostalgia’ detail
Barbara Roe Hebb > ‘Blood Moon’ detail
Maria Cook > Tea Cosy > Textile Bangles > Sewing Roll
> ‘Women Walking’ Textile Pictures
Marian Young > ‘Mermaid Lagoon’ > ‘Ice-cream Sundae’

Barbara Roe Hebb > ‘Deep Seeing’
Top: Maria Cook > Tea Cosies
Bottom: Marian Young > ‘Blue Moon’
Maria Cook > Pin Cushions
Barbara Roe Hebb > First Nations Constellations
Top: ‘Kawirr – Wadawarung’ > ‘Bundjil – Wadawurrung’
Bottom: ‘Tagai - Torres Strait Is.’ > ‘Balame – Wiradjuri’

Threadlines:
A piece of thread or fibre > the act of threading > something
continuous > to bring together, interweave > lines threading
through and across canvases > threads of reflective narratives,
story lines – personal and social, and sometimes political.
‘Threadlines’ showcases a vibrant and diverse body of work by Maria Cook,
Barbara Roe Hebb and Marian Young – an exhibition that coincides with
Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day’s on 8 March.
These three artists applied to have an exhibition as individuals, but there were
noticeable threads that weaved throughout their work. So in an effort to give
as many artists an opportunity as possible to exhibit, especially after Covid
related cancellations and postponements, creating a group show for them
felt like a very natural decision.
This exhibition doesn’t aim to make a grand political statement, but when we
look into the long history (including very recent times) of more traditional
forms of making, working widely across forms, or a woman’s place in the
world, we hear enormous bias.
[How should women spend their time?
… well, they should be quiet and in the home.]
Textile work was often the only artform women could engage in – quilting,
spinning, weaving, stitching, knitting, ‘decorating’. Women’s work.
[Quilting is a pretty occupation for idle hands.]
Maria talks about her experience of participating in a Tokyo quilt show that
has attracted 300,000 people – a validation of the cultural importance of this
craft that is centuries old and that crosses cultures. An artform that
demonstrates superior skill, captures histories, including tracing the story of
textiles, and the beauty found in their design – which is why so many early
examples of quilting have survived.
[Well that’s not art.]
Barb posted a fantastic image on her Instagram where she is posing as Anni
Albers at her weaving loom. Anni was a Bauhaus artist (influential German art
school from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts) and early
textile pioneer.

During the first wave of Covid lockdowns Barb was inspired by a challenge
the Getty Museum in Los Angeles set when it was closed – asking people to
re-enact famous artwork or photographs while they were locked down at
home. The idea spread like wildfire throughout social media, with many other
organisations and groups sharing the idea.
I had to look up Anni because she wasn’t someone I knew about, and that’s
when I came across this quote included in her book On Weaving, originally
published in 1965:
“Along with cave paintings, threads were among the earliest transmitters of
meaning...”
The combination of textiles and art can be traced back to ancient times.
The ability to produce string and thread was the starting place of weaving,
spinning and sewing – alongside mark making, carving and pottery. Moving
from the necessity of survival, comfort and everyday use, a carrier for
messages and stories – to evolving into a purely creative and exploratory
outlet.
“For generations, careful hands have passed down their gifts.”
(Missouri Star Quilt Company blog)
Marian is an extremely versatile artist who creates with textiles, paint, mosaic,
printmaking, collage and multi media. As the previous art teacher at Torquay
Secondary College for nearly two decades, it’s no surprise she is inspired to
work this way. With such an innate sense of play that comes from exploring
the many aspects of art making with her students, Marian shares a number of
styles that reverberate with colour and confidence.
But artists who are keen to explore such different ways of expression can
often be criticised for not being focused or serious enough, for not having an
identifiable style. Something that is often required in our more established art
institutes.
It’s encouraging to see new generations of artists and makers crossing and
mixing boundaries to shift attitudes of what is considered ‘art’, while creative
spaces and initiatives continue to help change the dialogue – to address the
bias and proudly show what is frequently still considered the ‘other’, or too
amateur, or “not quite good enough”.
Heartfelt thanks to Maria, Barb and Marian for agreeing to come together
for this exhibition and sharing their worlds in the following interviews.
Helen Gibbins
Coordinator Anglesea Art Space

Maria
Women’s March – indigo
Maria’s pins
Women’s March – white

Helen
You’re an extremely passionate quilter who has been playing with textiles for
most of your life. How did you get started, was there somebody in your family
who passed those skills to you?
Maria
Like most people of my generation, mum made all our clothes, she would
make my sister a dress - and the next sister a dress – and then my dress would
compose of that bit of dress and that bit of dress. I don’t ever remember
being shown how to sew, it was just a part of life.
But I started saving pictures of quilts from a British magazine called English
Country Living. We moved to London for work during Christmas 1990.
I became friends with a neighbour and she invited me to a little quilt sewing
group. One person would be on the machine, one person would be ironing
and one person would be cutting. I borrowed a sewing machine, bought
supplies and made some quilts - but they were terrible! When I came back to
Australia, to Ballarat, the adult education place was holding classes, so I went
along. It was a council initiative and they paid for childcare. It was actually
cheaper to do the workshop with the free childcare than it was to pay for
regular childcare. If they had let me, I would have done it for years!
One day a group came in to use one of the rooms. Our teacher was all
excited because they were really well known local quilters. They invited her to
join the group, and we were saying, “take us, take us”! A couple months later
we joined the same group and some of the women knew where to apply to
get your work seen.
A monthly American magazine started having these little articles about the
Tokyo Quilt Show. I told my husband I wanted to apply – he said if I got a quilt
in, I could go. I had to send the entry by fax and snail mail. Over 1000 people
applied and if you got past that first round of about 2,500, they would whittle
it down to 200 or so. I was thrilled to be accepted and was probably only one
of a couple of people from overseas who got in.
Helen
I imagine many people have no idea it has such international recognition.
Maria
They would have 50,000 people through a day at the Tokyo Dome that was
built for the Olympics back then. On the first day the queue would be four
people across wrapped twice around the stadium. They prize needlework
and hand sewing, to be taught there is like doing an apprenticeship.
Helen
You were involved in the Begonia Quilters and the Festival of Quilts in Ballarat,
were you a part of that from the beginning?

Maria
No, they had been together for a long time. The beauty of joining was the
opportunity to show your quilts in public, they had an exhibition every two
years during the festival. We met regularly, as most of the women in the
group didn't work outside the home back then. We would sit and sew
together and talk about quilts.
Helen
Quilts are so much a part of our history – initially made for necessity, they
became a natural vehicle for personal expression.
Maria
Yes, if you take the Amish for example, they weren't able to express
themselves any other way. Everything they wore was very plain and yet if you
look at the quilts they were making, they were very bright, with lots and lots of
hand stitching. The quilting was amazing.
Helen
For this exhibition you’ve used a limited colour palette for the quilts, but you
have made Amish inspired quilts yourself, which are very bold in their colour
scheme. Do you have a preference working between the two?
Maria
I don't have a preference. I really like working on the white ones because
they have a kind of understated presence. When people have a closer look
they realise there’s a lot more colour incorporated than they thought. I spend
a lot of effort tracing patterns and quilting motifs that aren't immediately
apparent – so there is something to find that is beyond face value.
Quilts are largely constructed in the ‘block’. That block is a Log Cabin
(pointing to a quilt closest to the window) – but is sometimes called House
Block. Another quilt here is made with blocks called A Trip Around the World.
Blocks are a basic unit of construction that can be sewn together. But I like to
go completely random to appreciate the fabric. I like to disrupt the pattern.
Helen
They’re just such an extraordinary amount of work. Do you put them aside to
start something else then come back to them?
Maria
Yes, if it’s not working I’ll come back to it. I always need to have something
on the go though, while I'm working I’m thinking through the next thing.
Helen
What is the reference of the motifs that come through these works, for
example the crosses in the far one?

Maria
I’m trying to extract enough contrast for a pattern to be visible, by using linen
and cotton. I like things that are just two colours, and to have the binding
match the front. That’s important. I have used double binding here which is
quite a technique to master, you don’t see it very often.
Helen
Is it traditional to have such beautiful fabric for the backings?
Maria
People used to use horrible old sheeting and other stuff. I've always put good
fabric on the back so you can see it. These backings are antique Japanese
fabrics like I’ve used for the front.
An interesting story, one day we were driving to the snow and there’s a place
that sells Asian furniture. Kimonos came as packaging around the furniture, so
they were absolutely filthy. I washed them and they came up white, but I was
really disappointed because they had originally been a coffee colour. I did
nothing with them for a few years, then I thought about contrasting the
cotton, silk and linen to create that subtle contrast I mentioned earlier. I learnt
a lot about a kimono, how they are made in a certain way. They have to be
unpicked to be washed, then you stitch them back together again. You find
all sorts of things, like toothpicks.
Helen
Have you experienced any kind of bias about being someone who is a quilt
maker – working in ‘craft’, rather than being acknowledged as an artist?
Maria
Yes. I put a submission into the gallery where I was living, that is supposed to
have a space dedicated to up and coming local artists, and it was clear
textile art wasn’t valued. They just didn’t ‘do’ craft. I submitted my Amish
collection that I was working on and all I got was a yeah… nup. When I asked
them to please expand, they suggested I apply to another gallery that
accepts textiles. It’s interesting, because when the NGV had an exhibition of
Amish in the past. It was one of the most successful exhibitions they had ever
had, they couldn't cope with the crowds. There’s so much story, of people
coming together, capturing their lives, and why they make quilts.
Helen
I really love the illustration that is part of your practice. On Instagram you
share a lot of your art journal pages and the style is very contemporary,
especially the way you design your pages. There’s a gorgeous simplicity of
fine line and small amounts of colour or shadowing. And of course, illustration
comes into your objects such as the tea cosies and the women walking and
marching. Quilts are known for carrying pictorial motifs, so there's no surprise
that's comes through, but that illustrative and figurative element in the small
works brings another dimension to what you’re doing.

Maria
I think it’s that contemplative nature of hand stitching, and sitting and
drawing with pen and ink. I also hand draw every pattern. Part of that is
actually more about copyright. I can go back to my visual diary and say,
well, I wrote that pattern on such and such date, and I can show the
instructions – like how much yardage, measurements, etc.
Helen
I’d like to return to the gorgeous small scale pictorial stitched works. Do you
see a difference between those two, between women walking and women
marching?
Maria
It's actually been quite a relief doing it and they've been really well received.
My son was living in America when Trump was elected, and didn't we all just
find it so distressing. Then when women started coming out with their stories in
parliament here, everyone I know was getting angry.
Helen
With the women walking, especially the singular ones, there's that gentleness
of taking the dog for a walk, or going shopping, pushing a pram. But with
women walking, walking alone, most of us know about that subconscious
protective preparation, to pay attention to our surrounds.
Maria
Well, the question I posed on Instagram was, “when does women walking
become women marching?” And most of the replies I received, was ‘anger’.
Helen
Over the years, you have taught others how to make quilts, where do you
teach now?
Maria
I started teaching mums from school. Now I just run two groups a week for
women recently retired. They’re kind of like a friendship group, except I make
them concentrate on what they're doing, so we're all working together and
talking about it. I've been teaching some of them for 15-20 years. They were
desperate to get back after Covid lockdowns. I also go to groups, usually
these are word of mouth. One group rented an Air BnB and asked me to hold
a workshop. I taught them basic skills, because often people lack the
confidence to hand sew something. It was a really bonding time for them.
Helen
What’s special for you about your practice?
Maria
I think it's the hand work, not a lot of people do hand work and work with
vintage fabrics.

Mother plays with blocks
blocks
Maria’s workspace
Journal – illustrating
Quilt work in progress
Thread + pins + other things

Barbara
‘Orbiting the Dark Side’
‘Blood Moon Orbit’
‘Blue Moon Orbit’

Helen
In your bio you mention that since childhood you've always enjoyed the
challenge of discovering how things are made. Where does that story start?
Barbara
I suppose it was being on a dairy, wheat and sheep farm. I had access to
dad's workshop, so I could make things out of metal, use his machinery and
tools - and just play. Dad would make his own rope, so I saw how that was
made, and he also worked in leather, tanning our own hides - he made us
moccasins once! He included us in whatever we were interested in, that
farming generation can make and fix anything with a bit of wire!
Mum was artistic but she had seven children, so there was no pleasure in the
making. For her it was all about doing. She sewed clothes and things like that,
so it was all very domestic – they were chores she just had to do. But mum
was a painter, that’s what she loved doing. She would make these elaborate
pencil drawings on our hard boiled eggs while they were cooling, to help us
wait until they were ready to eat! Later in life it was wonderful to see her
return to painting.
Helen
Did you learn any relevant skills during art classes at school?
Barbara
Oh yeah. I was lucky enough in later years to have an art teacher who was a
weaver. But I started weaving because my dad’s sister was a weaver. I
probably had my first introduction to it when I was about eight, on a table
loom. She taught me to spin, she really taught me everything.
Helen
Did you study art formally?
Barbara
No, I’ve just faffed! (yes, ‘faff’ is an official word! I wasn't driven to do it, it has
always been a part of continual playing, enjoying the process for myself and
doing my own thing. It’s only in the last five or so years that I've given myself
the space and time to actually have a go.
Helen
When was the first time you showed your work publicly?
Barbara
At the Surf Coast Arts Trail, which was a great experience.
Helen
For this exhibition, there's a strong theme of night skies. I love what you wrote
in your bio “Looking up at night one feels a sense of wonder, peace and
respite – whether a ‘Moonless Midnight’ or the night of a ‘Blood Moon’,

ancient ‘Threadlines’ are held in the planets and stars”. Is this a new theme
you are exploring?
Barbara
This happened last year, the second year of COVID. I thought how much of a
relief it is to immerse yourself in the night sky – relax and forget about what's
happening. Then I started to consider local indigenous stories in what I'm
looking at. All their creation stories have meaning, teaching them how to live,
and I didn’t know anything about that.
Helen
Was it difficult to find that information?
Barbara
Yes, it isn't easy to find these celestial stories relating to country and that’s
because we’ve systematically destroyed their culture through genocide.
I'm fortunate to be on the indigenous working group at Bethany, so I asked if
what I’m doing is insensitive assaulting in any way. The advice I received was
to concentrate on my intent, my journey of trying to understand and
research as much as I can. My focus is to encourage conversation about
what non-aboriginal Australians have been taught and what is the true
history.
Helen
Your sculpture ‘Deep Seeing’ is so unique, in the way it is made, the design
and the message it carries. Can you tell us a bit about this work.
Barbara
It was my last piece for the exhibition. I considered my knowledge and
understanding of Australian First Nations history – like many people learning
history at school, so much was focused elsewhere. The Eye of Horus (ancient
Egyptian symbol for well-being, protection) is at the front of the piece as an
example of the history I was taught and as a symbol of positivity for the future.
To look through it and see the Aboriginal Flag is about being hopeful that
treaty and reconciliation will be achieved. The piece can be turned around
and the flag becomes the focal point.
I used an ancient basketry method that is practiced by First Nations people.
The fabric is silk/wool with Tencel (a form of rayon), wool and synthetic
threads.
Helen
For the Summer Exhibition Series here at Anglesea Art Space, the small body
of work you entered was called ‘Mexican Musings’ and an earlier weaving
was inspired by the Day of the Dead. It’s a theme you share with Marian who
has a couple of Mexican inspired works in this exhibition.

Barbara
I enjoy picking a theme to explore, making things with fibre and always
learning. I can’t mindlessly weave, and I don’t like to repeat what I’ve done.
Helen
While I was doing some research about weaving, I became much more
aware about how weaving is one of the oldest practices that has defined
who we are. Do you feel a connection to that history – of thread, of
weaving?
Barbara
Yes, absolutely. And it's an emotional thing. I’m always drawn to getting close
up, to see what happened there, how did they put it all together. For
example, the beautiful tapestries that were made for castles had a purpose
as well as telling a story.
Helen
You shared an image on Instagram of Anni Albers, who was a Bauhaus artist
and early textile pioneer at the beginning of the 20 th century. When did you
come across her work?
Barbara
I always liked the art of the Bauhaus period, and she was part of that - a
female in a male dominated movement. Her technique and use of colour,
with a focus on the abstract was brilliant.
Helen
I love that split picture, showing both of you posing with your looms.
Barbara
It was an image I created for the Getty Museum project early on in Covid.
They asked people to reproduce an artwork at home. There were a lot of
dogs dressed up with pearl earrings! It was quite a fun thing to do during that
time when everything was a bit dismal.
Helen
The fact you chose a photograph of an artist in their working space was a
brilliant choice. It looks like you have a large loom, do you have a number of
different sizes? I don’t know anything about looms!
Barbara
Once you have a big one you can weave a bookmark on it, or weave long
lengths. The bigger pieces in the exhibition are made on a floor loom and the
little constellations are what I made on the frame – I just tap happily away.
I’ve had it for about 15 years.
Helen
It looks like such a beautiful object to work with.

Barbara
It is. It's a Glimakra from Sweden and all joined together without nails. I’m so
happy working on it. I feel very special having this big thing to play with.
Helen
Do you spin your own fibre?
Barbara
I have my own spinning wheel, and that’s another terribly nice thing to do.
Helen
I’ve seen Deb Elliott’s (Anglesea artist) spinning wheel and I had such a deep
response to it. As someone who has never used anything like that before, I
don't know if it's a romantic or historical memory that I hold, or maybe a
reference from the fairy tales many of us grew up with.
Barbara
Or is it in our genes? You're intuitive response is that you’re ready to make
your own clothing in order to survive. That's why I'm compelled, and I feel
quite sad if I don't do it. It feels right. Total happiness where I forget time.
Helen
There’s one thing I’ve noticed in this exhibition, a moon theme has emerged.
Marian has a Blue Moon painting, you've included a Blue Moon in your
woven lunar series, and Maria has a Moonlight quilt.
Barbara
I know, that's just happened accidently!
Helen
What does your making space look like?
Barbara
Fortunately I have a room, and sometimes the contents of the cupboards fall
out onto the floor, and sometimes I can close the doors! When I'm in in the
middle of something, I can't be bothered being tidy. I just keep going and
tidy up when I’m finished.
Helen
What is special to you about your practice?
Barbara
Well, it's immersive. It’s problem solving, so you get a sense of achievement.
Sometimes it’s surprising – you can have your vision but the fibres tell you no, it
has to be something else – they guide you how to behave. And that’s
wonderful.

Spinning
Barbara’s workspace
‘Aurora Australia’ work in progress
Barbara Roe Hebb > Anni Albers

Marian
Top: ‘Virgin of Guadalupe’ collage > Painting detail
Bottom: ‘Mermaid Lagoon’ detail > ‘Frida’ mosaic vase

Helen
So Marian, this is your very first exhibition, that’s a bit exciting!
Marian
It is very exciting!
Helen
Have you not had the opportunity before, or it hasn’t been on your radar?
Marian
Well, as an art teacher, all that creative energy was used working with the
kids. I taught prep right through to grade 6 at Torquay College for sixteen
years. Every day they would want to have a go at trying so many different
things, so I didn't have anything left for me. I would have projects rattling
away in the back of the mind, and I would always have something on the
go, but not to the extent I have now.
Helen
You are now retired from that role, how long ago has been?
Marian
It’s really only recently I finished teaching. I retired about nine years ago, but
then did a lot of emergency teaching, fortunately still in the art room.
Helen
Those primary school years are such a remarkable time for development.
How did you find working with the much younger children?
Marian
It was incredible, a lot of fun. In prep they don't even know how to hold a
paint brush or pencil. One of my first activities was to ask the five year olds to
do a self portrait. I would get them to work big, on A3 paper, and I told them
that they had to draw from the bottom of the page to the top of the page –
to use the whole space. And you can tell so much from a child drawing,
where they are at. Sometimes you get the face that's got a dot and a dot
and a smiley face and legs coming out, and that’s it… I’m done! Then there's
the really advanced children, they go into such detail with the hair, and
things like shoe laces and buttons!
Helen
Was there an opportunity for the kids to exhibit their work?
Marian
Yes, we had an exhibition at the school called Grommets Make Their Mark,
which is still going, and I’m really proud that I initially introduced it to the
school.

Helen
Through that experience of being an art teacher, you’ve become such a
wonderfully versatile artist, which is so apparent looking at the body of work
you have included in this exhibition.
Marian
I’ve been lucky to have so much time to simply play and explore.
I’ve been painting a lot, but I was never a painter. But obviously helping the
kids with their compositions and details has inspired me over the years. I've
done a few workshops of late and that's been awesome. A girl called Jessie
Baker through Artworx in Geelong has a very free and textured style and she
just goes nuts! Doing that has really loosened me up because I'm usually
more precise.
Helen
You must be thrilled with how these larger paintings have developed.
Marian
I'm really happy with what I’ve achieved and it's been so validating that
people want to buy them! I'm still doing the more precise painting as I like the
process of making sure they are really sharp and neat.
Helen
I love that you have such a passion for trying different things, I guess you’ve
had years of intensive training as an art teacher!
Marian
Yes, you want to be able to explore many avenues, because one child might
really enjoy threads and textiles, and another child might really enjoy painting
or drawing, whatever it might be. It’s taught me to always be ready for the
next thing – it’s like okay, I've done that for a while now, what else can I learn
to do?
Helen
Was there someone in your family who helped to drive that passion for
creative play?
Marian
My mom was incredibly creative when it came to knitting, crocheting,
sewing, but she wasn’t just the average knitter. You name it, she did it. I
showed this to my mum (a picture of a shaggy cushion) because I want to
have a crack at making it, but I couldn’t work out how it was made. So mum
had a look and couldn't work it out either! She thought it might have been
picked up with a knitting needle, but we came to the conclusion it was with
the crochet hook.

Helen
What a lovely thing to share together at this age.
Marian
Exactly. It’s great being able to do that with her.
Helen
Working with textiles has been part of your journey. I’ve heard you use the
term ‘tufting’, how has that come into your work.
[Tufting: a process of passing a thread through a primary base material,
primarily used to make rugs - but it is an ancient technique for making warm
garments, especially mittens.]
Marian
I've been exploring tufting as a technique. My daughter drew up a design
that was really kind of funky and I created that for her. It's something I will
return to, or incorporate in some of these more contemporary textural pieces.
There’s a bit of tufting in the circular work in this show.
Helen
Do you feel as though the textile part of your making is less acknowledged as
an artform than the paintings?
Marian
Yes. Definitely. People think the painting is ‘art’, whereas the textile work is
more about craft.
Helen
And those ‘craft’ methods are often seen as secondary aren’t they.
Something you do in your free time as a hobby, rather than a piece that can
be exhibited and recognised on equal terms to something like a painted
canvas.
What does your making space look like?
Marian
Messy! I work in the garage which I share with my husband, but when I’m
doing stuff like this (using wool and a crochet hook) the couch ends up being
strewn with all my threads. It depends what time of year it is and the scale I’m
working at. If I’m doing the large textural paintings it can get really messy
because I’m flicking paint all over the place, so I do that in the shed. I have
an easel inside to work on the finer painting and also a room with a small
desk where I’m doing some sashiko needlework that I’m really enjoying.

[Sashiko: The Japanese word sashiko means "little stabs" and refers to the
small stitches used in this form of needlework, following simple geometric and
traditional patterns.]
Helen
In amongst your work, there are a couple of Mexican inspired pieces – a
theme you share with some of Barbara’s past work. You have also both
coincidently made a ‘Blue Moon’ artwork for this exhibition!
Marian
Laughs. Yeah, it’s a bit weird isn’t it?!
Helen
Have you been to Mexico?
Marian
Oh yes, take me back! We went specifically for the Day of the Dead
celebration, that would have been about 2017. We were there for nine
weeks, so really immersed in everything. It's very spiritual, not like Halloween
which a lot of people think. It's bigger than Christmas to the Mexican’s, a
really beautiful ceremony to bring back their ancestors. I've used marigolds in
my Frida Kahlo mosaic pot (in the exhibition), because they decorate their
temples and graveyards with them. Everywhere you go during the Day of the
Dead there are marigolds – they represent the sun, a bright light to guide
their ancestors. There are also huge food preparations, the whole town is
decorated in skull paraphernalia, and they shoot up huge fire rockets to part
the sky so their ancestors can return. It's quite incredible, it just goes on and
on and on! I really like playing with some of those themes.
Helen
What's special to you about your practice?
Marian
It’s fulfilling. It takes me to another zone. I can spend hours just doing my thing
and nothing else matters. It's just being myself, whether it's a mosaic, painting,
or creating something like a textile piece.

Marian’s shed
Sashiko work in progress
The shared space!
Paint table

Share three books that have inspired you...

Maria Cook
These 3 books of old quilts have pictures but no instructions. Many pictures.
When I am seeking inspiration this is where I look.
Barbara Roe Hebb
My first book on
weaving when I was
8 or 10.
History and inspiration.
All about no boundaries,
enjoying your creating
and a love of nature.
Marian Young
My favourite art book
as a teacher.
A magical mosaic
madness book of people
who have created homes
totally engulfed in
mosaics!
The colour and
celebration of life
blows my mind. We
could learn so much
about honouring those
who have passed.

Image: Maria Cook > journal illustration of a needle & thread
@angleseaartspace @surfcoastartmatters
Copyright © 2022 > Surf Coast Shire, Anglesea Art Space,
Maria Cook, Barbara Roe Hebb, Marian Young, Helen Gibbins