Oceania: Distance and Diversity (SAQA Oceania Region)

Oceania: Distance and Diversity SAQA Oceania Regional Exhibition 2021-23

Foreword Oceania: Distance and Diversity is a juried exhibition of 29 art quilts made by members of the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) Oceania region. SAQA is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the art quilt and the artists who create them. The Oceania region includes Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and expatriate members.

The Oceania: Distance and Diversity exhibit explores the many interpretations of either distance, or diversity, or both. There were two well-respected international jurors: Norma Slabbert (NZ) and Martha Wolfe (USA). They both commented on the strong sense of place shown in the selected works.

To quote Norma: “Some quilts show strong demographic diversity which is tied to our identities of origin. Other quilts reflect diversity of thinking, life, and cultural experience.

The collection is unmistakably from the Australasian region of Oceania. Some of the quilts show the struggle, navigation, and bridge building – to settle and find a place in Oceania. Others show a deep love and respect for the land.

The common thread in the quilts is nature and the deep respect and cultural connection in Oceania for sun, sea, sky, stars, rivers, plants, trees, birds, crawly creatures, and more.”

To quote Martha: “I appreciated the thoughtful stories and thought-provoking ideas that accompanied each piece, expanding my knowledge and understanding of what Oceania means to its artist residents.”

This is SAQA Oceania’s second juried exhibition. Artist members were challenged to address the exhibition theme within a size restriction (60cm x 40cm).

Oceania: Distance and Diversity was curated by Julia Arden and the Exhibi�on Coordinator was Lois Parish Evans.

Cover artwork by : Front, clockwise from top le�: Chris Cranston, Sue Reid, Lois Parish Evans, Marion Emerson Back, clockwise from top le�: Mary Transom, Judy Hooworth, Catherine McDonald, Pat Forster

Catalogue Design by Julia Arden

All rights reserved Copyright © 2021 by the ar�sts and curator All photo credits by the ar�st, except the following: p. 6 Cameron Lancaster; p. 13, Bruce Champion; p.14, Bob Dennis; p.24 David Mitchell; p.25 Andrew Payne Photographix

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmi�ed in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an informa�on storage or retrieval system without the wri�en permission of the ar�sts and curator, except where permi�ed by law.

Sunburnt Country

Alison Schwabe Montevideo, Uruguay Australian born in 1885, Dorothea Mackellar wrote her iconic poem My Country in 1904 while her family was living in England. A highly emo�ve expression of homesickness for her country, it includes terms such as ‘sunburnt country’, ‘wide brown land’, ’sweeping plains’ and ‘far horizons’, some of which are standard descrip�ve adjec�ves for Australia today.

Inextricably entwined with the harsh landscapes on the An�podean con�nent that produced it, Australian Aboriginal civilisa�on suffered greatly as English colonists arrived and spread out across the land. Those English influences have in turn been diluted by more recent waves of change brought by immigra�on from many parts of the world, resul�ng in the culturally diverse country we are today. My miniature landscapes a�empt to express in fabric the vast open distances, varied colours and textures of landscape that make up our huge island con�nent.

Commercial co�ons, nylon and polyester threads, wool ba�ng, Steam-a Seam Lite, marker pens. Fusion, machine tops�tching, hand drawing, machine and hand quil�ng

3

Diverse Connec�ons

Lois Parish Evans Tauranga, New Zealand The percep�on of light on a landscape has been of interest to me for a long �me and in this art quilt I have tried to capture the sense of distance in Oceania by the shi�ing dark to light in the background colour, in the line of trees stretching across the horizon line and in the movement of the water and clouds.

Diversity is symbolised by the flora and shells. I have lived large periods of �me in three Oceanic countries and collected shells in all three countries. The green snail sea shell is imprinted in my memory banks from my childhood in Papua New Guinea. As a child flora was not important but as an adult in both Australia and NZ I have spent many hours exploring the flora and natural environment. The diversity in flora is symbolised by the Kangaroo Paw (Aust) and the Harakeke (NZ Flax).

Co�on fabrics, co�on and polyester threads, felt ba�ng, acrylic paints

4

Reef Revela�ons

Linda Steele Park Orchards, VIC, Australia

I remember learning about the Great Barrier Reef at school in distant Adelaide. The photos were in black and white and so I had to imagine what those wonderful colours were like. Queensland seemed so exo�c and far away, it never occurred to me that I would ever be able to visit it myself.

Co�on fabrics and wool/poly ba�ng. Hand embroidery, machine applique and machine quil�ng

5

Gilgai

Linden Lancaster Picola, VIC, Australia We are o�en prepared to travel a great distance to experience the beauty of our natural world. Last year, in the midst of the ‘Coronavirus lockdown’, my husband and I took a bushwalk in an area of the Barmah Redgum Forest down the end of our road.

Our quest was to see what wildflowers might be present. Imagine our excitement to discover a ‘Gilgai’ - an ephemeral puddle of life. It was such a surprise to see the diversity of shape and form of abundant �ny plants in such a small area. So many they could not all be fi�ed into my representa�on!

Assorted commercial and vintage co�on and polyester fabrics, silk organza, acrylic felt substrate, polyester, co�on and rayon threads. Disperse dye (lily pads), raw edge applique, dyed and painted fabric, free-mo�on quil�ng 6

Nga Kainga o Mangawhero kei raro i te maunga Ruapehu

Merrilyn George Ohakune, New Zealand This narra�ve art study expresses the diversity of the bush near my home, beside the stream Mangawhero and under the mountain Ruapehu. It is the basis for a children’s story to teach about the diverse flora and fauna and the ecosystem thus: ‘A grid of five spirit trees, Rimu, Rata, Totara, Kahikatea and Kaikawaka stand tall in the forest, like an umbrella over the young. They reach out their branches to support each other and to protect and create kainga (homes) for the animals. The mountain sends down the water to give life. The forest provides food and healing.

The trees hold symbols - curved and linear - to inspire ar�sts. The creatures represent those from the sky, the land and the waterways. They all need each other. Some are kai�aki (guardians) of the night, some of the day. Sounds in the silence make music in this sanctuary of life.’

Co�on and silk hand dyed fabric. Screen prin�ng, stamping. Machine piecing, applique and quil�ng 7

Evolution in Isolation

Alison Charlton Bridgeman Downs, QLD, Australia My background in Plant Science has led to a fascina�on with the diversity and uniqueness of Australian flora. The effects of Con�nental Dri� and climate change since the Cretaceous, have shaped the evolu�on of the plants we know today. As Australia dri�ed, it became geographically isolated. This combined with the developing arid climate and nutrient-poor soils led to unique adap�ons in the flora. Hard leathery leaves, such as those of the Banksia, and seed of wa�les and some ground orchids that requires fire to germinate are just two of the evolu�onary adapta�ons that characterize the diversity within Australian flora.

Cyanotype photogram on co�on fabric, hand s�tched, machine quilted

8

Oceanic Journeys

Marion Emerson Fair Oaks, CA, USA

My art quilt was inspired by the tradi�onal ta�oos of the Oceania region and the intricate s�ck charts created to navigate the vast waters between islands.

I was also inspired by my father’s stories of his travels during World War II. As a young 15-year-old, who had never seen the ocean before, he boarded a US Navy submarine chaser and fought in the Pacific Theater from 1943-1945.

Sea shells were used to represent the islands and s�cks represent the ocean currents.

The blue fabric was hand dyed with woad; the silk, wool and linen “s�cks” were eco dyed with eucalyptus leaves. Ta�oo designs were drawn using free-mo�on sewing techniques

9

Letters to Home

Mary Transom Ohope, New Zealand In 1919, my Grandma Hilda le� the grey streets of post-war London, to travel as a war bride to the other side of the world to marry my Grandfather, in Napier, New Zealand.

She lived for over 65 years in the bungalow that my Grandfather built, completed just before they married, with prize-winning roses in the garden and the seaside nearby.

Her best friend Bell travelled on the same ship as a war bride, and they lived a few houses away from each other all their lives.

Commercial fabrics, collaged background and raw edge appliqué. Paint.

Machine embroidery and quil�ng. Co�ons, co�on ba�ng

10

Coming Home

Catherine McDonald Prebbleton, New Zealand New Zealand is made up of immigrants, with the first being Maori who travelled the seas and discovered the land. Go forward many years to the early 1900’s when my ancestors arrived from Scotland and Ireland followed by a large influx of people from the nearby Polynesian islands and many other cultures. Today we see a land whereby we all s�ll strongly relate to our culture, although we all consider ourselves proud to be New Zealanders. I wanted to connect with the idea of tapa cloth but use signs that are symbolic of the different cultures.

Handmade roasted fabric used as whole cloth that has been both machine and hand s�tched

11

Pacific Discoveries

Julia Arden Rangiora, New Zealand Within the vast Oceania region we find iconography typical of the sea and different island na�ons, as well as mainland Australia, influenced by local materials. Apart from Aboriginal people, all other na�ons immigrated by boat over hundreds and thousands of years, naviga�ng by the sun and stars and, later, compass and sextant. Some stayed where they first landed, while others moved on to discover new islands, taking their mo�fs with them. These mo�fs form tendrils connec�ng the diverse cultures of the region.

Commercial fabrics, machine pieced and quilted

12

Summer Inferno #14

Sandra Champion Battery Point, TAS, Australia In Australia, we now see bushfires that burn with a ferocity not seen before; unique in their complete destruc�on of diverse landscapes.

Even rain forests that have never known fire have been completely destroyed.

Blackened trees and billions of dead plants, animals and insects.

It is impossible to comprehend the huge loss of biodiversity.

Vintage kimono silks, vintage papers, corrugated cardboard, perle co�on. Rusted, painted, oiled, collaged and patched. Hand and machine s�tched and fused to a silk founda�on 13

Outback Memories

Sue Dennis Sunnybank, QLD, Australia I love the raw beauty, energy and colour of the Australian outback. The landscape is diverse with rocky hills and flat, anthill-do�ed plains stretching to the horizon and beyond.

Co�on, silk, ba�k, dye, tex�le ink, ba�ng, thread Techniques: collaged, hand dyed, hand printed, hand painted, machine quilted

14

Multi-layered Distancing

Rachel Ratten Timaru, New Zealand The idea of social distancing and lockdowns brings big changes in our lives. I enjoyed lockdown and this gentleman personifies my a�tude...Trees and blue sky may be on the outside; however nothing beats a comfortable chair as a good place to start some bluesky thinking.

As I was making this piece, many thoughts came to mind... I am a printmaker /quilter who aims to bridge the gap between both genres of my art. Mixing mediums is a good place to start. The screen-printed images on this quilt also feature in my screen prints on paper. Thread and fabric replace paper and paint.

Co�on – both commercial and hand dyed. Screen-printed images , tex�le ink. I created a photo emulsion stencil on a screen – used on both my fabric and paper works. Free mo�on quil�ng and walking foot lines

15

Down the Creek: December Sketchbook

Judy Hooworth Morriset, NSW, Australia Dora Creek flows near my home and I walk along its banks whenever I can. O�en it’s the small-scale aspects of the surrounding bush landscape that capture my a�en�on…… the complexity and diversity of fragile ecosystems threatened by urban encroachment.

Co�on. Drawn and painted with tex�le inks. Machine s�tched and quilted with variegated thread. 80/20 co�on/polyester ba�ng. Black co�on backing

16

Celebra�ng Galaxy Discoveries and Aboriginal Peoples' Percep�ons of the Milky Way

Pat Forster Mt Pleasant, WA, Australia The quilt celebrates the discovery during 2020 of one million distant galaxies, 10 or more billion light years away, using a new super-radio-telescope in the Murchison, Western Australia, Oceania. The discoveries bring the total number of known galaxies to three million.

It is fi�ng that text on the quilt recognises diverse percep�ons of the Milky Way Galaxy held by great observers of the night-sky, the Aboriginal Peoples of Australia. Tradi�onal percep�ons and associated narra�ves convey prac�cal and moral guidance. The super-radio-telescope in the Murchison occupies tradi�onal lands of the Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal People.

Commercial co�on fabrics, co�on and polyester-co�on thread, polyester-co�on wadding. My original block, designed as a square and elongated for the 'Celebrate' quilt. Templates made from the design drawn to size. Machine pieced. Echo machine-quil�ng on black fabric, free-mo�on text on black fabric, free-mo�on s�ppling on pa�erned fabric

17

Early Settlers

Mary-Jane Sneyd Dunedin, New Zealand The first European to arrive in New Zealand was Abel Tasman in 1642, followed by Captain James Cook 127 years later. European whalers and sealers then started visi�ng regularly, establishing whaling sta�ons and sealing gangs, par�cularly in the southern regions. I’ve portrayed immigrants arriving on a sailing ship a�er a miserable and dangerous voyage of 75120 days, as well as those who came to plunder the oceans on a whaler.

A solitary seal, which were slaughtered in their thousands by sealers, sits on the shore beside Moeraki boulders. The diverse local geology is a mixture of sedimentary rocks, eroded volcanic landscape and sandy pocket beaches, some of which are shown here.

Overhead flies a northern royal albatross from the only colony in the world on an inhabited mainland. Although the popula�ons of whales and seals were decimated, for a mariner to kill an albatross was considered very unlucky.

Commercial co�ons, ba�k, recycled clothing, self-printed fabric, marker pen

18

Te Matau a Pohe

Sonya Prchal Whangarei, New Zealand Walking the Hatea Loop in Whangarei is an endless source of inspira�on, with the gorgeous flora and fauna and the local artworks featured on the way around. Na�ve Tui can be heard singing around the loop walk and are o�en seen drinking the nectar from the pohutukawa and flax flowers.

Visible for most of the walk is Te Matau a Pohe, an innova�ve bridge, which represents prosperity and a safe journey over the water. The beau�ful structure is a curved shape, which is an interpreta�on of a fishhook - a widely used mo�f in Maori culture. This interna�onal awardwinning bascule bridge (li�ing bridge) is named a�er the Maori Chief Pohe, who welcomed the first English se�lers to Whangarei. Pohe was instrumental in building bridges between the two cultures.

Whole cloth painted on PFD co�on fabric with Heatset Colour for Tex�le Prin�ng. Tui and pohutukawa leaves are thread sketched in a hoop on the top layer with Madeira Polyneon threads. The pohutukawa flowers are ‘Ostrich’ wool, machine couched on the top layer. Free-mo�on quilted

19

Fascinating Foraminifera

Zara Zannettino Highbury, SA, Australia Foraminifera (or forams) are fascina�ng, single-celled aqua�c creatures, that are o�en mistaken for grains of sand. However, microscopy allows us to see that each species possesses a unique sculptural “shell”, that has one or many holes in it. The hole/s allow the foram to ooze through and gather food par�cles. In addi�on, each species has a dis�nc�ve shell composi�on, that is either made by secre�ng different minerals or proteins, or alterna�vely by adhering together sediment or debris, such as anemone spikes. This diversity of form and func�on is vital, as each species has unique water-depth needs that relate to salinity, acidity, oxygen, light, heat and pressure factors. As a result, some species can even thrive in the deepest marine trenches, where forams make up to 90% of the deep-sea biomass.

Consequently, the specific loca�ons of the iden�fied 50,000 species, allows forams to be valuable environmental indicators of climate change across Oceania and globally.

Commercial co�on fabric and threads. Synthe�c stabiliser. Wool-polyester ba�ng. Unfused fabric collage.

Texture, dimension and addi�onal design details were created by free-mo�on machine embroidery, bobbin-work and quil�ng. Other techniques used included modifying the fabric with paint or ink, using stencils or fabric markers respec�vely 20

Diggings: Mixed Heritage

Julie Haddrick Blackwood, SA, Australia Volunteering with Restora�on Farina S.A., I collected po�ery shards from the ruins of a once vibrant outback town where The Ghan & camel trains serviced op�mis�c farmers and miners with provisions. This bucket of ‘smashed treasure’ inspired ‘Diggings: Mixed Heritage’.

Images of po�ery shards and knife implements from 22 cultures were used to illustrate some of the key inhabitants of Australia from 60,000BC �ll the present day. Australia is home to the world’s oldest con�nuous cultures as well as Australians who iden�fy with over 270 ancestries.

(Australian Human Rights Commission,2014) The assimila�on of many peoples and cultures and their integra�on (welcomed or otherwise) has resulted in rich cultural diversity. It is one of Australia’s greatest strengths and is central to our na�onal iden�ty as a modern mul�cultural country.

Hand dyed and painted co�on fabrics. Kra�kolor Sun dyes. Machine applique and quilted with rayon thread using a domes�c sewing machine. Pellon ba�ng (polyester)

21

One Point Five Metres

Susan Lacey West Hobart, TAS, Australia As life recedes in COVID �mes, one point five metres is too big a gap to reach across and stop you slipping away.

Co�on fabric, cyanotype and Solarfast dye, bamboo/co�on/poly ba�ng, co�on thread, wool border

22

Voyage of Hope

Marilyn Clark Matamata, New Zealand Many years ago Maori with a fleet of waka hourua (double canoe) would set out on a voyage of hope to explore for distant lands. O�en it was a perilous voyage and all but one was lost in this journey in a great raging storm.

Raw edge applique, free mo�on quil�ng, hand dyed fabrics and ba�ks

23

Fragile Skin

Marie Mitchell Bouvard, WA, Australia Australia, the driest inhabited con�nent, is home to more than one million species of plants and animals, 80 percent of which are unique. Australia is at a �pping point where this incredible biodiversity may be lost forever without interven�on. Soil, the fragile skin of our planet, is a diverse ecosystem and a precious resource. In the West Australian wheatbelt, only remnants of na�ve vegeta�on remain a�er the conversion to fields and pasture resul�ng in degrada�on and loss of topsoil. Australia’s documented decline in biodiversity is the greatest of any con�nent, largely due to habitat loss. Many of our crops and agricultural prac�ces increase erosion to the point where the soil can no longer maintain itself. As the climate changes, it is more important than ever to advocate and support sustainable land prac�ces to protect our fragile landscape, preven�ng further ex�nc�ons, loss of soil structure, nutrient degrada�on and increasing soil salinity.

Upcycled tea bags, hand-dyed and commercial fabric scraps, upcycled bridal tulle & net, thread, rust and sun dyeing, free mo�on embroidery, confe�

24

Poles Apart

Alison Muir Cremorne, NSW, Australia With tex�les created by an indigenous ar�st, I have contrasted my own work and say to the viewer: the immigrant’s view of country is one of use, the indigenous view is they are country. We are poles apart, exemplified by the 2019 fires, floods and 2020 pandemic.

Gi�ed indigenous ar�st silk scarf, co�on organza, co�on shee�ng. Techniques: hand pain�ng, silk dyeing, hand & machine s�tching

25

Backroads

Sue Reid Kyabram, VIC, Australia Travelling backroads, so much more to see. Let’s take the highway it’s quicker. No. I want to wander, slow travel, camp in remote places. Australia a land of vibrant colours.

Australia a land of red deserts, verdant green rain forests, long golden sandy beaches, blue seas, brown rivers, rolling green farmland, dry brown paddocks, small country towns, indigenous communi�es, bright blue skies and so many stars at night. I want to experience all of it. Backroads, let’s immerse ourselves in our diverse country slowly.

Painted whole cloth, dyed silk organza overlay, machine embroidery. Acrylic paints, dyes, machine embroidery thread

26

Banksia Genus

Brenda Gael Smith Copacabana, NSW, Australia Naturalist Sir Joseph Banks travelled vast distances with Captain Cook on the Endeavour to record and collect botanical specimens in the An�podes. The Banksia genus is named in his honour. There are more than 170 species in the Banksia genus and the spiky flowers come in a diverse array of colours and shapes. As the flowers age, they o�en change colour again.

Co�ons hand-dyed by the ar�st. Freeform machine piecing. Machine quil�ng

27

Far, Far Away

Chris Cranston Calwell, ACT, Australia A�er living through the second World War and Communism and fleeing Hungary during the 1956 Revolu�on, my parents emigrated to Australia in 1957 - as far, far away from Europe as possible. Dad o�en spoke of his apprecia�on for Australia - its isola�on and safety, its freedom and its beauty.

I recently came across my father's diary covering a year from October 1956, when he, and later my mother, arrived in London. It was a year of life-changing decisions, leaving their homeland, becoming refugees and then migrants. It documents the processes of migra�on and day-to-day life, visa applica�ons, researching travel costs, movies and watching television.

This quilt pays tribute to my parents' courageous decision to leave their home and come to such a distant land.

Monoprint, stencil and image transfer on co�on and polyester fabrics Acrylic paint. Machine quilted 28

“What’s for Smoko?”

Alison Laurence Auckland, New Zealand Philippa is the wife of a high county sheep farmer and the sta�on cook at Otematata Sta�on in the South Island of New Zealand. She prides herself on providing diverse nourishment for all the shepherds and workers who, depending on the season, are shearing, lamb marking, drenching, mustering or fencing. Each day her well-planned and beau�fully prepared smokos (morning and a�ernoon teas) are driven out to the shepherds. Some days this will be in distant and remote high country blocks where her nutri�ous lunches and delicious snacks will be eaten in one hand with a cuppa in the other.

The photo of Philippa’s smoko (@whats_for_smoko) laid out on the farm trailer captured my imagina�on – cheese scones, chocolate slice, Scotch shortbread, fruit, tea bags, coffee sachets, hot water in Thermoses and the iconic white enamel cups!

Co�on fabrics, co�on and wool blend ba�ng, machine applique

29

Long Journey Home

Wendy Nutt Lemon Tree Passage, NSW, Australia We Australians travel vast distances to visit family and friends, holiday, work, seek medical treatments and numerous other reasons. Many outback roads may appear similar with their expanse and seemingly never-ending length; yet each one is unique in its beauty and stunning features over the miles, par�cularly at sunrise and sunset.

The best road travelled is the one that takes us home to comfort and familiarity. This is my road to home.

Shot co�ons, solid co�ons, recycled fabrics. Co�on polyester and silk threads. Improvised strip piecing, raw edge applique, matchs�ck quil�ng, free mo�on quil�ng

30

Interwoven

Marilyn Muirhead Tauranga, New Zealand Two cousins distanced geographically, diverse in culture, environment and lifestyle, but nonetheless inexorably interconnected with the invisible thread of heritage and whanau.

Co�on fabric, thread and ba�ng, paint

31

Contents Ar�st

Page No.

Julia Arden

12

Sandra Champion

13

Alison Charlton

8

Marilyn Clark

23

Chris Cranston

28

Sue Dennis

14

Marion Emerson

9

Lois Parish Evans

4

Pat Forster Merrilyn George

17 7

Julie Haddrick

21

Judy Hooworth

16

Susan Lacey

22

Linden Lancaster

6

Alison Laurence

29

Catherine McDonald

11

Marie Mitchell

24

Alison Muir

25

Marilyn Muirhead

31

Wendy Nu�

30

Sonya Prchal

19

Rachel Ra�en

15

Sue Reid

26

Alison Schwabe

3

Brenda Gael Smith

27

Mary-Jane Sneyd

18

Linda Steele

5

Mary Transom

10

Zara Zanne�no

20