LOCATION: The Kitchen Gallery, Heritage Courtyard (rear of the Grand Guesthouse) 313 Argent Street
TITLE: Free Flying Felt
ART FORM: Nuno felt hanging
MEDIUM: Tissue silk fabric and wool
SIZE/DIMENSIONS: 2m (l) x 60cm(w)
CATEGORY: Smoke
DESCRIPTION: Inspired by the theme of Smoke the piece incorporates the ephemeral, theatrical and the atmospheric… a tornado at the top of the piece, air drifting through the fabric, birds, moths, butterflies and leaves drift through the air at the whim of the wind. At the base of the piece is the unburned fuel – the tree – with its roots firmly in the ground. On the 9 November 2016 five women and one man gathered at the Kitchen Gallery behind the Grand Guesthouse in Broken Hill to learn the ancient art of felt making. We started with some inspired and decorative sample making then the group explored the wonders of nuno felt of felt on fabric – invented in Nimbin Australia in the late 80’s by Polly Stirling and Sachiko Kotara. A group project started after lunch and some of the morning samples – “pre-felts” were added to 2.5 metres of tissue silk fabric and felted in – lots of rolling wet wool – lots of fun! In conjunction with the participants in other workshops held in the region in September and November a ‘group’ has formed… the Far West Felters, who will have their inaugural meeting in January 2017.