The art and artists who inspire me

I spent many years travelling to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as part of my paid employment. I learned how to be quiet, to be present and still and I learned to listen. Mr Roughsey, of Mornington Island, created this painting of wildfire using the edge of a eucalypt leaf - every single stroke. Up close it is mind blowing to see the individual marks.

I visited Lockhart River about a year after the tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of so many travelling from Seisia / Bamaga. After our official business, I wandered over to the Arts Centre and Mr Platt was still working on this one. The paint was wet and I had to wait several weeks for it to be shipped home to me.

Hermione is a commission from Melbourne based artist Sophie McKinnon. Her sheep are beyond gorgeous, and Hermione's gaze seems to follow me around the studio where she proudly hangs out with the other textiles.

A favourite is Cunningham's Gap, which we view from back entertainment area. This liquid graphite work was created by my sister, Sue George and hangs in our entry.

Lisa Call's stitched art works are exquisite. I met Lisa i Philadelphia in 2012 and we've been in touch ever since. Lisa is a life coach and created the Make Big Art community (full disclosure, I'm a member). These three pieces are visible from every aspect of the studio and hang on the opposite wall. Simply stunning.

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It's all in the background - designing substrate

Scaling up an image of the Brisbane River to develop the substrate for a new art quilt. Each square needs to be 6cm x 6cm to make a finished size of 5 cm square. I created a "to scale" model of the finished quilt on drafting paper. I printed an image of the river (attribution below) and then scaled it up to get a fairly accurate flow across the quilt. The substrate rightly tells the background story. It is the foundation on which the main elements or features reside. So it isn't the "hero" of the piece - it needs to be recognised and visible without overwhelming the piece. I can now easily identify which squares hold a section of the river and start to experiment on piecing, applique, fusing, printing, and painting to learn which gives the best outcome for the substrate. (Brisbane River original image: Magpie Shooter; edited version Paulguard at en.wikipedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/indix.php?curid=9724127) My foundation piece might well end u...

Book Review - The Untamed Thread by Fleur Woods

One of those books that almost needs no review or enthusiastic write up - it just is sumptuous, full of texture and inspirational stitch that's as good as chicken soup for the soul. The pages are thoughtful, intentional, about bringing meaning to mark-making and embracing where you find yourself, whereever that is. Fleaur's love of nature intersects with her strong encouragement to explore, experiment and above all be at one with stitching in the ways of needle, thread, a cup of tea and taking time. I found more than a 'how to' and more than the superbly photgraphed processes - this is a wonderful free-form meets the joy of being still. I have loved every page, some I pour over again and again to take in the rich, visual texture and find new perspectives every time I revisit. Koa Press is a New Zealand Publisher, and the book can be purchased through Can Do Books .

Beginnings of a tree

There's so much pre-work and thinking I need to do before a single piece of fabric gets cut. Weeks, and sometimes months. Moments here and there. Snatched time in between the myriad of other things that require love and attention. These are initial experiments with a large scale tree - achieving different values in tone as well as challenging the notion of colour. There is still the thing about light, and the way the Moreton Bay Ash casts off the old skin for new bark each year. It's getting close to autumn and the evening light is softening - clear, fresh yet gentle after the ferocity of summer and scorched plants. The result of this testing and resolving a whole lots of textile and artistic tensions will be at A Sense of Place exhibition in late 2024 at the Warwick Regional Art Gallery.

Ali George Artist

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