Ali George Artist

Ballina in the evening, watching the sun set and the Richmond River recede. Returning from a day trip to Chatsworth Island along the Clarence River, then stopping off at Evans Head to see the Evans River, it was a rare delight to be alone with a cool refreshment watching the rhythm and pattern of the river.  I'm searching for details of splits and cracks, finding the spaces between boards where lived experiences collect undisturbed and unseen. Seeking out the patterns of negative space and translating those to fabric.  A distant shoreline and river bank, the wharf, a beacon, a sculpture, the bridges that connect them all. The lines and curves that make sense of a place are then made into cloth.

  Long before there were frames and sprayed concrete outlines, the design of the indoor studio was months in the thinking and planning. Located in the upper section of the house, the sliding doors save valuable space by disappearing into the wall cavity. They are a neat way of moving between open and inviting and the need for quiet concentration.  On the right hand side the wall is reinforced and soundproofed from the activities area and guest rooms. An almost full length recessed space will be used for shelving and storage of textile and art supplies. Extra sound proofing and insulation. The sewing station will be located nearby.  The large window, behind camera, faces onto a small courtyard to be filled with potted plants and greenery. That's where the office desk / study will face. A couple of lounge chairs will be just inside the entrance, ready for relaxed reading or a snooze. I'm thinking of dividing the sections using  Kallax units. I measured and cut out the ...

  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...

  I've been limited for studio supplies and space for about two years,  confined to a 16-square Kallax and a sewing table. (OK, full disclosure, there are a couple of bolts of PFD fabric in a back room I have accessed for dyeing). Two boxes contain finished quilts tops in need of quilting, there are protein and plant based fabrics ready to dye, hand dyed and printed lengths, my mark making equipment and a box of office supplies. The open shelves contain the things that make me smile (top row) and the resources that inspire me like books, journals and sewing supplies (second row).  The restrictions have been in terms of available space, resources and time. I'm confined to 4 metres x5 metres after having access to a large, outdoor barn/studio and an internal sewing room/spare bedroom.  When we moved from Tarome we had pared down our belongings to such an extent that more than half the remaining cartons were filled with art and studio supplies.  There are about 25...

Look familiar? This is the 30cm x 30cm (12 inch x 12 inch) piece I made in 2022 for the Resene Paint Challenge at Quilt Symposium  2022 in Wellington. Now it is on its way to Albuquerque NM to join all the other donations pieces for SAQA's annual benefit auction . It's been a few years since I've donated, so I'm really looking forward to seeing all the artworks available for purchase later this year. It is such a wonderful way to raise funds and acquire a small piece of art at the same time. 

I find the process that resolves itself as a textile work challenging. In the beginning I am clueless. This is as much a strength as a source of mild anxiety. I have learnt persistence and turning up are as important as creative thinking.  I'm mindful  my first response is not going to be the best so I'm starting with a mind-dump. My focus is the Neville Bonner Pedestrian bridge connecting Queens Wharf to South Bank. Thoughts are scratched deep into journal pages. I'll find more connections over coming months. Right now I'm challenged and torn. What started as perfunctory research about Meanjin's (Brisbane's) newest bridge has developed into a sense of disappointment and WTFWTWPT (WTF-were-the-white-people-thinking)? I'm unpacking those thoughts in my journal - the architects and their inspiration, the consortium , what the bridge connects, where it leads, Yuggera and Turrbul people's connections to this part of the river, Mr Neville Bonner's  own ...

Priority #1: Create My CBD office sits on the edge of this mighty, murky waterway - the Brisbane River.  Over the next six months I'll be working on an exhibition piece as part of the Broadstrokes artists group.  Starting with the obvious, I'm making preliminary sketches to determine the substrate form. I need to consider how it will perform under the visual intent of the piece. That is, " substrate " can be used to convey those things which " underly " or " sit beneath " the  primary image. Infused by a river.  I need to consider the political, social, economic, ethical or moral connections.  I'll also explore which  materials are best suited for that purpose.