How Many? By Textile Artist Aukje Boonstra

How Many?


How many people have worn it?
How many children has it kept warm?
How many times was it given and received?
How many times was it bought and sold?
How many cupboards was it stored in?
How many bags did it travel in?
How many lives did it lead?

Unknown stories…
Unanswered questions…..

Working with materials, such as woollen blankets and clothing collected in 2nd hand shops and what has been given to me, continues to fascinate me.
All the unknown stories…
All the unanswered questions….

By dyeing, stitching and embellishing the materials and make them into art works, I give them another life and honour them.

How many people will look at them?

How many…..?

Aukje Boonstra.

 
Artist statement of Aukje Boonstra.


I enjoy making textile art works of materials which other people don’t need any more. Going around tip shops and op shops to find treasures to work with, is one of life’s joys for me. Even small scraps of fabric and bits of thread, everyone else would throw out, I still find a use for. Often I am given, clothes or woollen blankets and all sorts of other things, with the words: You can do something with this. Most of the time, I can.

My main passions are Natural Dyeing and Stitching. Going into nature to collect dye sources in the form of leaves, bark, flowers is wonderful. And after a storm I often find fallen of branches with the leaves I can use for dyeing. I use woollen blanket and silk to dye and with stitching and embellishing I turn them into art works.
Another passion of mine is turning second hand garments into trendy wearable art.
Making do and recycling is important to me.

Penguin Art Space Presents: Beautiful Silk

Penguin Art Space

Presents:

美しい絹

Beautiful Silk

By Sharon Symonds - Textile Artist

Penguin Art Space is pleased to present the opening of Beautiful Silk

By local Penguin textile artist; Sharon Symonds.

Since childhood, Sharon Symonds has had a fascination with fabric, its colour texture design and feel. Living next door to dressmaker Betty Cole meant this fascination could be indulged and many a happy hour was spent playing with boxes of scrap satins and silks, brocades and boucle.

At 14 Sharon began her first patchwork - a traditional design but using dress fabrics in place of the usual cottons used in the craft. This was the first of many more traditional patchworks

As well as patchwork, Sharon has experimented with dying fabrics. From this evolved a range of unique hand made children’s clothing, developed in conjunction with Sharon’s close friend Jenny Kite and sold at a stall in the very early days of the Penguin market. Sharon’s first exhibition is only next door from where she and Jenny set up their stall but represents 15 years of evolving design

The demands of a family meant Sharon has had to undertake the path of many artists, holding down a ‘proper’ job with Ability Employment for over 10 years. However this provided the opportunity to visit the country that has so influenced her work... Japan.

A visit to a friend who was teaching in Osaka saw her love for the art and design of traditional Japanese’s clothing blossom. A gift from this friend made of the silk of a kimono lead to the realisation of just what was possible.

Through the wonders of Ebay Sharon is able to procure vintage kimonos that were worn in the 1930 to the 1970’s.

Working in her back yard studio Sharon takes each Kimono apart with the reverence that it was put together and transforms it into modern art.

In the space of 12 months the work has evolved, being far more confident, free flowing and textural, blending the fabrics in ways that showcase the different coloured threads and patterns.

Her first exhibition is a time when Sharon feels the pressure of putting her skills on display as an art piece in its own right rather than the craft work she sold at the market 15 years ago. Each piece will talk to people in a different way and she hopes that each is able to become more than merely a combination of functional fabrics

Exhibition runs from: 31st January – 25th April

Opening: Saturday 13th February 6:30 pm

Penguin Art Space

The Market – Penguin

Corner Arnold & King Edward St Penguin

For more information please contact:

Cass - 0417 362 224  info@penguinartspace.com  www.penguinartspace.com