I entered three harakeke artworks in “Suspense, Suspension, Suspended, Suspend”, the Left Bank Gallery members’ winter exhibition in July-Aug 2025.
On Waking, a work I created a year ago, had its first gallery showing. This work is a collection of different sized woven harakeke rings, stitched together with muka, the fibre extracted from harakeke/flax. It can be hung in different orientations.
I am fascinated by shapes and patterns I see around me and enjoy the challenge of incorporating them into woven artwork. On Waking is inspired by what I saw above me as I opened my eyes in the morning while holidaying on our boat. Above the sleeping berths is a transparent hatch cover. Moisture droplets collect on top of it overnight and form a pattern of larger shapes, mainly circles, varying in diameter, as though in suspension.
Duality is created entirely from harakeke. The outer trigonal pyramid is constructed from dried tubes of harakeke connected with muka (fibre extracted from harakeke leaves). Then a smaller trigonal pyramid is suspended within the larger one with muka.
Pensile is created with pokinikini made from harakeke and dyed, then twined with muka.
Really inspiring to see natural fibres like harakeke used in such a sculptural way, there’s so much depth and texture in these works.
Thank you very much for taking the time to comment and your kind words.