See Textiles Come to Life During City’s Artopia Celebrations

Held at the Melville Civic Centre, the three-day event will feature 16 studios showcasing fibre artists, a wearable art fashion show, a range of talks with accomplished textile artists and the City of Melville Fibre Collection.

Mayor Katherine Jackson said Living Fibre Artists WA was a unique and fascinating look into textile art. “Living Fibre Artists WA is an exciting initiative that allows us to embrace the unique and diverse range of textile art created by artists living in the local community,” she said.

The Living Fibre Artists WA features some fascinating talks by local WA artists such as Re-Inventing Your Wardrobe by Jody Pearl, Wearable Art by Soosie Jobson, Creatively Speaking by Elizabeth Morley and Viking Knitting with Jill Parnell. The event also features an exhibition on antique embroidery tools and a look at textile collections with Gaynor Ashford from the WA Embroidery Guild.

Community Textile Project organisers Juliet Hargraves and Iris Whitelock will host a talk about the planning and execution of the project titled A Journey Into the Unknown. The project consists of five unique panels made from textile squares created by seniors, youth, textile groups, indigenous groups and people with disabilities, aged from 11 to 94 years.

Artopia is a biennial festival, organised by the State Government, that celebrates the talent of artists throughout Western Australia with exhibitions, drawing activities and artists’ open studios.

Living Fibre Artists WA will be open from 9.30am to 4.00pm each day at the Melville Civic Centre, located at 10 Almondbury Road, Booragoon.

For more information about Living Fibre Artists WA or any of the City of Melville’s Artopia activities, contact Cultural Development Officer (Arts), Lee Holben on 9364 0667 or visit www.melvillecity.com.au.