Exhibition at Walkway Gallery, Bordertown, SA
Textile art begins long before the first stitch is made. Unlike many other art forms, its materials are not simply bought in an art shop; they are made, created, and collected. Fibres are spun, fabrics are pieced together, and dyes are drawn from plants. Handspun fibres and natural dyes make the creating a slow and intentional process.
This exhibition is a gathering—of materials, of textures and stories. It is shaped by what surrounds me—wool from local sheep, dye from eucalyptus in my backyard, and the landscape itself.
More than an act of seeing, Gathering invites participation. Textiles are inherently tactile, demanding an engagement that goes beyond observation. The works ask to be experienced, not just as objects but as encounters, where the boundary between artist, material, and observer begins to blur.
It is also about gathering as an ongoing, cyclical process—shaped by the seasons, rituals, and a deep connection to nature and tradition. My work is deeply influenced by my upbringing in Latvia, in North-eastern Europe, where I learned the crafts of handiwork from an early age. Gathering is also about the human need of connection and gathering together, and being connected through a song and common experiences.
This is an exhibition of gathering—not only of materials, but of moments, of hands at work, and of the unseen stories held within fibre.
Photography by Sarah Cunningham
