Weaving Away

"One day I pruned a tree, the next thing the house is full of stick weavings!"

If you asked my family to describe me at this very moment, they would definitely say something like "that crazy cat women who paints, weaves, demands cups of tea and occasionally cooks and cleans", lovingly of course!
One may ask how does  a painter finds themselves engrossed in a different art form for six months? You know I'm not sure, I've decided its evolved from my childhood and creative roots. My father was a European furniture builder and my mother a knitting whizz. My live-in aunt was a high calibre dress maker who taught me pattern making, sewing, cooking, painting and design. She taught me that,
 "when you learn principles of design, you will recall it in everything you do throughout life, "
 I could only fully grasp this concept, as aged and gained life experience.
I'm a collector of rolling pins, 70's pottery, wooden cotton reels, milking stools and all things orange.
In a past life I was a furniture restorer and have a natural love for wood and bushland.
I have spent many hours studying the way branches intertwine, using these observations when weaving new design concepts. The understanding of how colour works which I have gained from nine years painting experience, definitely helps when making colour and design choices.
 My sticks have taken over the dinning-room as well as my studio,  now there is even a pile at the front door. The weavings themselves are all organic and recycled, very environmentally friendly, with a few op-shop goodies thrown in as well. They are all individually themed, vibrant, fun and colourful
 eg: Rocket, Yacht, Tree Frog, First Garden, Under The Sea, Landscape.
They're available from two great Galleries in Sydney, Breathing Colours in Balmain, and Timeless Textile in Newcastle. When I delivered them, people randomly stopped me in the street commenting and marvelling at my novel idea, which I was very taken by! I wasn't sure how people would react to them so this was very exciting as they loved my idea as much as me.
I'm working on my first commissioned weaving piece at the moment. It is a one off custom made
piece of wall art made to suit the clients decor which will be of course a fabulous, new exciting conversational piece for their home.

Back to it I go!
Leone Harris

Green Tree Frog

Yacht

Under The Sea

A Thousand Dreams

My creative inspiration this year has taken a new, very different direction , in subject matter and artwork style. I first heard Margie Salem sing in church . I didn't know it at the time, her songs and reference would inspire and ignite my creative being for the coming year. She had written a song called 'A Thousand Dreams', it highlighted her personal experience with the Franciscan Sisters in Rwanda , where she was helping fund a Vocational Centre, for youth with disabilities and their carers, who need to access medical care.

I found this ordinary woman's vision to be extraordinary, and she gave me strength to step forward and continue on my own pathway and push my painting vision forward. This amazing opportunity to paint her experiences, and help others through my gift of painting was not only character building, but the true meaning of painting was given back to me, 'its in giving that we receive'.

Margie has given me reference for The 62nd Blake Art-prize 2013 , celebrating art, religion and spirituality in Australia. I have two submissions , 'Jesus Sandals' and 'Rhythm for Living' and eagerly await a result; its very exciting.
I also managed to get together three donation paintings to help Margie with her endeavours. They will be auctioned on the 24th August, at fundraising concert 'A Night of a Thousand Dreams,' which is held at The Corpus Christi Church Hall, 263 Mona Vale Rd, St Ives. They are in the photograph above but you can have a closer look in my website - gallery ' Available '
- Canopy of Colour
-  Rain Dance
- A Thousand Steps
- Bids can be made prior to the night via my website.
- A personal view of the work can also be organised.
. The very talented  singer/ song writer Margie Salem  hopes to launch a CD in the not so distant future, proceeds of which will also help her Rwandan cause.