30 October 2013

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

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