Fibre, Feast and Fantasy

The first pop-up exhibition bringing art to the heart of Lismore were the Spinners and Weavers with 2010's 'FIBRE, FEAST AND FANTASY', writes Stephen Nelson, Manager of Lismore's 'art in the heart' initiative.

Mayor Councillor Jenny Dowell opened the exhibition - prepared by international fibre artist Denise Rall and members of the Lismore Spinners and Weavers group - at the empty space presented by a former high profile cafe restaurant in Molesworth Street on 26 November.

She congratulated the Spinners and Weavers on their superb offerings and encouraged everyone to visit the prototype 'pop up shop' stocked by local craftspeople.

The Lismore Spinners and Weavers were the first group of artists to benefit from the 'art in the heart' project which aims to place creative workers in vacant spaces in the CBD to assist the process of city centre revitalisation being undertaken by the Lismore Business Promotion Program and Lismore City Council.

Spinners and Weavers coordinator Lorraine Harris reported that in the first fortnight the group occupied the landmark building, a steady stream of viewers entered the well-lit interior where members of the Spinners and Weavers were working hard preparing for their Exhibition.

"The reaction was fantastic," said Lorraine. "Most people commented on the high standard of our work -and just as many told us they never realised that our group also includes potters, silk scarf painters and many other creative artists involved in eye-catching textile art, patchwork and felting."

Fibre Feast..

The 'Fibre Feast' component of the exhibition incorporated the creative offerings of the Lismore Spinners and Weavers, Inc. The 'spinners' as they are known, are a longtime Lismore community organisation founded in 1972 with more than thirty members, including all types of craftspeople with diverse interests stemming from fibres, threads and textiles. Their output is anything but traditional.

While spinning remains a constant in the group, weaving, knitting, felting, dyeing, crochet and embroidery are also featured. From simple beginnings, over the last 37 years the group has achieved a reputation for a high standard of work.

..and Fantasy

'Fantasy' featured the textile mannequins of Denise Rall.

Denise's work for the exhibition was entitled, 'Darker Shades of Royal' and featured sewn, life-sized mannequins around the theme of the fantastic.

This work takes off from her embroidery work as a teenager, her brief employment as a dressmaker's assistant, and her interest in Costume - sparked by her experiences dancing in the USA, and Europe with the Stuttgart Ballet School. She joined the 'spinners'  in 1999.

Each of her mannequin-sculptures had its own 'tragic life story' to tell and a booklet explained each Royal Figure and how they face their destinies that result in their demise.

All the work on display was for sale and the Spinners and Weavers raised nearly $3,000 over the pre-Christmas period before the 'FIBRE FEAST AND FANTASY' Exhibition closed on 17 December.

See also:

'Art in the Heart of Lismore'

For more information contact:

Stephen Nelson, art in the heart Lismore: Stephen.Nelson@lismore.nsw.gov.au

Denise Rall, Lismore 'spinner' on 0438 233 344 or denrall@yahoo.com

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