COOTS’ (Central Otago Outside the Square ) Textile Art Group collaborated with Reddy Arts Textile Group, a Brisbane based Textile group, in a challenge devised by me! Brenda Wood. Together their works which were 40cm x 40cm, will be displayed as a challenge in which neighbours, friendly rivals and supporters come together to explore their differences or similarities.
The works will be displayed at the Queensland Quilters exhibition in October 2019 and in New Zealand in 2020.
Photos of artwork for the Australian Challenge – 17 Degrees The Diversity of Distance
17 Degrees- the Diversity of Distance
Friends Across the Ditch
- by Jenni Greer
We dance in the rain and skate on the ice. You celebrate sunshine and swim in warm seas.
Your birds are colourful and raucous. Ours sing sweet clear sound, occasionally showing a flash of colour.
We love the differences and my work shows the diversity and friendly rivalry we have. May it always be so.
These thoughts led to my work depicting rain, sunshine, friends and love.
A gelliplate was used to pattern and paint fabric and make stencilled images. Further embellished with felted flowers, needlework, layering and artwork.
The Ballad of the Builder in 17 Degree Pitch
- by Wendy Ward
The roofs and trusses of the houses are at a 17 degree pitch. Although we are at some distance from each other, our social cultures and building methods are very similar.
All fabric started as white, I have dyed, rusted, and printed the fabrics in this piece.
Four Seasons
- by Amanda Hasselman
I live and work in the mountains so the distinct seasonal variations define our lives.
I paint onto canvas and then free machine stitch on top which gives me a great opportunity to edit.
The Mountains Are His
- by Janice Jones
Painted & printed silk organza. The mountains of New Zealand are larger & darker in colour whereas the Australian mountains are the rusty red shades that I have seen in the Outback.
The piecing technique is pieced Pojagi which is from Korea in ancient days. The 17 degrees between us are represented as golden sands & ocean.
The Pathways Between Us
- by Angela Meecham
This piece references the whale migratory journeys Northwards past our coasts to their calving grounds off the Eastern Australian Coast, and their return south with their young.
Hand-dyed merino silk, wetfelted, and stitched by machine and hand.
Different Yet the Same
- by Alison Naylor
My piece highlights the connection between New Zealand and Australia, especially our mutual link as ANZACs. Hand dyed fabric with monoprinted hats, and ANZAC quilting.
17 Degrees of Difference? Or Similarity?
- by Jenny Tayler
WATER. …such an important resource in both NZ and Australian lives.
We are a NZ farming family. Water is our lifeblood. We have been able recently, to access an underground aquifer which has enabled us to utilise centre pivot irrigation.
My circle shows a 17 degree red segment, which signifies drought. The blue area shows the water spread, and the green represents the lush green lucerne which is now able to grow freely.
Australia and NZ share many similarities on the farming scene!
The Currents Between Us
– by Robyn van Reenen
In that 17 degrees of difference between us the sea temperatures change markedly from the tropical/sub-tropical north to approaching the southern ocean, but the currents that flow both down the Australian coast and around New Zealand mix the warm and cool – for me a metaphor for our working together to produce this exhibition.
Yellow Eyed Penguins
– by Jeanette Gillies
The yellow eyed penguins are the largest of the New Zealand penguins and are found in the lower half of the South Island.
I fell in love with penguins following a trip to Antarctica.
The fabric is mostly hand dyed and closely stitched with a little bit of hand stitching to add interest.
Icons of New Zealand
- by Pamela McGeorge
The fabrics in this piece represent the colours of New Zealand bush and autumn in the area we live.
Pieced, stitched and hand-sewn.
Read more about Coots members here!
Coots (Central Otago Outside the Square) Members