Friday, December 14, 2012

Networks Christmas meeting, Textile Department, ANU, 8 December 2012



Apologies from Catherine Dabron, Wendy, Di, Bev Moxon and Rosina.
Ola will send a card to Bev on behalf of the group expressing our concern about her illness.
Present – Ola, Marli, Jenny, Nancy, Katherine White, Lynne, Bev Thomas, Gabriella, Valerie and Barbara.
Visitors – Angie Wyman (UK Nets), sisters Amanda Ravetz and Ant Riviere from the UK, and Kate Sterrenberg - website consultant


In response to a concern of Belinda Jessup Nancy explained that we can put photos from the Belconnen Arts Centre CD on the Networks blog so long as we acknowledge the source of the images.
Gabriella described her Mapping of Strathnairn Centenary residency of 6 weeks from 14 April to 26 May 2013. She asked if the nets group would be interested in creating a collaborative work/installation for the Festival. Members present were enthusiastic and it is a yes. Angie Wyman is also keen for the UK group to be involved so there is a yes from her as well. Gabriella has to send images and a brief description (very generic at this stage) to the Centenary committee this week so they can start promoting specific events and activities taking place during the festival. Valerie has also indicated that students from the Textile department would get involved. We need to develop ideas/concepts starting at our next meeting which should take place at Strathnairn so we can look at sites, material possibilities etc.
Valerie and Gabriella outlined several possibilities regarding a travelling exhibition. Jacque Schultze has advised that the Belconnen Art Centre is not in a strong position to apply for funding as it does not have a track record for this kind of project. Valerie suggested asking Barbara McConchie for help and Gabriella will approach Richard Perram, director of the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, and Alan Sisley, director of Orange Regional Gallery, to see if they would be interested in hosting a Nets exhibition and possibly touring it. Orange Regional Gallery collects textiles, has hosted several exhibitions for Textile Fibre Forum in the past and has acquired several works from these exhibitions. Both these institutions have a good track record in travelling exhibitions.  Jenny Manning offered her expertise in drawing up an education kit.
Valerie suggested the travelling exhibition might consist of a core exhibition of the best work from the four Networks exhibitions. Workshops held during the Networks travelling exhibition would inspire a follow-up exhibition of work from the local region which would stay with the community.
Ant and Amanda spoke about their work. Amanda is an anthropologist and research fellow from Manchester Metropolitan University interested in the history of improvisation with everyday materials. Ant is a materials led artist inspired by her work as a facilitator with intellectually disabled people. She showed samples of her bags and other textile pieces made from recycled clothing.
Their research centred on the change in attitudes towards the recycling of materials of necessity during the Second World War, compared with the present day concern with sustainability.
Angie told the group about her new appointment to the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court in London and the possibility that this could change the direction Nets takes in the future. She showed the group the draft of an article on the Geelong Nets exhibition to be published in the February 2013 Textile Fibre Forum magazine.
Balba Simbekin and her husband Nelson, who ran the bilum workshop in 2010 are still interested in taking a group of networkers to the Eastern Highlands of PNG in September 2013 to see bilum making in context. So please watch out for further information if you would like to be part of this trip.
Kate talked about the pros and cons of setting up a website linked to the Networks blogs. The Networks group is encouraged the think about the purpose of a website. Discussion to continue in 2013.
Next meeting – sometime in February 2013. TBA

Notes by Nancy and Gabriella as Wendy was too ill to come to the meeting. Best wishes to Wendy for a speedy recovery. And Happy Christmas everyone.


  NOTE: Belinda will start to add images from  Belconnen Arts Centre to the blog.

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