TOMATO SACKS.

This is what happens to my old art pieces. I turn them into tomato or potato sacks and dot them round the garden.  I line them with plastic bags that have holes cut in the bottom and sides for drainage, then fill with potting mix and plant a tomato in the top.  By the time harvest is over, so are the bags and then they gradually turn into compost somewhere in the garden as they act as mulch. As I bought most of the wool or other fabric from op shops, I find this is a most satisfactory way to recycle. And cheap.And I don't forget to water the tomatoes as they are easily seen. We have a sort of mini-drought here at the moment, so everything in the garden is a bit dry as you can see from the grass. The one on the right was exhibited in Tamworth Art Gallery after I did a workshop with Nancy Crow. The one on the left was always a bit of a worry and never exhibited as i didn't think it was good enough.

This is the second of the three pieces. It is called 'Whence' and represents the journey from England to Australia. I used green and gold colours as they are the colours most associated with Australia.

There is hand and machine stitching, with some traditional quilting. In addition to the adult human shape used throughout there are also a few child shapes to represent the teaching I did as a career after my schooling.

Most Australians live near the sea and I also lived by a beach as a child and young adult.  Australia is a land of many migrants so lots of different fabrics are used to denote the variety of people who live here.

The last piece will be about the part of Australia where I now live. All the materials are on the cutting table and I will put it up when it is finished.

In the meantime, I have been juried in to 'Progressions', which is currently at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery in Toowoomba, Queensland. It is called 'Boat People' and shows my family in transit to the new land in the 1950's. You can see it on Facebook at Darling Downs Textile Art Group.