Colours of the Rainbow and inner light glowing in the threads of the spider web swirling in cocoons and weaving its way on my path to inner reflection and reality. I am giving thanks to creation for being here and enjoying both the inner spiritual and the outer physical journey. My journey through more than 40 different countries in the world and their cultures has inspired me to fulfil my dreams and here I am at Alice Springs Beanie Festival.
Born in Denmark in Scandinavia in 1958 growing up in an environment full of supreme handicraft and excellent craft man ship has been of great inspiration to me as a teenager and in my twenties. However I did start quite young indulging in craft exploring the world with an embroidery needle and colourful threads with my grandmother as my tutor and babysitter.
My mother soon added a pair of knitting needles and to nobodies surprise craft and art at school was my favourite subjects. Coming into teen age and having the need to really express my self and a drive for being different my mother placed me in front of a sewing machine and soon taught me dress making. It was not traditional clothing I produced to my mothers horror surprise but unique one off and never seen again clothing.
A 6 week spinning course emerged out of the blue in 1979 followed up by a week end course in natural dyes. Straight away I was hooked on the idea of being able to design my own individual yarns for my knitting. I soon saw myself as a yarn designer supplementing my income during later studies becoming a Social Worker.
I left Denmark in 1988 together with my partner Peder to come to Australia. In 1989 a friend inspired me to start silk painting. I played around with silk and paint, teaching myself and exploring different techniques. In 1990 I was introduced to weaving. 1992 saw me starting out on a silk painting production which is still up and running inspired from the beautiful tropical world in which I live.
Curiosity is a great part of my journey and knowing that nothing is impossible I keep creating. My greatest pleasure is to pass my knowledge on to other people who are willing to learn new thinking, techniques and practice. I channel this passion being a demonstrator, teaching at workshops and through exhibitions. I use a lot of recycled materials in my creations to eliminate the negative impact our throw away society has on our environment. Natural fibres combined with natural dyes is my favourite choice. The process whatever the substance being is of outmost importance to me.
My beanie is a Greenie Beanie. I call it “Staying in Touch”. It is made of old phone cards that I purchased and collected during the years of travelling and having no phone at that time the phone cards was a handy and cheaper way of “Staying in Touch” with my family, friends and the world as such. I spun most of the silk myself. The green silk yarn is a commercial spun silk which I dyed with onion skin using iron as a mordant.
I wish you a wonderful, cheerful Beanie Festival and may Araluen fill with laughter and happy faces extending the energy to all over the Central Desert. May it all echo in the nearby East and West MacDonnell Ranges for future kids to come.