Don't miss the last week of the 'Tree Place' exhibition curated by my good friend and fellow fibre researcher Anne Harris of Annie's Workroom  at Noosa Regional Gallery, Tewantin, Queensland, including my tryptch 'LOVE-TREES' until Sunday 27th January 2019. You can find the whole back story on this amazing project on the 'Tree Place' website. Text and images of my new works made specicifically for the 'Tree Place' exhibition below: LOVE-TREES Carved, scratched, stabbed and abused – street trees the world over endure the attentions of careless drivers, unthinking builders and idle roman ..read more

Opening today: Blue/Green: color/code/context at browngrotta arts, Connecticut, USA. I'm very happy to be exhibiting my new work 'Liminal' in this exhibition with more than 50 artists from 15 countries exploring all aspects and meanings of 'Blue/Green'. The exhibition runs April 28th - May 6th, 2018 at browngrotta arts in Wilton,Connecticut,USA ..read more

In the spring of 2016 Monica Guilera and Tim Johnson initiated a year long community research project (first blogged here: 'Cortines' project underway... ) inviting participants from diverse professions to design and create their own 'Cortine' or fly curtain. Flexible dividers of space creating shade, privacy and deterring insects from entering your home - Cortines are common features of many Mediterranean homes, shops and restaurants, a 'soft barrier' these diverse and decorative functional wares were once hand made with a variety of local natural materials - rush stems, Oleander bark ..read more

This week we are preparing course details and arrangements for Weaving by the 2018, 28th September - 4th October, all the workshop descriptions, prices and booking details will be up soon on the Weaving by the Sea blog. It's been a pleasure looking back at 2017's six workshops and our special day trip to the Museu de la Pauma in Mas de Barberans as I have put together a new gallery here: Weaving by the Sea 2017 I think the pictures speak for themselves - great making, lovely weather and good company - see you at Weaving by the Sea 2018!   ..read more

One day we made little nests molding freshly cut hair in our cupped hands ..read more

Inspired by my last post exploring the remarkable nests of weaver-birds and their influenec on my work over the years, I've gathered a selection of my photographs of other nests, enclosed spaces for nurture and protection. Please note all of these photographs were taken with great care not to disturb the nesting birds and those photos with eggs were taken quickly and minimising disturbance. If you want to watch or photograph nesting birds please check the information provided here by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds first - providing useful advice and the legalities with in the UK ..read more

Above & below: Weaverbird's nest from the workshop of French basketmakers Karen Gossart and Corentin Laval.Since childhood I've had a deep fascination for birds and everything about them, as a child (well and today also!) I would collect their feathers, nests, skulls and bones, owl pellets - everything! So perhaps it's no suprise that their constructions as nest builders continue to influence my work. Below some of my large pieces inspired by the avian master weavers - bird from the weaverbird family that live in Africa and Asia. Creating these large structures not only enlarges a natural ..read more

Hi folks - it's been a while since I've managed to log in here and jot a few notes - in fact I see not since I headed off for Australia in March! That project - The Deeper Voice of Textiles was a huge public and personal success and very rewarding for myself in many ways - while I have some photo stories still to post - much of the project can be seen documented on the special blog here: The Deeper Voice of Textiles. I was honoured to be asked to write an account of my experiences during the project for the online magazine 'Garland', this excellent magazine journals all kinds of makings in the ..read more

By Monday night I'll be back in the land of the bowerbird! Exciting times as I embark on a 2 month trip working on a sculpture project 'The deeper Voice of Textiles' in Newcastle, NSW, Australia in collaboration with Timeless Textiles - the foremost contemporary textile gallery in Australia. More of this project to come - but first back to the bowers - in this case photographs of the bower or dancing ground of the male Satin Bowerbird that I photographed on my last trip in 2015. Since childhood I've been fascinated by these birds and their constructions built not for nesting - but display and ..read more

Above: Openwork Pandanus basket by Rosie Bindal Bindal, Yilan near Maningrida, NT, Australia Yes - some of my favourite baskets are twined - that is - woven with two or more weavers travelling along at the same time capturing stakes as they go and twisting around each other - there are lots of twining variations and for some reason they have always captured my attention. Perhaps because it was one of the first techniques I learnt many years ago with Mary Butcher, maybe because I have been lucky enough to join indigenous makers in Australia as they make or perhaps just because it is such a grea ..read more