Philomena Hali Textiles & Fibres

Resumé

 As a first generation Australian born to Madeiran (Portugese) parents, I still maintain the use of the language and some traditional ways.

 From a very young age I was raised on a banana and vegetable plantation in Carnarvon, West Australia. Here I learnt the physical element of survival on the land.  In the summer my mother and the neighboring Portuguese women would teach me embroidery, crochet, traditional cooking and other ‘women’s business’.

Over the years I have managed to retain a passion for stitchery in fibres and textiles and remain absorbed in surface texture.  I taught myself basket-making and dyeing of materials using earth pigments and plant products.  The use of chemical dyes has been learned through workshops and forums.  As my work depicts the colours around me I primarily use natural dyes to obtain the required hues.

In recent years I have learnt Shibori (Japanese stitch resist and dyeing techniques) and Indigo dyeing.  I incorporate these textured and dyed fabrics with other surface designs (including hand and machine stitching) to accentuate my work.

I find working with textiles and fibres is always pleasurable.  I enjoy being able to apply traditional and contemporary techniques to create textured work.  The imagery and colour are often inspired by the local bush and tribal markings.

My fibre basketry work entails using harsh spikey, dry desert vegetation.  I find this a challenge and strive to produce work which transforms the original fibre.  I work in traditional and self developed ways incorporating dyed cloth and string to compliment my work.