Over 20 years ago woven shibori was launched onto the world stage by Catharine Ellis of North Carolina, US and Kay Faulkner of Birkdale, Australia.
Their research occurred independently and simultaneously.
At Convergence 1998, an international weaving conference in Atlanta US, Ellis taught the first workshop on woven shibori and Faulkner had the first article published in Weavers magazine.
When they met they discovered many parallels and since then Ellis and Faulkner continued a friendship forged by an ongoing fascination with the process and a willingness to share.
In many ways their approaches are similar while in others they are very different.
Woven shibori requires the combined skill of both the weaver and the dyer, historically a unique combination. Both artists made the decision to share their research and have taught the process to weavers around the world.
Others have now embraced what Ellis and Faulkner began and implemented in their own work.
The technique has had a significant effect on weaving internationally and the term woven shibori has become part of the weaving vocabulary.
Twenty years is a significant period of time to mark their discovery and Parallel includes work from their own independent practices over these two decades.
The exhibition will run from Sunday March 10 to April 14 and opens at Redland Art Gallery on Friday March 8 at 6.30pm.
There will be a floor talk and morning tea on Sunday March 10 at 10am.
For more information go to artgallery.redland.qld.gov.au or phone the gallery on 3829 8899.
