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The Friends of the Wellington Botanic Garden warmly welcome Mary Self, this year's Artist in Residence, to the Wellington Botanic Garden. Mary’s brief is simple - to hero the Garden in all its magnificence. She will create a number of unique textile art works in a variety of mediums including embroidery, needlepoint and cross-stitch as well as conducting two workshops.
Working with her hands is something Mary has done since she was a small child, working with her father in their family nursery. The patience and attention to detail she used to pick out seedlings gave her a feeling of connectedness between her fingers and the tiny plants.
Early textile inspiration came from her Aunt Nelly’s fabric swatches, the use of her sewing machine and the encouragement to draw in crayon on the kitchen table. Self says it was a great way to experiment, she could draw on a large surface and afterwards the pictures would be scrubbed off so she could start all over again.
Mary invites you to watch her sketching and stitching in a sunny corner of the Treehouse and engage in conversations about her work. She will be creating still-life pieces ranging from postcard sizes to wall hangings. Stitching kits will be available for purchase during her tenure, offering you a chance to try your hand at her craft.
Mary is running workshops in February, providing a unique chance for you to explore your artistic side. Follow the below links for more details and to purchase tickets:
Stitch a Still Life - Join Mary as she teaches you how to stitch your own still life. You'll create your own A4 size Still Life with a vase or a bowl containing three-dimensional flowers, fruit and/or leaves.
Floral Impressions - Inspired by French impressionist painters such as Renoir and Monet, Mary will show you how to create your own small piece of art that can be inserted into a card or framed. You will release the dye in flowers and leaves into fabric by pounding. The resultant design will be emphasised with simple stitches in matching colours.