| Mirlimirli Artworks Coffin Bay on the Eyre Peninsular in South Australia by Llewena Newell |
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| Llewena Newell - my grandmother gave me this name, somewhat of a palindrome and so too my life has been - travelling backwards and forwards, here and there. |
| I first learnt to spin at Woomera over 40 years ago; my hands were restless and needed something to do when the children had gone to bed. The vast openness of the landscape veined with red oxide and ochre, bordered by stretches of clear blue sky inspired me to take up weaving. An Inkle loom raises and lowers yarn creating bands of texture, colour and movement. Moved back to Adelaide and into a four-year Certificate course exploring design, textiles, pottery and basket making. Leading on to teaching pottery, primitive spinning & weaving for the Education Department.
Wanting to learn more about the source of the wool I went to Marleston for a sheep management class. Whilst living in the Clare Valley area I purchased a flock of English Leicester Sheep to experience for myself the process of getting the fleece from animal to artist. I've lived in many postcodes throughout my life and each experience kneads it way into my artwork. Rich colours and mysteries of the Religious Icons, Rosary Beads a curiosity left over from a Catholic childhood. Early adult life in Woomera gave me a landscape of vast openness, exposure to more traditional crafts. Middle-life in suburban Adelaide, exploring structure, contours and form within life drawing and functional clay work. More recently living in the cooler wine growing regions of the mid and lower North, actively involved in art and craft groups, meetings in old stone community halls and neighbours homes. And now here in Coffin Bay, roos in the front yard, sea, sand and scrub at every turn. Native vegetation is inspiring me to return to the raw fibre � spinning, weaving, stripping and dyeing. Rediscovering the honest colours and stains in natural dyes made from Eucalyptus leaves, seaweed & onion skins |
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