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A needle pulling thread…John Parkes
A needle pulling thread…John Parkes
a needle pulling thread…
‘a needle pulling thread…’, an exhibition opening at Timeless Textiles gallery on 21 March, will profile the diverse textiles-based works of Newcastle born artist John Parkes.
Ranging from small, densely hand-stitched brooches to layered and hand-stitched blankets, the array of works on show in this exhibition showcase John’s practice over the past 10 years.
“I use recycled, second-hand or gifted cloth in my work and haven’t bought new cloth in more than 10 years,” John said. “I find that the slow process of layering and hand-stitching cloth is a form of meditation.”
John trained in textiles in Western Australia, under the tutelage of Elsje van Keppel (1947-2001) and taught textiles techniques, printmaking and drawing in TAFE and university art schools for 20 years. He returned to Newcastle in 2011 to be closer to his family. John is represented in the collections of Edith Cowan University, The State Library of Queensland, Artspace Mackay and The Janet Holmes å Court Collection as well as private collections throughout Australia.
a needle pulling thread… will be opened from 6-8pm on Thursday, 21 Marchby Brett Alexander, Principal Lecturer and Coordinator of the Fibres Textiles Studio, University of Newcastle, and will run until 14 April 2013.
Find out more about John
John Parkes culls his materials from pre-used utilitarian objects: sheets, pillowcases, blankets, jeans and pyjamas have all undergone transformation at his hands in a practice that uses stitch and sometimes also plant dyes. Parkes’ work with second hand/recycled/found cloth is underpinned by notions of decomposition and temporality, the recognition that neither cloth nor user will last forever. Whether small fragments to affix talisman-like to clothing or larger pieces for the wall, his works reflect gentle processes of layering and stitching; the surface a textured map created by the wandering path of the needle.’ 1.
- India Flint from ‘Second Skin’ Murdoch Books 2011 ISBN 978-1-74196-721-0
