‘Made by Hand, Signed by Nature’ exhibition

A new exhibition by textile artist Ann Leon, to be held at Newcastle’s Timeless Textiles Gallery in March 2015, showcases the diverse and skilful techniques acquired by the artist during her travels.

Made by Hand, Signed by Natureincludes work that reflects Leon’s development of techniques that push the boundaries of traditional modalities. The resulting collection is rich in texture, imagery and design

Leon says her recent return to Africa inspired work that embodies traditional African imagery.

“I’ve printed African-inspired designs over base-cloths, dyed with Australian plants and hand-made into home-wares, artworks and scarves,” she said.

“Plant-dyeing is my favourite form of working with nature, and my recent work incorporates a background colour in my dyeing process, which augments the subtle imprints derived from the natural world, adding another layer of depth to the work.”

Vintage imagery has also been a long-term favourite source of inspiration for Leon, who has used it in an interesting combination over dyed or distressed screen-printed backgrounds, shown in cushions, artworks and scarves.

“This exhibition is a testament to my love of nature and the pleasure I derive from using the many different techniques I have developed on my artistic journey, and making useful, beautiful work, that I hope will be enjoyed by visitors to Timeless Textiles,” Leon said.

The Made by Hand, Signed by Nature exhibition opens at 6-8pm on 22 January 2015 and continues until 15 February 2015.