Liz Williamson: Weaving Eucalypts Project

This collaborative project by Australian weaver Liz Williamson explores local colour, cultural connections, and shared weaving traditions. It extends from Williamson’s research into experiments with Australian natural dye plants and unique colours extracted from locally sourced plants. The project features 100 panels woven by Williamson with fabric dyed by 60 collaborators with over 50 eucalypts species identified and sourced from over 50 locations.  

In 2020, Williamson began inviting colleagues in Australia and India to colour silk fabric with eucalyptus leaves collected locally. Once received in her studio, the fabric was stripped and woven into panels referencing the traditions of woven rag rugs and ‘making do’ where ‘new’ items are made from old or readily available materials. In this project, the fabric is new while the colour is readily available in eucalyptus leaves, bark, and twigs. The woven panels reflect place and location while the process has created a unique community of practitioners. 

Since 2021, the project has expanded to connect with more colleagues in Australia and India as well as other countries touched by the Indian Ocean – Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Thailand.

LIST OF WORKS EXHIBITION LABELS 

 

 

Public Program

Hidden in their leaves: Eucalypts dye colours in Australia
2.00pm 18 June 2022 | UNSW Art & Design EG02 Lecture Theatre
Honorary Associate Professor Liz Williamson discusses the history of plant dye-making in Australia, including the landmark research of Jean Carman, who was the first to systematically document the colours of Australian Eucalypts by testing over 450 species.

Talk: Weaving Eucalypts with Liz Williamson
1.00pm 21 June 2022 | UNSW Galleries
Australian weaver Liz Williamson presents a lunchtime talk, discussing her collaborative 'Weaving Eucalypts Project'.

In-Conversation: Liz Williamson & Karen Hall
1.00pm 6 August 2022 | UNSW Galleries
Honorary Associate Professor Liz Williamson discusses her collaborative 'Weaving Eucalypts Project' with Karen Hall.

Eucalyptus Dye Workshop
2.00pm 6 August 2022 | UNSW Art & Design
Led by textile artists and researchers Liz Williamson and Emma Peters, this intimate workshop teaches participants how to dye fabric with local eucalyptus leaves, twigs or bark using dyebaths and ‘eco bundles’.

Touring Venues

Castlemaine Art Museum, VIC
15 September 2022 – 12 February 2023

Ararat Gallery – Textile Art Museum Australia, VIC
4 March – 18 June 2023

Tamworth Regional Gallery, NSW
25 August – 15 October 2023

Performance Arts Culture Cessnock, NSW
15 December 2023 – 4 February 2024

Wangaratta Art Gallery, VIC
23 February – 31 March 2024 

Tile and Banner Image: Liz Williamson, 'Weaving Eucalypts Project' (detail) 2020-2021. Silk dyed by artists in Australia, India and Bangladesh with locally sourced eucalyptus leaves, bark or twigs; silk hand woven as weft into a linen and cotton warp. Image courtesy of the artist, Sydney. Photograph: Ian Hobbs
Installation Images: Installation view, ‘Liz Williamson: Weaving Eucalypts Project’, UNSW Galleries, 2022. Photography: Jacquie Manning.