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 

 

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 – 14 April 2024

Banner: Installation view, ‘Liz Williamson: Weaving Eucalypts Project’, UNSW Galleries, 2022. Pictured: Liz Williamson, Weaving Eucalypts Project panel #37–100. Photography: Jacquie Manning

Installation view, 'Liz Williamson: Weaving Eucalypts Project' at Castlemaine Art Museum, 2022. Image courtesy of Castlemaine Art Museum.