Article 1

Alicia Alvis

website@moadoph.gov.au — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 22:50:28 +0000

Alicia Alvis website@moadop… Fri, 10/12/2018 - 09:50

Alicia Alvis’s upbringing was a study of contrasts.

Growing up as the second of three girls, on army ammunition bases around New Zealand, with a bomb technician father and a spiritualist/massage therapist (and champion knitter) mother, Alicia gained the perspective of the complete left-to-right spectrum. Most of her childhood photos are of her holding explosives or modelling a hand-knitted, adult-sized mohair jacket.

She played the drums throughout her schooling and into her early 20s, when she realised she’d rather work behind the scenes than in front of them. She went on to gain her higher education in audio engineering and later received her dangerous goods (pyrotechnics) license, so she could combine her love of detailed fidgety work (wiring), live music events—and ‘blowing s--t up’.

Having moved to Melbourne, Australia, after the 2011 earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, Alicia found herself working at a vintage toys, comics and collectables shop. It was her personal love of 1980s cartoons and action figures that lead her to Los Angeles in 2013 for a He-Man convention, where she met her husband, a US Marine, who is now a successful artist working in the realm of sculpture and high-end collectables.

To make their union official, hoops had to be jumped through, so she put her action figure collection into storage, and set off to New Orleans with her prized Pomeranian, Misfit. Eighteen months of living in the south was an experience for her as a non-Christian liberal. Unable to legally work, she filled her time with raising her stepson, DIY house renovations, crafting up a sequined storm, and becoming a foster-mom to local dogs in need of love and rehoming.

She moved her family back to New Zealand in early 2018, with the fresh news she was pregnant with identical twin girls, who were born at the very end of August.

Her current application to join the New Zealand Fire Service has been put on hold temporarily, so she can grow a couple of creative, compassionate young women, who will be proficient at hand-to-hand combat before reaching kindergarten age.

Alicia Alvis

English

New Zealand

Not being much of a talker, I’ve always struggled to adequately put my feelings into words. Equality is something I’ve always felt very passionate about, and I’ve been wanting to create a piece to contribute for some time, but didn’t know how or where to start. When I saw this project come across my Instagram feed, I had a tunnel-vision moment, and I jumped at the opportunity! Creatively and instantly, I saw my UDHR block 90% complete, and thankfully, my Article was still available!

I’ve been working with sequins for a number of years now, making custom back patches and wall-hangings, etc. I wanted something eye-catching and with a good use of colour contrast.

UDHR Article

Article 1

Quilt

Red quilt

Sam Harlow-Black

website@moadoph.gov.au — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 03:36:45 +0000

Sam Harlow-Black website@moadop… Mon, 10/15/2018 - 14:36

Sam Harlow Black is a mother of four, and stepmother of three. As a craft-based textile artist from the northern suburbs of Melbourne, she has always been a fanatically creative person and self-taught painter, hand-spinner and crocheter from a young age. Through her studies in teaching, textile design and art therapy as well as lived experience, she has developed a strong practice in handmade textiles which include her own unique and quirky illustrative style. While raising her children, Sam educated herself in art history by reading and collecting books about artists who inspired her on her artistic journey. She looks to local artists, such as painter Mirka Mora and sculptor Deborah Halpern, as well as the work of international artists, such as Niki De Saint Phalle’s ‘Nanas’ and Louise Bourgeois’ textile sculptures, which inform her shapes, as well as Yayoi Kusama’s obsessive patterning, which inspires her highly patterned works. This style continues to be reinvented and explored whilst building her resume as an emerging artist.

Sam has developed her craft-based textile art practice through her studies in the Master of Arts (Art in Public space) program at RMIT, which she completed in June 2018. Through her research project, she investigated the uses of handmade craft as a tool for meaning-making, self-expression and performance in site-specific public art. As part of her research project, she produced and performed a ‘one woman show’ inspired by Yoko Ono including singing, self-composed slam poetry and craftivist artworks used as the set. She is currently teaching her quirky brand of woolly knitted art-making, making textile works and pursuing her interest in community-based art practice. Sam is artist-in-residence at Alternative Women’s Fitness, Thornbury, in her ‘art squat’ where she hopes to teach more low-budget expressive art workshops aimed at empowering and encouraging the mental health of women.

Sam Harlow-Black

English

Australia

Australian

Craftivism is something I’m passionate about. I’m also passionate about equality in all areas of public life. I used rainbow colours to express an underlying theme of diversity across the spectrum of society.

The colours celebrate the marriage equality law changes in Australia, which allow my partner and I to choose marriage if we wish. Putting my picture on my work shows that I, a proud Generation X citizen of Australia and member of the LGBTQI+ community, am willing to stand up to STOP discrimination against those who identify as non-binary genders. And we must work together to provide housing and dignity to the 100,000+ homeless Australians, a large proportion of whom are children and young people.

As the parent of an autistic child, I fight for my son’s right to dignity and equal participation in society. It is ‘the sisterhood’ who primarily care for vulnerable people. We need to STOP discriminating against those with disabilities.

UDHR Article

Article 1

Quilt

Green quilt

Amélie Frantelle

website@moadoph.gov.au — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 05:20:53 +0000

Amélie Frantelle website@moadop… Mon, 10/15/2018 - 16:20

Amélie Frantelle is a French embroidery artist who started to stitch around five years ago, when living in Paris. Since then, she has explored her craft while living overseas, lifted by the unique artistic atmosphere of Melbourne, or the wilderness of the Australian outback.

She takes most of her inspiration from other forms of arts (music, paintings, literature), as well as myths, ancient civilisations and graphical representations. The #UDHRquilt Project is the first collective craftivist project Amélie has been a part of.

Amélie Frantelle

English

France

French

I originally wanted to stitch an illustration Jean Cocteau drew in support of the European Union. But in August 2017, a pacifist gathering against racism in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned into a tragedy when a white-supremacist ran over and killed Heather D Heyer, an innocent woman standing up for love, equality and tolerance. I changed my design the same day.

I chose to talk about misconceptions some people have regarding identity, pride, tolerance and equality, and how hate of others is still crippling society, by representing four strong, beautiful, fierce and proud black women, staring at you.

As a French person, I tend to idealise human rights (Article 1 is almost the French national motto), and seeing how it’s violated truly breaks my heart. The #UDHRquilt Project has been a brilliant way to connect and raise awareness and I hope this block will instigate a reflection about sisterhood, community and living together in tolerance and kindness.

UDHR Article

Article 1

Quilt

Blue quilt

Katherine Heisler

website@moadoph.gov.au — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 05:44:01 +0000

Katherine Heisler website@moadop… Mon, 10/15/2018 - 16:44

I’m a contemporary fibre and embroidery artist.

Katherine Heisler

English

United States of America

American

Hand-embroidery teaches patience, craftsmanship, tradition and simplicity.

Sourcing aged textiles, every piece begins with its own story that transforms with each prick of the needle. Embroidery is a transitive, meditative process which forces you to slow down and truly be present. Not only with the fibres but with yourself. It’s all about textures, textiles and feelings—I guess it’s really all about touching, feeling, communicating and mending.

UDHR Article

Article 1

Quilt

Yellow quilt