On loan from the ACT Government Collection as part of Anita McIntyre’s current exhibition, The Rug Project was instigated by Isabella Holding through Beaver Galleries, Canberra. A small image was selected and transformed into a large woven rug which was very exciting and gave rise to many new ideas.

Anita McIntyre

This work has references to colonial settlement in the Tuggeranong area where I have lived for over 30 years. Old Parish maps and mark making reference the colonial history and the indigenous peoples of the area. The rows of marks middle left represent the Blanket Count which was done in the early 20th and late 19th century that gave statistical information about the number of indigenous people who were still in the area after settlement.

The coloured inlay (millefiori) on the right represents the Limestone plains before settlement and on the left after settlement. The arrow is used as a symbol of direction that all maps contain. The obvious blue hills are the ever-present view of the Brindabella's from the front room. The selected image only required a small amount of adjusting the size to fit the loom and the variations in colour to suit the wool
available for the weavers.

What was most interesting for me the image selected was very small 22 cm x 12 cm and to see it transformed into a large woven rug was very exciting and gave rise to many new ideas. The resolving of the textured element was another wonderful outcome. This successful project was instigated by Isabella Holding through Beaver Galleries, Canberra.

Isabella Holding

Weave Art Change
www.weaveartchange.com.au

I would also like to say thank you Anita for your brilliant suggestion of making cut shapes where there is only one colour, this is the first time it has ever been done at KTS*. When I was there in January, they thought it was such a strange idea and I had to confirm it over and over. But they now love how it looks, the head designer said it has given them lots of ideas and said it was really interesting for the weavers and a good challenge for the 'cutter'. This is really what Weave Art Change is about, artists like yourself using your creativity to help extend the practice of the weavers in Nepal. So thank you.

Kumbeshwar Technical School (KTS)

Established in 1983 by former State Council Member, Mr Siddhi Bahadur Khadgi, Kumbeshwar Technical School (KTS) is an educational and vocational training centre supporting the needs of low-income families throughout Nepal.
www.kumbeshwar.com/about-us