Umela apron I 2026

AG505544
natural flower dyes from Estonia, Lithuania and Northcote on washi
90.5 x 61 cm (h x w)

Following a trip to Japan co-leading a study tour for RMIT School of Art students, I learned of the traditional Japanese art of tataki zome or flower pounding to release natural dyes onto cloth or paper. I became interested in exploring this technique as an addition to my explorations of environmentally sustainable art practices, and as a way of responding directly to place when travelling. A significant portion of this work was done while in Estonia at the Umela artist residency, using flowers from the surrounding garden, forests and countryside and running them through the etching press to release their dye. The design is based loosely on Estonian folk costumes. I worked on the ‘aprons’ further in Kaunas, Lithuania, using wildflowers from the banks of the Nemunas river, before completing them on my return to Melbourne, using local flowers from my Northcote neighbourhood.

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