WAFTA celebrated the International Year of Fibres with NATURALLY, an exhibition showcasing the work of it’s members at the Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery, Fremantle WA, 8th – 16th August 2009.Founding member and first president of WAFTA, textile artist and Curtin University lecturer Anne Farren officially opened the exhibition.The IYNF was a year long festivity aimed “to raise awareness of natural fibres, to promote efficiency and sustainability of the natural fibres an to foster an effective international partnership among the various natural fibre industries”WAFTA’s members come from a diverse range of fibre and textile backgrounds: felt, stitch, dye, print, weave, quilt, embroider and much more…what binds members together, whether as professional or emerging artist, is a commitment to the rich and diverse field textiles offer and an underlying passion to work in this wide ranging discipline. The exhibition celebrates WATFA’s role in supporting the IYNF by showcasing the individual vision and skills of it’s members. The Gallery was transformed into an ethereal and interactive space where visitors may walk among suspended 3.5m lengths of textiles in a wide range of techniques, featuring natural fibres and eco dyes from the plant world. There was also an area displaying a number of 3D works.
