Trudi Pollard - Personal Statement


I have been working, studying, lecturing and teaching in the areas of
fibre arts and ceramics for 40 years. I hold a Visual Arts degree from
Curtin University graduating in 1986. I live in a beautiful bushland setting in Bedfordale, Western Australia overlooking the waters of the Wungong Dam.

I love doing what I do, I love living where I live and I create my art work from my soul. Kahlil Gibran, the famous poet says that ones work is 'love made visible' and this summarises my belief of working and creating my art.

Since a little girl I have always taken great delight and interest in natures design, shapes and colours. I can remember looking, watching, and observing things like insects, shells, fish, flowers, and stone with particular interest in their intricate patterns and colours. I have always been fascinated by the detail of nature. This interest has progressed to bigger objects and I have incorporated this use of detail and colour into my work.

My use of colour ranges from brilliant golden, and bright hues on silk velvet through to indigo, taupe's, greens, rust and tannic on ripped cotton using designs and techniques that reflect the primitive and the contemporary. I have always worked with different mediums in combination. I find it quite natural to combine and explore complimentary mediums and have used fibre and ceramics extensively over my career to create and express my love of life and art.

Helena Pollard - Personal Statement


Helena Pollard’s work is a combination of conceptual expression and
textile creativity.  Helena has exhibited in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth over the last 20 years.

Helena attended Curtin University to do the Visual Arts course majoring
in Textiles. 

Helena’s work is distinguished by an elegant and sophisticated style using the most contemporary textile techniques and manipulations. Whilst her work is based in fine art works, much of her work has been expressed through wearable art. Colours are subtle and flattering to the skin whilst being easy to wear. The concept is much deeper than one would ordinarily imagine.

For instance in her Spirit of Freedom show held in Heathcote, her capes were born from her ‘labyrinth series’ of art work. Helena used the ancient labyrinth as her design source as they represent the balance between the physical and the spiritual.

Her original works were suspended and see through circular pieces of organza and silk that had been manipulated and scratched into with wax and sand. The basis for the pieces were pencil drawings of stones that took hours of meditations to complete as
they followed the pattern of the labyrinth. 

With each piece taking more than 30 hours of meditation the resulting silk devore and organza capes were obviously filled with
depth and meaning. Helena uses many different media and techniques in combination that result in very feminine and luxurious pieces.

Helena has just released her latest collection and is now concentrating on her Winter 2007 collection. The combination of natural dyes and fabrics along with contemporary clothing design will make the next collection very exciting.