Marlene Schmidt

My work in felt and silk is a reflection of the experience of living on Bruny Island.

The island has a history which reaches far back into time and encompasses the ever present echoes of the lives of past aboriginal inhabitants. The island was also marked by the visitations of mariners from Europe, the whalers and sealers, the early farmer settlers and many exception residents up to the present. This collective background history plus the colours, shapes and tones of the island landscape/seascape are referenced in my work.

The process of felting pure wool onto silk is called Nuno felting. (Nuno is the word for cloth in Japanese). In this type of felting making, small quantities of wool fibres are placed on the surface of a lightweight fabric, either in a controlled design or randomly, according to the effect required. Natural fabrics such as silk provide the best results. First the wool fibres are persuaded to work through to the reverse of the fabric, prior to felting. Then, as they felt (and shrink) the fabric is pulled up with them, the silk and the wool shrinking at different rates, creating a ruched, textured effect. The results are light weight, strong and drape beautifully.

Notes about some capes...

Cape Queen Elizabeth

Cape Queen Elizabeth was renamed (from Cape Frederick Henry to Cape Queen Elizabeth) to mark the coronation of the present Queen. The cape echoes elements of the coronation dress of the young queen, with added embellishments from the sea and Storm Bay.

Cape de la Sortie

Cape de la Sortie was named by Bruny D'Entrecasteaux - the cape of farewell or leaving. The cape of going out has colours and shapes borrowed from the sea - ripples and eddies, swirls and fins. This is the sea that carried the French explorer/mariner, D'Entrecasteaux homeward.

Fluted Cape

This cape plays with the contrast of the exposed, hard rocky flutes of Fluted Cape and the soft fur of hidden inland creatures.