Christine Wiltshier

Christine is a friend of mine. She is currently a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours student at the UNSW Art and Design, Sydney. I have seen most of her exhibitions over the last 4 years. Try never to miss seeing her latest body of work.

When I first met Christine, she was a textile maker. Now she is a cross-disciplinary artist and maker working with a range of media including textiles, text, painting, photography, sound and video.

Christine Wiltshier - 'Fabric Collection'

Christine's 'Fabric Collection' was creatd in her first year at COFA (now UNSW Art and Design, Sydney). The students were to work with their hands as tools - the outcome had to be a book. Christine used fabrics from clothes made for her daughter.

Christine Wiltshier's 'Skin Cloth'

Christine Wiltshier's body of work titled 'Skin Cloth' began with an old Japanese kimino. Its aged cloth inspired an exploration of her own journey towards old age (mind you she is far, far from being considered an aged person). The Australian artist Judy Watson and India Flint, renowned for her publication on the plant staining of fabrics, have been very influential in the development of this work. Christine has aged new cloth to echo the marks of time embedded in her own skin. This collection was created in her 2nd year at COFA.

Christine Wiltshier's 'Hit & Miss'

Christine's installation titled 'Hit & Miss' was exhibited in her 3rd year at COFA. This was Christine's response to the controversial policies that form Australia's border protection. She found that the political rhetoric around the asylum seeker boats coming to our shores had 'many sloganised war like references'. The map of Australia on the souvenir tablecloth has a 'defence wall' of crossed dressmaker pins around the entire border. Appliques of asylum seeker boats circle Australia.

Detail of Christine Wiltshier's 'Hit & Miss'

Christine Wiltshier's 'Hit & Miss' Installation.

Christine Wiltshier's 'Hit & Miss' Installation.

Christine Wiltshier's 'Artifact'

Definition of 'artifact' - 'An object made by human hand, of cultural or historical interest'.

Again Christine was influenced by Judy Watson and India Flint. Christine dyed the cotton threads through the processes of botanical and earth staining, then wove the threads and hand printed the pieces. Christine states that the aim of this work was 'to contrast the cultural value placed upon ancient textiles, with the lack of cultural value placed upon the aged in western societies'.

A detail of Christine Wiltshier's 'Artifact'