01 Feb MiArt – Bags
MIART — BAGS — FEBRUARY 2017
Grace’s latest creative project on Mornington Island was a collaboration with the Island’s artists who are known for their unique and vibrant approach to art. The objective was to engage a wide cross-section of the community in the creation of wearable art. In order to achieve the ultimate goal of raising money for the remote community, these wearable art pieces had to be commercially viable, while retaining the unique aesthetic their creators have become known for. This resulted the decision to design and create a collection of multi-functional, neoprene bags, hand painted by each artist, ranging from youths through to elders. Each one-of-a-kind bag provides a way for the artists to express and share their love for their culture and country. As such, the collection of bags has become a vessel for celebration of Aboriginal culture through the sharing of stories depicted in the exquisite hand paintings adorning each surface.
This collection is a testament to the artist’s interest in and love for textiles, fashion and seeing their art come to life on the body.
The aim of raising funds for the community is being achieved as the National Gallery of Victoria have purchased the collection of bags to stock in their gallery, with more orders being made. This success has allowed for the creation of a sustainable fashion business titled MiArt Designs.
