Three members of an art-loving family in Oamaru have collaborated to produce a textile display at the Forrester Art Gallery.
An exhibition put together by Oamaru textile artist Sue McLean and her husband Rod went on show last week. Mrs McLean said the exhibition explored the legacy of loss through the materiality of traditionally woven and stitched textile practice.
''The lengths of cloth are a tangible representation of personal and generational commitment to relationships and acknowledge the parallel threads of life experiences.
''Any stitching ... is based on running stitch. Its under-and-over structure is the basis of most embroidery stitches and echoes the weaving process.''
Mrs McLean took a year's study leave from her role as an art teacher at Oamaru Intermediate School to complete a postgraduate diploma in visual art from the Dunedin School of Art, and said the exhibition was the culmination of her study.
Although she had exhibited embroidered art works before, this was the first time she had incorporated weaving, she said.
''It just seemed like a really good idea. We had the looms at home.''
She said collaborating with her husband had seemed like a natural progression. Her 21-year-old daughter had written a poem that accompanied the exhibition.
Woollen material woven by her husband on 95-year-old looms from Scotland was used for the exhibition.
''Parallel Threads'' is open daily from 10.30am until 4.30pm.
