Fiberworks - A Celebration of South African
Fiber and Textile Artists

Title: Crosspatch

Description: Since 1978 Margie had contributed enthusiastically to the world of textile art and quilting for which she has received numerous awards both in South Africa and beyond. Margie’s overwhelming inspiration is her love of the environment and Africa’s cultural diversity. Her particular ‘signature’ is her machine quilting. Margie and Rick, her husband live in a 200 year old home surrounded by tranquil wine lands, that has and does still host a variety of exhibitions in the Western Cape.

Margie initiated, then curated ‘Innovative Threads' for ten years passing the exhibition on in 2005, to a new curator. The exhibition was designed to promote contemporary textile art and craft whilst uplifting both the artist and the art form, and exposing the public to a little known discipline.

In 2006 Margie was honoured as an icon by the CCDI (Cape Craft and Design Institute) revealing her exceptional contribution to textile art. Margie is passionate about life, exhibiting and enjoying the challenge of commissions from time to time.

Title: Mother's Touch

Description: Margie’s relationship with textiles spans many decades. When she was a very young child, about five years old, her maternal grandmother taught her to sew and knit. In this piece of work Margie explores the concept of women passing down through generations’ special attributes and skills, linking the ages together within a family. Margie’s hand, represented in both ‘Mother’s Touch’ and ‘Generations’, is the physical link between the five generations on the female side of her family tree. She is currently teaching her eldest grand-daughter, Grace, these skills. Perhaps these precious threads will continue to span the generations of the future, despite the enormous challenges society continues to experience.

Margie has been a textile artist for many years. She has exhibited widely and is honoured to have work in many fine collections both in South Africa and abroad.

Title: Generations

Description: This piece was designed to remember the women within Margie's family, whom she has known in her lifetime. Grandmothers, Mothers, Daughters and their children.

Title: Angry About Aids 4 - A Chink of Light

Description: AIDS in South Africa has angered Margie for many years. Finally during 2000 her frustration reached fever pitch. "I read everything I could lay my hands upon and started assembling fabrics from across the continent, collecting newspaper articles from local South African publications as a source and an outlet for my anger, and then I began to create."

Fourth in a series of artworks called ANGRY ABOUT AIDS: " A Chink of Light" shows some progress in our battle against AIDS in Southern Africa.

Title: Aloe Feeders

Description: Aloes of the Overberg were the catalyst for this piece during the winter of 2002.

Title: Zanzibar

Description: Inspiration from the rich cultural diversity abounding and enriching Southern Africa.

Title: Raffia Lands

Description: Inspired by remarkable geometric designs found in West African culture. Hours of drawing and abstraction produced the abstracted African designs in this piece

Margie Garratt







Website:- http://www.inno.co.za