Fiberworks - A Celebration of South African
Fiber and Textile Artists

Title: MS Symphony

Description: She's my friend, she's my inspiration and the one who has been right next to me during hard times. In fact, we have known each other for many more years than half our lives! So, when I saw the call for entries, I was immediately inspired and at last saw an opportunity to make a work of art to celebrate and salute this great artist and immensely strong woman. I do not know why I was surprised when my embroidery artwork turned out to be very personal, very emotional and in a not so strange way, healing.

Michele and I met each other at varsity, later we lived close to each other in Pretoria and when Michele was diagnosed with MS, we were both busy planting our gardens, a shared interests. Later we both moved to Rosendal, still planting our gardens. (The flowers in my artwork represents that shared joy.)

As the years passed MS started taking it's toll and we had to helplessly look on as Michele's body started deteriorating . My highly productive and energetic friend had to divide her day into three - morning, afternoon and evening - to manage her failing health and output as an artist. (Three panels of my work) At times, when her body would make "sparks" as the nerve endings refused to make contact, Michele's energy also came in sparks and bursts. At times lots of energy (lots of stiches and sparks on my artwork) at times nothing.

This artwork is a work in progress as both Michele's and my lives are still works in progress. We now are at the greens. The oranges and yellows, the autumns of our lives, will follow and after that the darker period, the ending of our lives.

Embroidery as a medium is healing, it brings peace and acceptance, protection in meditation. This is my prayer for Michele. Stitch by stitch I pray for less pain.

Title: Wail

Description: Man's imprint on and disregard for the universe. The wailing of the whale and her oceans were my inspiration for this work. In contrast the San symbols represents their caring for the universe and their thankfulness as my own soul weeps while I stitch and meditate, focusing on repair and healing and a change in people towards the earth

Title: Ode to Nature/LynnWare

Description: This piece was inspired by a beautiful ceramic tile mural by LynnWare Ceramic Studio in Burgersdorp at the Post Office.

This mural had beautiful images of South African plants and at that time I was working/ repairing a piece of Iranian wool and a South African crochet woolen blanket that was coming undone.

The beauty of the endemic plants in this panel inspired my work on this piece where I simply want to honour South Africa our beautiful country.

Title: Lockdown Karoo

Description: Mending and repairing this recycled mohair blanket became a Karoo landscape with sheep and clouds for which I used my cats' hair. During Covid19 lockdown my own hair became my symbols of the floating corona virus. The blocks of the blanket, the caged feeling I experienced, and my longing for the open spaces of the Karoo

Title: Honour the Land SAN

Description: This San piece of hand woven antique Kurdish linen and Iranian wool was started watching the miniseries "Vikings". Inspired by the details my thoughts were drawn to the San culture where everything were put to use and nothing wasted. The stitching became meditative and healing in a sense. I love the tactility and honesty of natural hand spun and hand woven textiles. These textiles have a meaning, a previous life

Sandra Lemmer







Website:- https://www.facebook.com/sandrasewinkel/