Memories inspire exhibition artwork

Marg Hage (8)  TBW Newsgroup
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: Textile artist Marg Hage works with a variety of different methods and materials. In her Otherness of Light artworks she has incorporated lace, copper beads and old encyclopedia pages. Pictures: AMY MAYNARD

Marg Hage (8) TBW Newsgroup
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: Textile artist Marg Hage works with a variety of different methods and materials. In her Otherness of Light artworks she has incorporated lace, copper beads and old encyclopedia pages. Pictures: AMY MAYNARD

MEMORIES of towering trees in her grandfather’s garden served as inspiration for artist Marg Hage for her works in the Otherness of Light exhibition.

Serving as an artist in residence at the Millicent Gallery this month, Ms Hage drew on her childhood memories to fuel her art.

“When I first began thinking of the otherness of light it all seemed quite ambiguous, but then I settled on the light that comes from trees,” Ms Hage said.

“I have always found the light the comes from trees to be intriguing – my father had a garden that was just extraordinary.

“It was one of those gardens where when I was a child he used to tell me fairies were down there and I would believe him.

“In the forested area it was always very dark, but he told me that whenever I looked up at the trees, I would always see light.

“So it’s about connecting the light of trees to the theme of hope.”

In her pieces for the Otherness of Light, Ms Hage took inspiration from how silver birches reflect the moonlight and also recalled a tree that cast a shadow during an aurora.

Marg Hage (5)  TBW Newsgroup
MIXING THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT: One of Marg Hage’s works which incorporates a 1922 photograph with hand stitched highlights.

“It’s fascinating with stitching, people always want to get up close,” Ms Hage said.

“With visual arts and paintings often people will stand back and observe it from a distance, but they always come up close to see the details in textiles.”

The details within Ms Hage’s work are the result of endless hours of photo editing, printing, free motion embroidery, dyeing and hand stitching.

Her latest projects include transferring vintage photographs to a digital media format and then onto fabric in their edited form and placing inverted photographs of trees onto dyed items such as repurposed aluminium.

“Recycling and repurposing is very important to my art,” Ms Hage said.

Ms Hage’s ability to blend the old and the new earned her a guest speaking spot at the Western Australia’s Craft Show in August this year, where she showcased her work and demonstrated how she differentiates herself from other artists by incorporating photography and digital layering into her work.

Textures are also integral to the pieces, with Ms Hage using old confetti, or lace, or mesh.
Australian artist Arthur Boyd is a strong influence on Ms Hage’s work, as is tapestry, while communicating with others through her work is a key element of her art.

“Many people become curious when looking at my notebooks and I think there can be powerful stories in art,” Ms Hage said.

“It’s fascinating hearing what people think of my work in the exhibition and how even without me saying anything, similar ideas and themes come through.”