The Inspiration behind the Project

The Inspiration - The Art

For centuries people have been fascinated by tapestry.  The art and the

stories told, the weaving, the colour, the comfort and beauty they brought

to the great homes of the Northern Hemisphere, their antiquity -  all this

and more have led us to treasure the art and craft of tapestries.

So I was inspired with the idea that creating a Whangarei Tapestry would be

a very special thing to do - and it needed to be a community project.  This

would capture the energy and enthusiasm of the widest possible cross section

of the Whangarei community - and those who visit and holiday here.

Everyone is creative, but in our busy, demanding world today it can be very

hard to find the time and space to nurture that vital, creative spark.  A

project like our Whangarei Tapestry can meet that community need and draw us

together in a positive and exciting way.  Together we can create something

unique to us which will be here for our future generations to enjoy and

"own".

In creating the artwork for the tapestry, I resolved that the design needed

to be strong enough to make the tapestry interesting and eye catching; it

needed to say something about our area and yet it had to be designed so it

could be woven by amateur weavers.

The colours I have chosen for the tapestry have been strongly influenced by

the vibrancy of Whangarei and by the natural beauty that surrounds us.  The

strength of the people is there - the strength of our land and of the sea.

The pohutukawas had to be there and the boats, the kauri, the beaches, the

light - and a child looking to the future.  These are some of the unique

components that help make up "Whangarei - Our Place".

Jackie Addenbrooke - the artist?  Art has always been a part of my life -

influenced by the farming, yachting, traveling and family years.  As time

allowed I developed a career in fibre, creating very large wall hangings,

using a unique technique.  This led to a new phase in my creative life.

Painting large oil canvases mostly showing the barren beauty of the South

Island high country stations and the remnants of the life lived in these

areas by the shepherds, boundary riders and gold miners.  My work has been

recognized with a number of national and international supreme awards and

with wall hangings and paintings hung in Corporate, Council and private

buildings

Creating the art work for this large tapestry has been a new and stimulating

innovation for me and extends my art career in a fresh and challenging

direction. Watching and participating, along with many others, in the growth

of this important project is both exciting and rewarding and I give a great

"Thank You" to all of those who support the tapestry in any way.

Jackie Addenbrooke

15th February 2013