Rug, Wall Hanging, S, Wool, Aboriginal, Chainstitch, Australia, Fair Trade, Damien & Yilpi Marks, Living Room, shops Art, Home

These beautiful woollen embroideries work equally well as floor rugs and wall hangings.
Chain-stitched kilims are a traditional rug making technique from Kashmir. As people sat on the floor they were both homewares and decoration.
The designs are by Australian Aboriginal artists, they are then chain-stitched in wool onto a canvas backing each cushion cover is an interpretation of an original artwork, usually a painting.
Front of each rug is wool embroidered onto a cotton canvas and back is cotton canvas with a non-slip surface.
Each rug has a flap on one of the shorter sides for hanging portrait style, simply slide a piece of dowel or curtain rod in and hang. As the artworks are painting on the shops ground most of the images do not have a set orientation so can also be hung landscape if preferred.
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These are surprisingly hard-wearing and I use them as both rugs and as beautifully textured affordable works of art.
Limited Edition: Each rug is individually numbered and shipped with an individual document of Authenticity that gives provenance. No more than 100 rugs will ever be made in this design and size.
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Artists: Damien & Yilpi Marks
Title: Country Dry Season story
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SIZE:
Rectangular: 61 cm (24 inches) x 91.5 cm (36 inches)
Composition: wool (front) and cotton (back)
Color: the color is accurate but more nuanced in real life
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CARE INSTRUCTIONS:
Do not put place/use in direct sunlight or colors may fade. To clean - careful hand-wash in warm water using a wool detergent. Can be ironed on a wool setting.
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Artists:
Damien Marks was born in Haasts Bluff in the Northern Territory in 1967. He later moved to Papunya with his family where he was taught painting by the well-known Clifford Possum, Billy stockman and Uta Uta Jangala who taught him dreamtime stories at an early age. Damien is now a respected Ngurratjuta artist and is married to highly talented artist Yilpi Marks.
Yilpi Marks was born in Ernabella in 1969. She was taught dreamtime stories by her grandparents and her parents. Her mother's name is Tjulkiwa Atira-Atira and her father's, Michael Atira-Atira (deceased). Both parents being very talented artists have their artworks held by the State Gallery of South Australia and the NGA.
Yilpi married Damian Marks and they lived in Damien's country near Papunya before moving to South Australia. Together they often paint the ceremonies conducted by their people. Their paintings detail the ceremonial body paint designs, the ceremonial tools and other bodily adornments. They paint in a method typical of the Western Desert painters using dots to construct intimate knowledge the landscape, painted from an aerial view.
They now reside in Alice Springs and paint together regularly. They are passionate about preserving their culture through their artworks.
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Design Story: Dry Season
This is a teaching painting, describing a dry season in Damien’s homeland, Mount Liebig, in the Northern Territory. It illustrates aspects of landscape and culture that was told to Damien by his great-grandparents. Women sit with children collecting bush potatoes (the red shapes at the top of the painting) and are preparing for inma (ceremony). One man, wati, sits down with his waru (spear). Controlled burnings are taking place as the spinifex is dry, and this means good fruits can grow. The small star-like symbols represent women’s body paint that the women paint on each other for inma. A dry creekbed runs through the painting (in red and white), and there are cracks in the claypans, dried rockholes (tjukula), and sandhills (tali).
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About the BWA chainstitch kilim products
These beautiful, unique textiles are a cross-cultural collaboration combining Aboriginal designs and traditional Kashmiri rug-making techniques. Chain stitched, using hand dyed wool, each is a completely handmade piece. A more empowering way to work, this brings many direct benefits to the artists' and their community. Control and ownership of intellectual property are also maintained. Purchase of these products guarantees a direct return to the Aboriginal artist and their community.
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About my connection wtih Better World Arts
I met founder of BWA in 2004 whilst doing a consultancy in the APY Lands preparing marketing plans for five art centres for Ananguku Arts. I was gobsmacked by this terrific fair trade project that Kaltjiti Arts was then doing with Caroline Wilson. As a textile nut, the artisan skills and use of wool appealed to me and the rendering of Indigenous designs in rugs and cushion covers is so lovely. I later encouraged them to work with other art centres and introduced them to Warlukurlangu Artists and Injalak Arts. Flick (founder of Flying Fox Fabrics)
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BWA
Better World Arts has been operating for over two decades. Our role models were Oxfam, Fred Hollows (the Fred Hollows Foundation) and Anita Roddick (The Body Shop).
We work with traditional artisans from remote regions in Kashmir, Peru, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Nepal (Tibetan refugees). More recently we have started working with China, making bone china and silk ties.
We work with Australian Aboriginal artists from remote communities across Australia, from Arnhem Land to Central and the Western Desert regions, from rural locations and from cities.