Art Lab: Yarning & Stitching
Designing a one-of-a-kind tea towel
Free, booking essential.
Duration: 4hrs
Ages: 13 to 25
Art Labs are artist-led workshops connecting young audiences nationally with artists, artmaking and the national collection.
Begin Reconciliation Week with a special Art Lab led by Wadawurrung artist, Kait James.
Learn about the possum skin cloak designs featured in the exhibition A Century of Quilts by leading First Nations artists whose work has revitalised this historically important cultural and artistic tradition.
Design a one-of-a-kind tea towel, inspired by personal stories and experiences. Learn how to translate your design onto tea towel fabric using Kantha running stitch and embroidery techniques.
What to bring:
- Water bottle and afternoon snack.
- All other materials provided.
- No prior experience required.
Kait James is a Wadawurrung artist whose work explores her own identity as an Australian with both Anglo and Indigenous heritage. Using embroidery techniques, she blends colonial narratives with Indigenous motifs on kitschy materials like souvenir tea towels. Through humour and vibrant colours, Kait addresses white western culture dominance on Australia’s history, while reflecting on her Indigenous heritage.
A Century of Quilts is part of the National Gallery’s Know My Name initiative. The exhibition is on display at the National Gallery, 16 Mar–25 Aug 2024.
For more information about National Gallery Youth Programs visit our dedicated Youth Programs page.