Nature is a boundless source of inspiration. Being close to nature reminds you to pay attention and be in the here and now. It is a powerful impetus for creativity and can foster and preserve a sense of wonder. The colours, textures and shapes found in the environment can inspire not only art but also science.

Nature has always provided artist Anne Cochrane with great ideas for new projects. Living and working in Albany, a biodiverse region, provides amazing examples to work with. Anne’s passion is creating 3-dimensional sculptures of fruits and seeds from wool fibres as well as using leaves, barks and flowers to print on fabric and paper. Both artistic pursuits provide materials that can then be used to make ornaments, wall hangings, small furnishings and wearable garments.

When Nature Inspires is on display and sale from Thursday 14 to Saturday 30 November 2024, gallery open 9am to 5pm daily.

Anne Cochrane
Fibre artist

Throughout my working life I have always been passionate about textiles and natural fibres, but it wasn’t until I retired from my job as a seed ecologist in 2018 that I was able to devote my time to being a fibre artist. I currently specialise in making felt from wool fibre. I tend to work in 3D and my subject matter is usually related to nature. I also work with botanical printing on fabric and paper and these materials are sometimes incorporated into my sculptured felt pieces.

As a rule, I want to make my creations look like they could have lived or grown somewhere but sometimes find this challenging as nature can be exceptionally intricate. I love working with the earthy, muted colours found in the environment. Ultimately, my goal is to inspire those who see my work to look more carefully at the world around them and to discover beauty in unusual objects such as fruits, seeds, barks and leaves. Objects that pay tribute to the natural world remind us to slow down and help us reconnect with the environment, as well as providing encouragement to consider conserving that which is seen.