The fabric of my family

Inspired by The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland, a tale of women whose families unravelled and their attempts to heal while living and working on a native flower farm. In turn, I reflected on my own family life, what we have experienced and survived while the fabric of my family remains strong and firmly woven but by no means flawless.
From fabric donated by family members, I’ve created native flowers whose meaning is pertinent to me. Wattle – Unity, created from cleaning cloths from my late son’s cleaning business. Waratah – Strength, courage, healing and support. Bottle brush – Abundance, laughter and joy. Flannel flower – Resilience and adaptation. Boronia – Calming and clarity of mind. Banksia – Rebirth. Sturt Desert Pea – Pain, grief, bloodshed, named the flower of blood by Indigenous Australians, sometimes a reference to European settlement. Heather – Good luck and protection.