Rachel Hine’s solo exhibition Weaving Nature is an intersection of real and imagined flora, juxtaposed with intricate portraits. This body of work was initially inspired by the tiny and delicate plant life found in Moggs Creek, on the Great Ocean Road. Rachel presents the subject matter in her own unique style that is also informed by the history and practice of tapestry weaving.

The exhibition features expressive and quirky figures - girls peeking out from behind blooms or wearing floral jumpers and stylised representations of foliage. Rachel’s sense of humour and whimsy is refreshing, the works are playful and intend to make you smile.

Scale is another significant element of Weaving Nature, Rachel delivers elaborate palm sized tapestries, demonstrating incredible technique; moving up through expressive medium sized works to the key piece in the exhibition, Moggs Creek Sundews. This impressive hand woven tapestry features the tiny carnivorous Sundew plants, whilst many other elements make up the composition, supported by an incredible gradient. Rachel references her earlier work through the colour wheel; acknowledging the process of making itself - each artwork she creates informs the next.

We have hung the exhibition to balance the figurative and floral works while accentuating the differences in size, the tiny tapestries appear like little gems on the vast white wall.

"When beginning this body of work, I was interested in depicting the delicate beauty of the tiny plant life growing in the natural setting of Moggs Creek.

Sundews are tiny carnivorous plants that seem to be like three plants in one. Inspired by this, I embarked on enlarging and stylising their forms, while also capturing the unique interplay of light that reflects from the bushland floor. This led to the creation of the large scale tapestry, Moggs Creek Sundews.

Building upon this piece, I intuitively explored other plant structures, drawing attention to the contrasting qualities of indigenous and European plant life, as well as incorporating imagined flora. In doing this, in my own way, I’m following the traditions of historical tapestry weaving and the artistry of botanical representation.

Simultaneously, I have been investigating the nature of weaving itself and the inherent qualities of the materials I work with. As I examine plants and their structures, I also explore the artistic potential of the weaving process, the mechanical and organic mark making that is unique to tapestry weaving. By spinning and dying my own yarn, I can explore the idiosyncratic qualities of my materials as well.

Weaving Nature embodies the fusion of two distinct meanings of 'nature' – one as a timeless habit, exploring the repetitive gestures and rhythms embedded within the art of tapestry weaving; and the other as a means to capture and celebrate the intricate beauty of the natural world around us." 

Rachel Hine is a Geelong based artist known for weaving intricate tapestries. Expressive portraits layered with textile references allow her to connect historical concepts with contemporary imagery.

“There are so many things I love about tapestry weaving. When you begin, there is nothing but an idea and maybe a drawing, and as you create a warp, and then add the weft, you build the image as well as feel it being made. Tapestry has qualities that can make it completely itself, but can also mimic other mediums like drawing and paint. Its sculptural possibilities are also exciting for me.”

Rachel Hine holds a BA Masters of Fine Arts from Monash University. She has been exhibiting regularly in group and solo exhibitions since the late 1990s