CrossXpollinatioN co-creator reflects on journey
Published on 15 July 2019
As COPACC gets ready to lower the curtains on its seventh CrossXpollinatioN fibre and textile art exhibition, its founder and former Artistic Director Carole Redlich has reflected on the journey of bringing the exhibition to life.
Carole was one-half of the creative force that helped drive the exhibition from a discussion with COPACC’s former manager Karen Patterson at her kitchen table; to a demonstration of the diversity of creative talent living and working in the region and further afield.
And despite a few nervous moments, a couple of setbacks and tweaks in the formula along the way, their dream of establishing a fibre arts exhibition in Colac begun.
Starting out, Carole and Karen considered many options and decided to use COPACC’s Civic Hall during the winter school holidays. In the early days they tried different ideas including workshops and art prizes, and some ideas took longer than others to gain community traction.
The first art prize had seven entries and the duo requested work from Catherine O’Leary and Dijanne Cevaal, prominent textile artist of the day.
Carole said she remembered standing with Karen and five boxes of work and seven art prize entries in that big space and wondering “what have we done?”.
But they were committed to deliver, and deliver they did. They hung the work with Dijanne’s assistance, and she attributes COPACC technician Nick Moloney’s lighting with providing the wow factor for that event. She said it still does.
Carole said CrossXpollinatioN had given her amazing memories and one of the highlights was working with COPACC staff.
She said as a team, they honoured many textile practitioners and gave them love, encouragement and support.
“We delivered the very best we could, under pressure, under resourced and with limited time,” Carole said.
“I like to think the example of excellence we set has fostered the strong arts community we now have in the area.”
She also paid tribute to the input of Sandra Batten, Jane Bear and the team of community volunteers who were pivotal in the delivery of the event.
Fellow artist and co-curator Andrew Delaney praised Redlich’s artistic contribution in establishing the exhibition, saying Carole was a joy to work with.
He said she had an amazing understanding of what a piece was about, and a true empathy for what artists were saying
“When we hung an exhibition, she would stop, and we’d discuss what we’re hanging and what it meant.
“Whether the artist is a professional or an amateur, she holds all the work in the same regard.”
Carole saw her role as CrossXpollinatioN’s Artistic Director as a privilege and remembers the last seven years as a wonderful, exhilarating, demanding and sometimes stressful journey.
“It provided sleepless nights, left me little head space for my own art, but I am so much richer for this experience and it was totally worth it!! What a ride!” she said.
Carole considers the event in capable hands, and Carole has still been a guiding light for the COPACC team behind the scenes this year.
“Many thanks to COPACC and the Colac Otway Shire for supporting CrossXpollinatioN, even though in the past Colac Otway was considered to be ‘sporty not arty’.
“Now, our community is clearly both sporty AND arty. What a great cultural investment,” Carole said.
CrossXpollinatioN is open from 10am to 4pm daily until this Wednesday July 17. Entry is by gold coin donation. CrossXpollinatioN is proudly sponsored by Tarndie, Star Printing and the Baronga Motor Inn.