Picture This

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following article contains names and descriptions of people who have died.

The latest collection from Project Run & Play is Project Art Studio. This is a collection of 13 gorgeous patterns, and it includes the Sundowner and Four Seasons Joggers. When PR&P asked if would like to join the blog tour of course I jumped at the chance!

Being terminally time poor, I was only able to sew one garment so I chose the Sundowner.

Wicked Fabrics kindly sponsored the fabric and scrolling through the wide range of colours available, I was reminded of the beautiful colours in Albert Namatjira’s paintings.

Born in 1902, Albert Namatjira was an Arrernte man from near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia. He was the first prominent Aboriginal artist to work in a contemporary western style. Many artists of European descent painted Australian landscapes before Namatjira, but as an Indigenous artist, his works are filled with knowledge and intensity that can only come from an intimate relationship with country.

Albert Namatjira earned respect as an artist at a time when Aboriginal people were not even considered Australian citizens! As his fame increased, so too did the call from the public that he should be granted full citizenship. Finally, in 1957, Namatjira and his wife Ilkalita became the first Aboriginal Australian citizens. How appalling is it that this was less than 70 years ago?

I haven’t attempted to recreate one of his paintings – how could anyone do that? But I was inspired but the way he used colour to depict the stunning Australian landscape. The purples and reds and rust colours created beautiful mountains.

I added Eucalyptus leaves to the hood to take it away from being strictly a landscape image.

The curved side seam of the Sundowner worked perfectly with an appliqué of a Eucalyptus trunk.

Jack loves his new sweatshirt and even felt inspired to draw his own landscape whilst wearing it!

The Sundowner goes from prem./small Newborn up to Age 12, but even with its relaxed fit, I reckon I only have a year or two left before Jack sizes out of this pattern…

Make sure to check out the whole Project Art Studio tour!