Cloak Exhibition - Enchanted Forest

For the past 3 years a group of weavers from the Professional Weavers Network of New Zealand have been working towards an exhibition titled 

Cloak - Variations on a theme

Cloak conjures many images; as a garment, a cape, mantle, robe, tunic.

Cloak of secrecy; cover, screen, curtain, shield, conceal, veil

To cloak; hide, mask, conceal, disguise, camouflage

Cloak and dagger; espionage

Cloak as protection; enfold, wrap around, protection for the environment

Cloak as myth; magical, invisibility cloak

Armed with the above concepts to ponder Pete and I set off on a trip to Croatia and Rome in 2013.

I know I took lots and lots of photos of statues of hulking Romans draped in cloaks but they're on another hard drive.  But when I saw the painting of "Our Lady the Protectress" in Dubrovnik Gallery I was smitten and had a basic idea for my cloak piece.  Loved the rich opulance, the over the top clasp and the thought of hidden bold pattern on the inside of the gold exterior.  

And there we have the cloak as protection of the people.

 Along the way there have been many other images which took my eye such as Lady Macbeth's gown and over dress.  Love the strong greens and bronze.  There is a whole book of cloak files on my pinterest site; wish I'd had more time, some of those garments are extraordinary.

And so "Enchanted Forest" emerged.

"Cloak" will be on show at Pataka Gallery, Poirirua, 17 June to 17th July

before travelling.

I won't get to see it until October when it shows at the Wallace Gallery, Morrinsville.