Material Matters: Year 9 Weaves Their Magic

Our Year 9 Textiles students were treated to a very special visit from local Indigenous artist Nikki Browne, who spent the day sharing her knowledge, craft, and culture with the class. Now living locally, Nikki brought with her a rich history of Country, weaving together the personal and the traditional to give students a meaningful introduction to textile art through an Aboriginal lens.

Nikki introduced students to both traditional and contemporary Indigenous textile practices, exploring how colour, pattern, and symbolism can be powerful tools for communicating stories, identity, and connection to place. Students gained an understanding of the cultural significance behind these artistic traditions, and the importance of approaching Indigenous design with care and respect.

Nikki also shared her knowledge of plant materials used in Indigenous textile practice — discussing which plants lend themselves to natural dyeing and fibre work, and pointing students toward what they might already find growing in school or home gardens. It was a wonderful reminder that the natural world around us holds both creative and cultural possibility.

Students then rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on design activity, creating textile samples inspired by themes of nature, community, and personal story. Using an iron-on transfer technique, they experimented with Indigenous-inspired design in a way that is both accessible and deeply expressive — and a skill they can carry straight into their upcoming Design CAT.

A heartfelt thank you to Nikki Browne for so generously sharing her time, her art, and her culture with our students. Visits like this remind us of the extraordinary richness of the community we live in — and the importance of learning from it.