A Focus on Art - Riding the Wave of Success

By Judy Woods (Art Coordinator) 

What do waves and sheep fleece have in common?.....More than you might first think. Kailyn V (Year 10) has cleverly depicted the iconic Australian wave using hand-dyed Australian Merino wool creating a celebration of the essence of Australia and its creator. 

Kailyn explains, “For me, waves have been an inspiration on many platforms. I’ve grown-up surfing. Ever since I took my first steps my parents had me in the water. Through this I have learnt to love but respect the ocean. Another reason is because I’ve been able to appreciate God’s creation, with how powerful and dangerous something can be. It’s also so beautiful and joyful. Through this experience, I’ve been able to really love the creations God has created and find joy in them”. 

To create her sculpture, Kailyn explored the technique of ‘wet felting’. It is a technique which requires the layering of multiple wool fibres, changing the PH balance of the wool using detergent to open up the fibres and then applying friction to make the fibres mat together.

“There are many things to love about working with sheep fleece”, explains Kailyn. ‘I love the beautiful soft texture in my hands when I am working and also, I love the colours of the dyed fleece. Felting is easy, and the things you can create with it are unlimited”. 

Often the richest part of learning is navigating the challenges we face along the path to achieving our desired outcome. Kailyn explains, “This project was so fun to do, but it came with its challenges. Time management was one that I struggled with, since what I was making was so big, it took up a lot of work and time”.  Another challenge was actually getting the wool into a wave form. Using chicken wire and coat hangers, I was able to create a form that somewhat looked like a wave, but since it was heavy on top, it wasn’t able to hold itself up. So, to overcome this, I had to be flexible and adjust it to be a crashing wave”.

With Kailyn’s attention to detail using silk threads and beaded embellishments she carefully guides the viewers’ attention to meander over and inside the wave. Congratulations, Kailyn on your sense of adventure, trying something new and celebrating the things about which you are passionate.