Aukje Boonstra
Packing my bag

Living on the NW Coast of Tasmania, I often find myself packing my bags. Not having all the things over here I want in my life or need to feed my soul with, I travel to Hobart and other places regularly.

This is to teach or being taught, or go to exhibitions, art gatherings, textile forums and last but not least seeing my friends.

Loading and unloading my car seems to be a regular event in my life.

Also I am a migrant. Another reason to pack my bags sometimes and travel to visit my family overseas.

So these are some of my issues, I experience, being a Tasmanian woman.

The bag is made of blanket material, which symbolises comfort.

It has been dyed with copper sulphate and rusted ,which has given it the colours of the beach and the sea, where I live very close by. On the bag a strip of natural dyed silk in the colour of the bush. The inside of the bag is also lined with natural dyed silk.

These are the colours of my environment , which can be carried with me when I am away, as that is also a large part of my soul.