Leonie Bessant: Tales from the loom: making Arthur Boyd's New Parliament House Tapestry

In 1988 Melbourne's Australian Tapestry Workshop (ATW) completed Arthur Boyd's tapestry for the New Parliament House in Canberra. Leonie Bessant, the weaver in charge of the tapestry, will talk about working with Arthur and the technical and artistic challenges of the massive and exciting project. The ATW is the only workshop of its kind in Australia and one of a handful in the world dedicated to the creation of hand-woven tapestries.  Leonie will also present a selection of other projects and tapestries from the 500 plus works made by the ATW since 1976, which hang in significant public and private collections both nationally and internationally.

About the speaker
Leonie Bessant has been weaving since her childhood, started at the Australian Tapestry Workshop (ATW) in 1980. In addition to weaving she has designed many ATW tapestries, most notably the suite of six large works for Melbourne Airport. Between working at the ATW on selected projects Leonie has done lots of other things including; a Masters at the Royal College of Art in London, headed the textile department at Edith Cowan University, exhibited internationally, and had an organic veggie farm and business as a founding member of Victoria's farmer market movement. Currently she splits her time between weaving and being a psychologist.

Ticket includes one beverage on arrival.

Limited parking available on-site.

Wheelchair accessible.

Banner image: An in progress photograph of Great Hall Tapestry, 1988, Arthur Boyd AC OBE, woven by Leonie Bessant, Sue Carstairs, Irene Creedon, Robyn Daw, Joanne Feder, Owen Hammond, Kate Hutchinson, Pamela Joyce, Peta Meredith, Robyn Mountcastle, Jennifer Sharpe, Joy Smith, Iain Young, wool and cotton, 9.18 x 19.9m. Photo courtesy of the Australian Tapestry Workshop.