“For thousands of years, baskets have been woven from materials at hand, reflecting the character of the place in which they are made,” Nicole explains. “My baskets, too, have been constructed from locally-sourced materials in plentiful supply, and comment on our attitudes towards disposal and reuse.”

With many suburban areas littered with piles of unwanted or outdated materials destined for landfill, Nicole seeks out what is still functional and serviceable to create her ‘inglorious’ baskets.

“I have sourced my raw materials from local streets and beaches. By giving new life to resources which would otherwise be lost, I hope to highlight both the loss of natural environment and the increasing materialism of our throwaway culture.”

By repurposing materials classified as rubbish into new objects, Nicole extends the increasingly temporary relationship we have with consumer goods.

Obsolete products piled on urban nature strips – wire, cords, plastic bags, hoses, old tents, shade cloth, orange bags, even an old shower hose – are artfully stitched together with other unwanted materials – shoelaces, whipper-snipper cord, fishing line and deconstructed rope. Nicole has also incorporated found objects, such as lids, electronics, old pots, wire and wood offcuts in her basket constructions.

http://www.timelesstextiles.com.au/page19827/exhibition.aspx