Artists prepare their minds and their works for the 5th Tamworth Textile Triennial

Every three years, the exhibition gathers textile art from a wide variety of sources each using a wide variety of materials, displaying them in the Tamworth Regional Gallery for a few months before staring a two-year tour of Australia.

Curator for the exhibit Dr Carol McGregor, said the National Tour provides an opportunity for artists to develop their style and get their name out there.

"We look for artists that have integrity in their work and for artists that want to push their work, because it's an opportunity for artists to really extend their practice," she said.

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The triennial is one of a few traditions spawned from the gallery's National Textile Collection, which is celebrating its 50^th anniversary.

Dr McGregor said textile art in Tamworth has a rich history behind it and a bright future ahead of it.

"We have a mentorship and exchange program with artists passing on some knowledge to younger artists, which is very exciting as I think it's the first time it's happened in the triennial," she said.

Artists young and old gathered at the gallery to make connections and draw inspiration from one another, as they embarked on their textile-making journey.

One such artist, Liz Williamson, has works held in major public collections in Australia, including the National Gallery.

"I'm very pleased to be part of the triennial," she said. "It's interesting how involvement in an exhibition will lead to other things."

Many of the artists took up textiles in their early life as a means of keeping traditions alive, be they from Aboriginal cultures or cultures from any other part of the world.

Paula do Prado and Tamara Burlando, for example, are South American artists who moved to Australia and are excited to see their collaborative works displayed among the widely diverse group.

"Collaborating is a very exciting process. There are very many layers for us to get through, so we make a lot of conversation and exchange ideas before we even get started on the work. It's been an interesting process already and finally we're getting into the moment where we're putting our hands on the work," Ms Burlando said.

They said they are grateful to the Tamworth gallery and to Dr McGregor for giving them a big space and allowing them to make larger artworks than usual.

"Having Carol as a curator has helped in terms of giving us the space. Both of us are very much fibre and textiles and working collaboratively, and it's not always that you have a curator that's open to those ways of working, so we've felt very supported by both the gallery and Carol," Ms do Prado said.

Artist and Gomeroi woman Amy Hammond, said she's proud to see the tradition of Gomeroi weaving, one of the oldest weaving practices in the world, continue through her own work.

"Creating art is something that's normal here in Tamworth, and expected in the community. It's absolutely beautiful," she said.

Each of the 27 artists' works will be displayed in the Tamworth Regional Gallery from early September, before beginning their Australia-wide tour.

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