Craft / Home Ground, Julie Ryder. At Tuggeranong Arts Centre until December 12. Reviewed by MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE

Julie Ryder is a well-known textile artist in Canberra. Ryder is a traveller, and she is also a scientist with an extensive knowledge of the qualities of plants.

Home Ground exhibits her love of walking – wherever she is – and her knowledge of the dyes plants give us. She also shows us her thoughtful and inquisitive mind.

The exhibition brings together several different series of works, tracing her walks in Canberra and NSW.

Each of the works titled ‘Tracks’, in dyed cotton and cotton thread are numbered and are partnered with numbered works titled ‘Imprints’. The hundreds of tiny embroidered knots in Tracks become the texture created in the heavy Hahneműhle paper.

These works are seemingly simple and understated. Ryder compares the mediative, slow, repetitive work of hand-embellishing with the slow rhythm of deliberative walking.

Another series of works are several scarves titled Urban Walks. As before they are numbered and map Ryder’s daily walks, most in her local neighbourhood. Patterns are layered on each other creating a dense pattern. They are all handstitched, and hang beautifully on a wall, or would enhance an outfit.

One work represents her overseas travels – Sungai Buloh, a town in Malaysia that translates to bamboo river in Malay. It is a visually impressive work in linen, cotton and silk dyed with botanicals from Rimbun Daham kampung in handstitched appliqué.

The surprising objects in this show are a series of pockets.

Inspired by a talk on ABC Radio National about the lack of pockets in women’s clothing in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, Ryder is showing pockets in which she can keep the precious objects she finds on her walks.

Jigamy Farm Pocket is pieced, plant dyed cotton, linen and silk. A Forager’s pocket guide to Weetangera is pieced and stitched cotton, linen and silk with silk embroidery, outlining her regular walk. Other pockets are plant dyed, cotton, linen and silk, with silk embroidery.

The pockets are practical or can be displayed as a work of art.

Julie Ryder’s work is delicate but strong. Her work is beautifully conceived and precise in its finish. The Gallery is the perfect space for Ryder’s work and the show is outstanding.

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