In 2016, local artist and environmental advocate Bernadette Davis co-founded Ekipa Tasi Mos Atauro in Timor Leste, a community-driven initiative tackling beach clean-ups and plastic waste and marine debris management. Bernadette worked for over 25 years as the Eurobodalla Shire Council’s Environmental Education Officer. In this role, Bernadette worked to help the community understand the threats to our environment and help provide practical, inclusive solutions for sustainable living.
Combining her passion for the ocean and creative textiles, she now turns marine debris into handwoven baskets and lampshades under Castway Textiles, using them to raise awareness of the challenges facing our oceans.
We caught up with Bernadette whilst she was on her latest trip to Timor Leste.
Thanks for making time to chat with us whilst you’re overseas Bernadette. When did you first start crafting?
I learnt to crochet when I was 9 and have made things with textiles ever since.
Can you share some of your earliest memories of creating art, and how those experiences shaped your artistic journey?
I didn’t consider what I made as art, more older crafts. I liked making practical things to use.
In transforming discarded items into art, you’re giving them new life and purpose. What does that process of transformation mean to you personally, and what do you hope it means for people that view and purchase your pieces?
There are so many resources that are traditionally thought of as waste. I love being able to transform waste into usable items. People buy my work because they understand the issues around the threats to our oceans and want to be a part of the solution. By having a piece of my work in their homes helps stimulate conversation around protecting our marine environment.
You note that the materials you use are 'lost' or 'discarded' at sea- do you feel your work is reclaiming or redefining what is valuable and beautiful in our world?
My work simply aims to highlight the threats to our oceans and use good resources that would normally be considered waste.
Can you describe a particular item or material you found that had a strong impact on you? How did it inspire the piece you created from it?
It is hard to pin point down to one. Each rope I use has a story of its first life (use).
How does the process of gathering and selecting materials influence the final form your pieces take? Do the materials 'speak' to you in terms of what they want to become? Or does your general aesthetic dictate what to look for?
The ropes definitely dictate what each piece will ultimately become. The more I work with ropes, the better I understand what they will do. My designs are dictated by the different kinds of rope, so they can change all the time.
You blend function and form, creating both art and practical items like lighting. How do you balance artistry with usability in your designs?
I’m a practical person so I like to make functional items. Playing with the various colours and designs is an ever learning process for me.
If your creations could speak, what messages would they want to convey about the state of our oceans and the need for sustainable practices?
Each rope definitely has a story, I’m sure. What their use was, where they have been but ultimately it is us as humans that need to convey messages about the state of our oceans.
Do you see your art as a form of activism? If so, how would you describe the role of creativity in environmental advocacy?
Art has always been used as a form of information sharing and activism. Art in all its forms is very important in the environmental field.
Interesting, why do you think that is? What is it about art and textiles that might make it easier for people to digest a greater message?
That’s a tricky question! For me and my work, people seem fascinated that a waste/pollution/marine debris item like rope can be transformed into something usable and aesthetically pleasing. It makes people think about the marine environment and the need to protect it. It can create a ripple effect of information.
Do you ever integrate items you've retrieved from Timor Leste in your work back home?
Yes, I do sometimes bring plastic items home to incorporate into a work, but I don’t bring rope, I use that rope while on Atauro Island to make items for Ekipa Tasi Mos. These upcycled items can be used by local community.
What is something that might surprise people about your work?
People are often surprised by how long the process takes to make something. Collection, recording the data onto the Australian marine debris initiatives database, cleaning then finally making.
Do you have any future projects you're excited for?
Absolutely yes! Some very exciting things in the next year.
Where can our readers see/purchase your work?
Head to instagram @castawaytextiles if you are interested in my work.
