Rural living
Eileen Parker
190mm x 360mm x 390mm /
3D Works
Living in rural Queensland, a hat is the most used accessory and is a rural reality by itself. A farmer’s hat has its own story to tell. Many are marked with oil or grease, dust, holes etc, showcasing the rawness and beauty of rural living. Each detail of this hat is a tribute to, and representation of, the vast variety of rural realities a farmer faces daily: weather, nature, livestock, fire, produce, crop. The positioning of the details supports equality of women and men who work on the land and are the main providers in our food chain.
Curator’s Comment
Through this work you have presented an interesting combination of materials – particularly through points of visual difference including the golden blanket stitching on the top and the organic matter circling the form. You could leverage this further in future to enhance the visually and texturally nuanced surface, which serves as a metaphor for a similarly lived experience.
About the artist
Eileen Parker discovered hat making as a way to express personality and embrace their individuality by up-styling pre-purchased hats. This recycled and wearable art represents the individual and surrounding environment. Just having discovered the confidence in her creating, Parker is in the early stages of her creative journey.