Christine Appleby

I am a visual artist based in Canberra, Australia. I am captivated by the inventive process and infinite possibilities within weaving. My practice focuses on ideas of inconsistency, imperfection and irregularity, capturing the ephemeral qualities of the natural world around me. My chosen practice is weaving which demonstrates the rhythms and transience of nature. While there is predictability to the natural environment, my work reveals a randomness, an unsophisticated organisation and a degree of ambiguity.

My style has developed through research of the Saori freestyle weaving movement. This approach encourages unrestrained expression and transformation and is evident in my work. In particular, I focus on aesthetic decisions rather than keeping track of patterns to convey my perceptions. I create unique hand-woven works utilising a combinations of weave structures from tight to dense and investigate the use of non-traditional materials such as wire to add three-dimensionality. 

In 2017, Christine graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (1st Class Honours) from the School of Art & Design, Australian National University (ANU). She received nine Emerging Artist Support Scheme Awards ranging from memberships to solo and group exhibitions during her studies. In her final year at ANU, Christine’s first solo exhibition beauty in imperfection was held at Belconnen Community Centre, Canberra. Upon graduation, she was awarded a second solo exhibition small in fall at Gallery of Small Things, Canberra. In 2019, Christine was selected for a third solo exhibition periderm: perceptions of the tree surface at The Corner Store Gallery, Orange NSW. 

In 2020, she was selected as one of 19 artists for a group exhibition at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, NSW. Last year, Christine was selected as a finalist for the 2021 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize. She was selected as the Viewers Choice award for her work Weathered Cliff.