Where I get my inspiration from…

There’s something about Australian beaches and bushland that has always felt grounding to me. The soft colours of the sand, washed driftwood, sea grasses moving in the wind, eucalyptus leaves after rain, dry earths, bush plums, ochre and red deserts, seashells and ocean tones — all of it finds its way into my weaving in one way or another.

 Weaving has become more than just creating art for me. It’s become a place of reflection, healing, storytelling and connecting to my culture. I take absolute pride in all my work and each piece created comes from the depths of my heart.

Fibres that I use are 100% raffia, handpicked lomandra and Australian pandanus. Learning the traditional hand coiling techniques, allows each piece to form naturally over time. 

I’m deeply inspired by the textures and colours found across Australian landscapes — from dusty bush tracks and warm clay earth to soft coastal mornings and windswept beaches. I love working with earthy tones, muted greens, ocean blues, sandy neutrals and natural fibres because they carry a softness and calmness that I want people to feel when they bring my work into their homes or wear my pieces.

Many of my woven pieces are inspired by moments in nature — the colours of sunset over water, the feeling of sitting quietly near the ocean, bushland after rain, or collecting little natural treasures along the shoreline. Sometimes it’s the smallest things that inspire me most: a gum nut, a shell, the twisting shapes of branches, different trees and weathered textures or changing skies.

Through Weaving Our Stories, I want to create more than handmade pieces. I want to create connection. I want people to feel the time, care and story woven into every piece, knowing it was made slowly by hand, not rushed through a machine. In a world that moves so fast, weaving reminds me to slow down, breathe, create gently and honour the beauty found in natural materials and simple moments.

Every woven piece carries part of that journey — inspired by Australian beaches, bushland, story, texture and the quiet beauty of creating with your hands.

With love,

Jacinta Vale