Jenny Bielawski describes herself as a part-time artist with her large country garden, lifestyle block and lots of grandchildren occupying the rest of her time.

 

Jenny moved to Hāwera when she was 5 years old and spent her childhood there. She works in many media – printmaking, etching, painting, watercolours and acrylics. Recently she has been using fabric or fibres in her work knitted together to form sculptural objects.

 

Jenny’s work is influenced by artists Louise Bourgeois and Tracey Emin who have both used the traditional skills of knitting, sewing or tapestry to produce amazing art works. Jenny’s mother taught her to knit and sew as a child and these skills served her well over the years in a practical way, making clothes for her family.

 

The expertise gained over this time now enables her to take knitting needles and wool or needle and thread to make her own art works which she describes as a challenge, but stimulating and exciting.