Weaving the wild
Monique Ross is a fibre artist whose work emerges from a profound dialogue with the natural world. A certified Forest Therapy Guide, she draws inspiration from the living spirit of her surroundings, and transforms her felt relationship with place into tactile contemporary art pieces.
Interbeing (pictured above) emerged across dozens of visits to a rainforest on Yugambeh Country. Each ring on each circle was woven in situ, and captures encounters with different trees, birds, plants, insects and seasons.
Her work invites audiences to consider their own ties to land, sea, and sky. Her art becomes a quiet yet powerful critique of capitalism and consumerism, challenging us to reimagine sustainability not just as an ethic, but as an essential way of being.
Monique believes in the power of weaving to connect people and build community. She runs regular weaving classes in a variety of styles, works with NDIS clients, and facilitates workplace wellbeing workshops. She is also an experienced speaker, and her work has been featured in television segments, print articles, and podcasts.
Monique creates in mindful collaboration with nature. Her work holds stories and memories of place, and symbolises the interconnection and interdependence of all living things.
Exhibitions
In September 2024, Monique was the artist in residence in the Project Space at Vacant Assembly gallery in Brisbane/Meanjin.
She exhibited Save What You Can Carry: a woven exploration of what we (should) value most; hosted an open studio; and facilitated several ticketed weaving workshops.
Post-residency Monique was invited to lease a studio space at Vacant Assembly, and in December 2024 she contributed to the joint Block Show exhibition.
Workshops
Monique is an experienced weaving teacher who regularly hosts small group workshops in and around Brisbane/Meanjin. She has taught 300 people (and counting!) and has hosted both half-day sessions and full-day weaving retreats. She adapts to different skill levels, abilities, and learning styles, ensuring an inclusive and enjoyable experience for all.
Monique has worked with several NDIS clients, and also facilitates weaving workshops for businesses, and in clinical settings.
She believes art fosters belonging, and in sharing her practice she celebrates the threads that bind us—both literal and metaphorical. Her workshops help people cultivate calm, clarity, and connection.
In 2023 she received a small grant from the Mental Health Foundation of Queensland, which acknowledged the meditative qualities of weaving and the many benefits for participants.
Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.
— Chief Seattle
To connect with Monique please email hello@heartwoodnaturebathing.com