Merrepen on Black Cotton Drill – SAMPLE

Print: Merrepen
Gracie Kumbi
Merrepen Arts

Fabric Width: 145cm
Fabric Weight: 195gsm
Hand printed in our studio in Leichhardt as a 2 colour print on 100% cotton drill.

Suitable for: Clothing, curtains, lampshades, tablecloths, craft, soft furnishings, light upholstery

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Gracie is a painter, printmaker and fabric designer. Some of her graphic style fabric designs feature the marrepen palm leaves. Her designs are included in the collection of the Powerhouse Museum and North Territory Government collection. Fabric designs from Gracie will be included in the 2020 group exhibition at the Fowler Museum in Los Angeles. Gracie had a painting commissioned for the Darwin airport and has a glass panel made with her design on it.

Merrepen (Livistonia Palm) is a small fan-leaved palm that grows in the bush all around Ngan’gi country and the Top End. It is a very important plant for Ngan’gi people and has many uses. Merrepen is extensively used to make fibre, which is twinned into string. The new leaves are pulled out of the stem apex of the plant before they unfold. These are then split into fine threads which are sun dried. The fibres may be dyed and then twisted into string. This string is used to make woven dilly-bags dilly-bags, fishing nets and other fibre-craft products.