Hello, I'm Jane Suffield.

I was born in Kenya​,​ East Africa​,​ and emigrated to Australia in 1965. As a small child​,​ my family often drove to the Nairobi National Park​,​ where we could see birds and animals in their wild habitat. If we were lucky​,​ we could spot lions​,​ elephants​,​ and giraffes all going about their business. Fast forward to now​,​ and I realise the profound effect those early years had on my outlook on life. I see the birds​,​ the insects​,​ and notice the ephemera of life where others don't. My mother encouraged my creativity from an early age​,​ and I was never without a crayon or pencil in my hand. I loved drawing and tried all the different painting mediums​,​ but was never happy with the result. As an avid gardener​,​ the world of natural dyes opened my eyes to the possibilities of colour from plants and minerals. Quite by chance​,​ I attended a workshop in indigo dyeing given by Yoshiko I. Wada​,​ and I have been hooked ever since. I had found my tribe! My art uses both the ancient techniques of Shibori​,​ the Japanese craft of tying​,​ clamping and binding cloth to obtain patterns and indigo dyeing to impart colour on cloth​,​ to create contemporary designs. I believe it is vital to keep traditions alive by bringing them into the modern world because they teach us so much about culture​,​ aesthetics and the humanness of making with our minds and hands. I believe in the ethos of ‘Slow’​,​ especially regarding the making of my work. Both indigo and shibori need slowness​,​ dedication​,​ attention to detail and commitment to flower and produce distinctive pieces. Sustainability​,​ care for my environment and love of place are my guiding forces. Nothing is discarded​,​ no poisons enter the earth​,​ and my indigo vat is similar to a much-loved child with all the frustrations​,​ joy and instruction that this implies. Blue is the colour of the sky and the ocean​,​ and Jane is inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds her where she lives on the Mornington Peninsula.