Georgina May Young describes her practice through relationships to whenua, whānau and thread – interconnected sources of creative motivation. Her making draws on her whakapapa to generations of fibre makers, their woven legacies inspiring her intricate textiles depicting the natural surroundings of home in Ōtepoti and ancestral kāinga of Ōpōtiki.

This new series of works continues Young’s expression of adoration of the whenua, māra and ngāhere through layered embroideries.

Young chooses to work slowly as she creates, each step a labour intensive and meditative process requiring extended time to complete. Linen cloth is handwoven on a table loom then dyed using plant matter or uku. Thread is then stitched as dense collaged images compiled from photographs and memories of the land.

Also a fervent gardener, Young’s illustrations of place reflect the potential of soil and plants for healing, communication and community. Observing how seedlings grow and respond to other life close by deeply resonates with Young’s work. The garden offering a chance to slow and contemplate the potent potential and ancient knowledge held in the earth.

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Georgina May Young (Te Ūpokorehe, Whakatōhea, Pākehā) was born in Ōpōtiki and now lives in Ōtepoti. Her textile practice began through learning raranga before focusing over the past ten years on embroidery and weaving on a loom, informed by the process of time and a conscious use of natural materials.

Recent exhibitions  include Tender Webs at Wormhole Gallery, 2023; He Reka te Kūmara at Dunedin Public Art Gallery, 2021; Labour of Body at Corban Estate Gallery, 2019; Vanished Delft - Handmade Material Culture at the Pah Homestead, 2017.