Rachel McMillan: In My Hands

Rachel McMillan is a textile artist based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, her practice finds its holding in the steady and methodical act of wrapping of thread. The tactility of her work is crucial to each undertaking: evident in the varied fibrous pairings, the particular figure of the timber and in the meticulously stacked ridges of thread. The artist draws inspiration from nature; her tonal transitions referencing sunlight as it glides across a landscape, subtly changing in colour as the day passes by. Bold choices in fashion also serve as a visual cue for McMillan’s thread combinations. This exhibition features eight series of three works, all created from locally-made American ash staffs. As her practice progresses, the decisions she makes about wood and textiles has evolved through experimentation and diligence. 

In My Hands draws its name from the act of creating in its purest sense. Irrespective of how a work might finished artwork or not, the simple task of producing with her hands fulfills McMillan with the utmost creative gratification.