Maggie Hensel-Brown

About the Works

I use needle lace as a means of illustrating, processing and working through my thoughts. I love the ideas that lace can carry. The sheer amount of time spent methodically stitching creates a deep impression of its maker.

I am fascinated by the way lacemaking skills are shared. Passed from hand to hand across continents and across centuries. A radiating motion of skills and thoughts.

The community project is a physical manifestation of that process. Hundreds of leaves made by hundreds of hands. Each suspended leaf carries an impression of its maker.

About Maggie Hensel-Brown

Maggie Hensel-Brown is an Australian artist, working predominantly in needle lace techniques. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Newcastle in 2014, and in the same year opened The Workroom, a small gallery and workspace as a part of the Renew Newcastle initiative. She worked there for two years as director and curator.

In 2015, Maggie took a class in Reticella at the annual general conference of the Australian Lace Guild. Since then, her practice has been dedicated entirely to lace making. She has travelled and studied needle lace in England, Italy, the United States, the Netherlands and all around Australia.

Maggie’s lace uses techniques from various needle traditions to create contemporary imagery. Inspired by classical pictorial needle lace panels, her work tells stories of the most mundane parts of her life: experiencing the highs and lows of the contemporary world.

Covid Floor, 2020
needle lace made from silk thread
$5,600

For You, 2023
needle lace made from silk thread, glass beads, hand-bound paper
$5,600

Zoom, 2023
needle lace made from silk thread, glass beads
$5,600

Sampler (Historical reimagining), 2017
reticella needle lace made from silk thread, linen
$950

Radiance, 2023-24
needle lace made from silk, cotton, wool, linen, glass beads, video, documents
NFS

A community project with contributions from 411 participants.

Image top: Maggie Hensel-Brown, Covid Floor, 2020. Photo: Courtesy of the Artist