Her research on family histories often takes Linda Swinfield to cemeteries.
And it was during those trips she began to collect the remnants of silk flowers, once placed beside a grave but long since weathered and partly disintegrated.
Now the little pieces of material will be returned to their source when Ms Swinfield’s exhibition is part of Rookwood Cemetery’s Hidden sculpture walk.
Ms Swinfield, a print maker from Medlow Bath, has used the flowers, or bits therof, to create prints which she will place on to objects, like chairs and tables, in the landscape.
“I don’t take them off graves but on the ground or out of the drains,” she said. Collecting them has become part of a meditative walking process and an extension of her art making.
Ms Swinfield has exhibited at Rookwood before, in 2015. She has also been an artist in residence at Thirning Villa, Ashfield, Nullumbik Council and, in 2017 at Hazelhurst Regional Art Gallery.
She is only a recent Mountains resident and was eternally grateful to Toolo at Katoomba for providing some work space before she had her studio set up.
The 10th HIDDEN-Rookwood Cemetery Sculpture Walk will show the work of 40 artists from Australia and New Zealand. It runs from September 1 to October 1.