July 6th, 2024Magic of alpacas on show at Ballarat

Eganstown artist and hobby farmer Louiseann King reckons there’s something just a little bit magical about alpacas.

The local creative makes no secret of the fact that she’s more than a tad smitten with the alpaca and its prized fibre.

Louiseann converts that passion into artisan product as she makes beautiful hand-woven items, weaving the fibre from the alpacas that reside on her family’s own local hobby farm property using her own loom.

Right now she is busy preparing to bring upwards of 30 of her beautiful hand-woven items to the upcoming Design Exchange Market taking place in Ballart’s Mining Exchange building over this Saturday and Sunday July 6-7.

Louiseann has made the shawls and scarves on her loom and will also be bringing the loom itself along to provide demonstrations of the creative process that she relishes.

“It’s a year’s work or more,” she says of the items she will bring to this weekend’s event.”

Also an artist and sculptor, Louiseann says she loves to bring the colour palette of the local landscape to her creations.

The Design Exchange Market will feature a diverse range of unique, quality handmade works by numerous independent artists and artisans, offering a chance also to chat to the makers about their work.

“We’ve had the alpacas for about five years now,” Louiseann said. “We have about 15. I fell in love with them and their beautiful fleece.

“I’ve come to the shawl in particular because it is so minimal in its shape yet so maximal in terms of potential function.”

The Design Exchange Market takes place in Ballart’s Mining Exchange Building on Lydiard Street this Saturday July 6 from 3pm – 8pm and Sunday July 7 from 10am – 3pm.

Words: Eve Lamb. Images: Supplied