Vivienne Mountford - weaver

In the 1970s, Vivienne Mountford, tapestry weaver, was making a name for her works about nature and culture. 

The '70s were a decade when artists were interested in the crossovers between art and craft, and Vivienne's work was part of that movement. In her work the artist explored cultures, history, nature and race, for decades, sometimes alone and sometimes in partnership. Her work is held in the Christchurch Art Gallery and The Macmillan Brown Library. 

A new addition to the art collection has arrived this week. Vivienne Mountford's "Coral Track, Arthur's Pass. No 5" is a circular tapestry piece mounted on canvas. The work was created in April 1975 with materials sourced from "Mrs Audrey King: Skilled Spinner and Experienced Plant Dyer" who is credited on the back of the canvas with a business card. The colours are strong, despite the piece being nearly fifty years old, and the picture is of the landscape of this iconic walk.