WOODLEIGH – Saddle Blanket Series from a CURIOUS Cabinet

I began weaving saddle blankets thinking of Will and the sort of items that would have been a constant presence in his life. Saddle blankets came to mind as something that was generally overlooked but mostly present, particularly when he was travelling. The principle object of a saddle blanket was to protect, to separate the saddle from a horse to reduce rubbing, prevent sores, and protect the saddle from sweat.  It was also used as a blanket by the rider, to protect against chills and so on, when in a camp situation. For me, the saddle blankets came to represent a physical manifestation of slippage – the space between. I based the sizes of the saddles blankets I was making on commercially produced saddle blankets and combined natural fibres with organic material collected on my research trips. As I began to weave, I found the process gave me time to gather my thoughts and reflect on the connections that were developing.

Woodleigh was and is a cattle station west of Cairns which was visited by Will enroute to the Mt Garnet races.  This blanket features cotton and woollen thread, horse hair and timber.