Artists explore creativity at Waroona Visitors Centre

Each weekend the Waroona Visitor Centre hosts some of the community’s most talented artists, with three creators this weekend working on a range of projects showing off their unique crafts.

Polly Bonner worked on her crochet, weaving together creations as Sandi Hepton painted a portrait using a denim jacket as her canvas, and Kathleen Cole transformed raw wool into thread she would later turn into clothing.

Crocheting bags and hats to sell in the tourist centre, and cuddly creatures which she donates to sick children, Mrs Bonner tangles yarn into whatever she can imagine.

Whilst talented in a range of mediums, from stitching, to painting and even preforming arts, crochet has been a favourite pastime of Mrs Bonner for five decades.

She said she has to always be doing something with her hands. It’s now a skill so ingrained, she no longer has to look as she crafts.

Joining Mrs Bonner in the centre was Mrs Cole, who said she enjoys following the journey of her crafts from their raw materials to the finished project.

Starting with raw merino wool fibres she spins her own thread onto a spindle, later knitting it into jumpers, blankets and beanies.

“I like the idea of beginning to end,” she said.

“You get this really dirty fleece and by the end you have something nice.”

A truly mixed media artist Mrs Hepton works alongside the women and often finds creative ways to utilise what some would throw out.

“I like to re-purpose,” she said.

One of Mrs Hepton’s most impressive crafts is the transformation of two old fans into two vibrant turtles that made up an underwater scene.

She said when her husband approached her with a broken fan she told him not to throw it as she would find a use for them.

From scrapbooking, to painting, to turtle crafting, there is little Mrs Hepton can’t do — besides throw things away.