| Barbara
Fowler and The Bothwell SPINin |
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| In 1978 Barbara
Fowler initiated what has become known internationally as 'The
Bothwell SPINin'. Back in 1978 it was a fairly modest
affair and essentially it was a small community event aimed at
raising funds to assist with the restoration of Bothwell's historic
St. Luke's Uniting Church. |
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| Throughout
the SPINin's almost 30 year history, Barbara Fowler
has never been far away from the organisation of the next SPINin.
Indeed, she can usually be found somewhere near the middle of
it all. |
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| As a result
of her work with the SPINin Barbara was awarded
an Order of Australia Medal in 1992, and specifically, for her
contribution to the arts and in particular contemporary craft
practice in the textile arena. |
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| Barbara Fowler,
in concert with her collaborators, can claim to have coined the
term "SPINin" and given it currency.
More that that, together with the band of helpers
that have gathered around her she has been a part of not only
giving meaning to "The SPINin" but also
giving a cultural context to an event that belongs in, and by-and-large
to, Bothwell. It's possible that a community somewhere else in
the world may adopt the term for their event but when they do
it is highly likely that it will be one that has had some association
with Bothwell's SPINin– and after almost
30 years Bothwell has a large community of ownership and interest
spread throughout the world. |
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| Barbara Fowler
has been a constant that has seen this event in a small, and somewhat
isolated, Tasmanian rural community evolve from a relatively obscure
community event to what it is today – clearly a relatively
high profile 'Fibre Festival' with international
standing and credibility. |
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| Barbara Fowler
till now has envisaged The SPIN&in as "a
gathering of people from many countries with similar interests
who come to share ideas, renew old acquaintances and make new
friends in a spirit of good fun and friendship." |
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| In 2005 The
Bothwell SPINin won the National Bank Volunteer Awards
in the Arts & Culture category which endorsed
the special relationships that have developed over the years between
Bothwell people and Tasmania's Handspinners & Weavers Guilds –
not to mention all the people all round the world who have an
affiliation with the event. |
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Posted
January 25 2006
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Barbara
Fowler outside St. Luke's Church in Bothwell
Tasmania – Jan 2006
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Most
of the makings for a good SPINin
training session on a very hot day
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