My creative practice explores the wonder within nature and the unguarded, transcendent moments I have with the natural world. Handle with Care includes highly detailed fabrications that depict an imaginary construct called ‘Island of Woo’. These small-scale constructions are a direct response to the abundance of life I bear to witness every day during my regular visits to explore the beach and bush reserves near my home. 

My larger works, created on recycled woollen blankets, continue to explore our interconnectedness and interdependency with all life forms. These include collages and freeform embroideries, fabric manipulation and appliqué that draw the lines, patterns, and wave-like layers that I saw in dreams and visions which reveal what interconnections might look like. 

About Lea-Anne Sheather:

Kia Ora, my name is Lea-Anne Sheather and I'm a multi-media artist based in Whakatane, Aotearoa New Zealand. I have simultaneously managed an art and teaching career and raised a gorgeous family. In 2014, I graduated with a Master of Fine Arts (1st class honours) from Whitecliffe College of Art and Design in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

I have worked across multiple disciplines, drawing, painting, collage and textiles. However, my current focus is textile work. I endeavour to have a practice that doesn’t create waste, in fact it goes some ways to eliminating it. The materials I choose are usually salvaged, saved or remade cloth that carries its own connotations in my textile works. 

The repetitive nature of my textile work; the significant time it takes to make and the sensuousness of the cloth I use, which is so evocative of the body, since cloth has been used to wrap, cover, protect and comfort like a second skin, enables me to work in a very intuitive, meditative manner that brings me great delight. Through my work I not only convey my wonder at the natural world, but, importantly, I am expressing joyous love. 
I have exhibited both in solo and group shows for many years. I was the supreme winner of the 2014 Miles Art Award; I received a highly commended prize at the 2022 Parkin Drawing Award and I received the 2019 Molly Morpeth Canaday Award Highly Commended Award.