TRACQS Outreach Program weaves new opportunities for gifted artist Ulla

For Ulla, crafting has been a part of her life from her earliest years, as she grew up in Denmark, surrounded by an abundance of embroidery needles and a sea of colourful threads. Her family were very familiar with the art of sewing and knitting – a skill and passion that she picked up in her early teens and twenties.

With her Grandmother’s boxes of ribbon, beads, feathers and embroidery yarn always in reach, her Grandmother began to teach an impressionable Ulla, which lead her to pick craft subjects at school, with the added teachings of her mother at home. With so much knowledge and experience fuelling her at home, Ulla was dressmaking by the ripe age of 14.

Over her lifetime, Ulla has acquired many unique arts and crafts skills, from silk painting in 1988 to her impressionable introduction to weaving in 1991.

Fast forward to 2021, and Ulla has travelled to over 50 different countries and has had the privilege to learn and find creative inspiration from various cultures worldwide.

“My meeting with likeminded fibre craft people all over the world has been such a colourful and exciting experience, and I still keep in contact with many of them,” mentioned Ulla.

Now, Ulla is one of our beloved TRACQS Community Development Program Participants, eagerly expanding and passing on her knowledge as a part of our Outreach Program.

Although not Indigenous, Ulla has found herself heavily inspired and captivated by the techniques and skills used by Indigenous Australians. With her extensive experience and ever-growing hunger to learn, Ulla now spins and sells her own yarn.

 When talking about her work, Ulla tells us she remains mindful of the land, as she’s passionate about preserving her surroundings.

“I use a lot of recycled materials in my creations to eliminate the negative impact our throwaway society has on our environment.”

Our Outreach Program’s beauty is that it allows independent creatives, such as Ulla, the ability to be self-managed while still having access to support. As a part of the activity, Ulla is given the opportunity to own her responsibility, including producing timesheets and schedules and providing us with progress reports.

The benefit of this is that Ulla can build her independence, freedom and skills, with our support and assistance being only a phone call away.

“Curiosity is a great part of my journey and knowing that nothing is impossible keeps me creating. My greatest pleasure is to pass my knowledge on to other people who are willing to learn new thinking, techniques and practice.”

– TRACQS Outreach Program Participant, Ulla.

Ulla has been a star participant of the Outreach Program and has continued to shine through the initiative’s flexibility. We’re looking forward to the possibilities 2021 brings her, as she continues to educate others and follow whichever path her creative nature takes her.