Artists

Michelle Kistima-Menser is an Australian textile artist, designer and printmaker, best known for her label YOU ARE BRAVE TEXTILES, producing hand screen-printed fabrics and home textiles.

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, she migrated to Australia as a teenager in 1984. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from COFA, UNSW in 1993, majoring in sculpture and design.
A pivotal moment in her career came with the discovery of surface design, leading her to retrain in textile design and screen printing, followed by studies in fashion and clothing manufacturing at TAFE. Michelle’s practice brings together making, teaching and community engagement. She works with both children and adults through art education and textile printing workshops, driven by her passion for public and community art. Alongside her studio practice, she has curated exhibitions, managed a gallery and worked as an arts worker within local government, contributing to programs that support creative participation and access to the arts.

In Residence at Bundanon

Sparked by bushwalks in the fire-ravaged Victorian Alps, my recent work explores material decay, death and rebirth, and the quiet beauty that can emerge from devastation.

This has prompted deeper reflection on my own mortality and connections to my African heritage. I’ve been drawn to consider the legacy of my indigenous and enslaved ancestors, the stories of migration and repression within my lineage, and my own experience as an immigrant in this country. I’m increasingly interested in how these interwoven histories continue to shape my identity and creative voice.

Using inherited needlework skills and contemporary textile practices I want to create a funerary shroud that embodies my spirituality, while also honouring my ancestors and the earth, from which I draw so much, and to which I will one day return.