Where I work
I live with my big family. Last year we moved to a new house that my daughter and her husband bought. It feels good. I love gardening and grow many vegetables.
What inspired my work
My mother taught me to weave traditional patterned cloth when I was 15. When we lived in refugee camps in Thailand I kept weaving. When I came to Australia I learnt a new way of weaving, which is much freer. I love to play with pattern and colour and let the weaving direct the design.
How I made it
I have a metal tapestry loom and like to weave large tapestries. They usually take about 3 months to make. I warp up the loom, choose a selection of coloured yarn and then start weaving. I never quite know at the beginning what the tapestry will look like when it is finished.
What I am working on
I recently started to weave a large new tapestry. Next year I hope to have another exhibition with my mother, Cha Mai Oo and my friend, Shuklay Tahpo. Our last exhibition included many paper collages. They are fun to make – quick and easy compared to tapestry!
Biography
Mu Naw Poe was born in Burma where she was taught to weave by her mother. She came to Australia as a refugee in 2008. For almost 20 years Mu Naw lived in refugee camps in Thailand. In 2013 she was taught tapestry weaving by Sara Lindsay, who continues to act as her mentor. Munaw has exhibited regularly with Shuklay Tahpo since 2014.
