A tale of two aprons

LIZ Marsden, President of the Ballarat Apron Festival, calls it her shower moment.

It was when she realised one morning the festival’s apron collection didn’t contain one representing the indigenous history of the region.

Ms Marsden approached renowned local Wadawarrung artist Marlene Gilson to rectify the omission.

“As soon as I pitched the idea to Aunty Marlene, she was on board,” Ms Marsden said.

“The result is incredible and we cannot wait to share it with our visitors at this year’s Ballarat Apron Festival.”

Ms Gilson’s apron, The Yarning Circle, depicting the daily lives of Aboriginal people prior to colonisation on the shores of Lake Wendouree will be on display during the festival.

“I wanted to paint a gathering of the Wadawarrung people representing what it was like before this part of the land was discovered,” Ms Gilson said.

Ms Gilson said she doesn’t wear an apron when creating her art.

“The only time I wear an apron is at Christmas when I am cooking Christmas dinner because that’s when I make a mess” she chuckled.

The Yarning Circle, generously donated to the collection, will complement the tartan Ballarat Apron created by Ballarat fashion designer Clare Schreenan which symbolises the European history and industry of Ballarat and its gold fields.

The Ballarat Apron Festival will also feature exhibits of vintage, modern and competition aprons.

The Apron Tales exhibition illustrates the practicality of aprons worn by many tradesmen such as welders, butchers, cobblers and bakers and the old-fashioned blacksmiths.

“There is a display of around 50 aprons entered in the Apron Making Competition from across the country as well as from the USA,” Ms Marsden said.

“We really try to promote the idea that the apron is not a 1950s housewife’s garment.”

The Ballarat Apron Festival is on Heritage Weekend on Saturday, 25 and Sunday, 26 May at St Patrick’s Cathedral Hall, 3 Lyon Street South, Ballarat Central from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday with a $2 entry fee.