Trying to weave a way to canada

But there is one problem – the Thornlie resident's funding application to get her from WA to Canada was turned down.

Her work is currently displayed in Quebec at Lifelines: Contemporary Indigenous Art from Australia - an international exhibition presenting the contemporary art of Australia's first peoples at the prestigious Musees de la Civilisation.

With her funding turned down, McAullay Bott is trying to raise $3000 through the community, and with help from Artitja Fine Art Fremantle, to get to Quebec to be with her work at the exhibition.

The sculptural work on display in Canada, titled My Brother's Keeper, is unlike most of McAullay Bott's creations, which are generally woven animals and objects from palm fronds, local grasses, reeds and other plant materials.

She said My Brother's Keeper represented the stolen generation.

"The priest represents the mistreatment of my brothers in Clontarf so it would bring me full circle as my brothers have passed away now," she said.

Normally her weaves embody the essence and humour of her culture, but this sculpture represents sadness and trauma, and is a statement about the stolen generation witnessed at close hand, and her brothers' time at Clontarf Boy's Home.

McAullay Bott said she started weaving when she moved to Hawaii 30 years ago.

"I lived in Hawaii for many years and started weaving baskets with the Hawaiians," she said.

"It was only a pastime but I started selling them there."

When she returned to WA, she started weaving sculptures and totems from stories her mother used to tell her.

She has created thousands of pieces, including a full-sized dugong that hangs in Cannington Library.

McAullay Bott only uses bush materials and there is no wire as the pieces are all held together by the weave.

To donate go to https://ozcrowd.com/campaigns/project-janine-to-quebec.