Unleash your creativity through the art of adornment in this hands-on workshop led by artist Lisa Hilli. In this dynamic, online experience, students will explore the expressive power of adornment, a practice deeply rooted in cultural storytelling and personal identity. Guided by Hilli, students will engage with techniques such as plaiting, wrapping and embellishing to transform simple materials into meaningful wearable artworks.
In this session, students will also examine selected portraits from the National Portrait Gallery collection, reflecting on how visual narratives express diverse Australian identities. Through hands-on making and personal reflection, students will be empowered to create wearable pieces that speak to their own stories, values and cultural connections.
About Lisa Hilli
Lisa Hilli is a contemporary artist, curator and scholar of Gunantuna (Tolai) heritage from Papua New Guinea. Her practice explores the intersections of identity, gender and colonial history through tactile and visual forms. Known for her use of textiles, digital media and adornment, Hilli’s work honours lived experience and cultural resilience.
Her 2022 installation Birds of a Feather pays tribute to lawyer and diplomat Dame Meg Taylor and the strength of Papua New Guinean women, using fabric and digital prints to weave stories of empowerment and legacy.
Hilli’s work is currently featured in High Colour, an immersive exploration of local and global Indigenous perspectives on colour at the Art Gallery of NSW until January 2026.
Curriculum connections
- Learning Areas: Visual Arts (Exploring and Creating)
- General Capabilities: Creative and Critical Thinking, Intercultural Capability
