Rochester textile artist Sonya Else will be showcasing her work at the Campaspe Artists Studio Trail, which mainly involves fabrics, fibres, threads and sewing machines, inspired by Australian landscapes and nature.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The Campaspe Artists Studio Trail is set to return for its second year, with some studios opening Friday evening, May 1, followed by the full studio trail on Saturday, May 2, and Sunday, May 3.
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Rochester textile artist Sonya Else will be among those opening Friday night from 5pm to 7pm.
“I am not the everyday artist, painter, I am a textile artist,” Ms Else said.
“I do use paints, but I mainly use fabrics and fibres, threads.
“A sewing machine is my main tool.”
Ms Else's work incorporates hand-dyeing, free machine stitching and painting and drawing on fabric.
“My main inspiration is from the natural environment and the natural life, bird life and all sorts of different things, especially nature, is my main calling,” she said.
“Inspired by the natural environment, of all of the different Australian landscapes.
“Maybe every couple of months, we might go away for two or three nights, myself and my husband, and I get my inspiration from those travels.”
For the studio trail, Ms Else will transform her home into an exhibition space.
“My studio is in a bedroom in my home, so for the studio trail I will set everything up in our front room and our carport,” she said.
“I make a little exhibition in the carport as it is so easy, accessible.
“I love showing and sharing my work.”
Sonya will transform her home into an exhibition space for the studio trail, setting up displays in her front room and carport for easy accessibility.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Ms Else has been sewing since her teenage years, following a family tradition.
“I've always sewn,” she said.
“When I was younger, in my teenage years, I got my first sewing machine and I just wanted to sew with fabric.
“I am a sewer from way back; my mother and grandmother used to sew as well, so I grew up with it.”
Last year's trail exceeded her expectations.
While she plans to set up demonstrations, she found herself preferring conversations with visitors during the trail.
“I was quite surprised and overwhelmed by the people who came; it was really quite nice,” Ms Else said.
“I really found I didn't have much time to demonstrate, because I just wanted to chat to people.”
The artist participated extensively in Ripple Fest, a flood recovery program run by the Campaspe Shire in 2025.
“That sort of got me back into creating after the flood as well,” she said.
“My art is a lot of my therapy for my mental health.
“I'd like to put that out there to people, how creativity really does help your mental health.”
More than 25 artists are expected to open studios across the shire for the Campaspe Artists Studio Trail in 2026.
Community art spaces including Factory 20A and the Foundry Arts Space in Echuca, Tongala Street Art Studio and the Kyabram Town Hall Gallery will accommodate artists without publicly accessible studios.
To follow the Campaspe Artists Studio Trail, visit castrail.art and download the map.
Having participated in Ripple Fest in 2025, Sonya Else found art to be therapeutic for her mental health and aims to convey the importance of creativity for wellbeing.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Ms Else's work incorporates hand-dyeing, free machine stitching and painting and drawing on fabric.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
