How eco-dye artist Felicity Chapman is revealing the hidden story of water

Artist and eco-dyer Felicity Chapman brought a unique perspective to Ozwater’26, using natural dyeing processes to explore the relationship between water quality, ecosystems and creativity.

A proud Aboriginal weaver, textile artist and visual storyteller, Chapman lives on Ngaro Country in the Whitsundays. Her practice combines Traditional Knowledge, environmental observation and scientific inquiry, translating the characteristics of different water sources into visible, tactile records through eco-dyeing and fibre art.

Chapman participated in Ozwater’26 thanks to the generous support of Arup and Regional Arts Australia, through a cross-sector partnership aimed at connecting the water sector with creative practice and First Peoples knowledge systems.

The collaboration aimed to encourage new ways of thinking about environmental challenges by bringing together artists, engineers and water professionals.

Drawing on laboratory testing, field observations and years of working with natural fibres and dyes, her work highlights the influence of minerals, contaminants and environmental conditions on both waterways and artistic outcomes.

Chapman demonstrates how artistic practice can reveal subtle environmental changes that may not always be evident through data alone. Her presence at Ozwater’26 challenged delegates to consider water not only through technical and scientific frameworks, but also through creative and cultural lenses.

"Artists and creatives have an important role to play in industry, contributing to new ways of thinking, observing and solving complex problems,” she said.

“Art and creativity are important parts of every industry we work in. For some reason, they’ve become separated. Creativity is often treated as one of those fluffy subjects because it’s not science, technology or maths.

“But creativity is really about thinking skills. It’s about learning how to think outside the box and solve problems.

“Different approaches at the beginning can make a huge difference to outcomes, not just in problem-solving, but from a sustainability perspective. If you have healthy waterways, that reflects through healthy people. It’s not something that can be looked at in isolation.”

A lifelong connection to water

“Water has always been a huge part of my life,” Chapman said.

“I was born on freshwater Country and now live on saltwater Country. Water has always been my form of stress management. Whenever I felt unsettled, I would go to the water because it grounded me.”

Through her weaving practice, Chapman became aware that water influences the quality of fibre. And, during COVID, she started creating a range of her own natural dyes from fibre plants. This turn led Chapman through a series of discoveries that led to her current practice.

“While experimenting, I discovered that some of the dye materials I was using were incredibly pH-sensitive. Depending on the mordants or modifiers in the water, I would get dramatic colour variations,” she said.

“I was then fortunate to study with a wonderful Maltese silk dyer, who really started my dyeing obsession.

“Later, I was invited to Woorabinda to do some training with local Aunties. The area has strong red dirt rich in iron. We didn’t need mordants, we simply used the water.

“That experience showed me just how much influence water had on the final outcome. It made me curious about the science. I wanted to know what was actually in the water that was creating these variations.”

Creative revelations

Chapman’s current practice centres on collecting water from diverse environments and using it as a key variable in her eco-dyeing process. Samples are gathered from locations including freshwater creeks, mangrove systems, bore water sources and tannin-rich billabongs, before being tested in laboratories to better understand their chemical and mineral composition.

She then uses the water to dye natural fibres and create botanical prints, documenting how differences in water chemistry influence colour, clarity, texture and detail. The resulting textiles become environmental records, providing a visual and sensory representation of the conditions within a particular waterway.

By combining scientific analysis with creative experimentation, Chapman’s work creates a bridge between data and lived experience, revealing environmental changes through outcomes that people can see and touch.

“I love paperbark billabongs because the water is very rich in tannins and produces excellent results. One particular billabong was exceptionally black and incredibly gritty. I knew there was going to be a lot more happening in that water than I could see,” she said.

“When I submitted samples to the laboratory, I actually wrote a note saying: ‘I’m not drinking this water, it’s for an art project’. Twenty-four hours later, the lab technician rang me in a panic, telling me not to drink it.

“The results showed high levels of heavy metals, including nickel, titanium and arsenic. The location was quite remote, so this wasn’t industrial contamination. These were naturally occurring mineral and metal deposits within the landscape.”

Another sample came from mangrove water collected after the first major rain of the wet season, Chapman said.

“Normally, mangrove water is tannin-rich with a beautiful reddish tone and relatively clear appearance. This water didn’t feel right. It didn’t look right and it definitely didn’t smell right,” she said.

“The mineral and metal content was relatively normal, but the overall quality was not what I would normally expect.

“What I concluded was that the heavy rainfall had flushed chemicals and other pollutants from surrounding farmland and residential areas into the system. Something within that runoff appeared to neutralise the water’s ability to produce the strong, detailed prints I would normally achieve.

“With mangrove water, I can often produce prints that appear almost three-dimensional. That simply didn’t happen with this sample. It reinforced the idea that the surrounding environment has a direct influence on outcomes.”

Seeing water differently

During her time spent at Ozwater’26, Chapman dedicated time to discussing her practice with delegates on the Exhibition Hall floor.

“People told me it was very different and that they’d never considered looking at water through an artistic lens and seeing those kinds of outcomes,” she said.

“What I found particularly interesting was how excited the engineers became when I handed them the laboratory test results. They’d light up and start looking through the data.”

Creative practice often picks up subtle differences that can be missed through straight data collection, Chapman said.

“Artists and creatives tend to look at the world differently. We focus on relationships. When you become deeply embedded within an industry, you can become narrowly focused on one element and forget that there’s always a domino effect.

“You may not see the data in one place, but if you look elsewhere, you’ll see the consequences or impacts of what’s happening.

“Looking ahead, particularly when it comes to industry, I’d encourage people to connect with artists and creatives. We are definitely not the fluffy side piece. We can be part of the solution.”