Monique Ross is a Magandjin/Brisbane-based artist who weaves sculptural vessels that play with colour, texture and scale, pushing the boundaries of what basketry can be.
Her work explores her internal landscapes and her relationship with the natural world, with the slow, repetitive act of making providing space for thought, reflection and story.
She uses materials including rattan, cane, raffia, paper, thread and paint, often weaving in situ and allowing the energy of her surroundings to become part of the work.
Through unexpected forms, vivid colour and dramatic shifts in scale, her work invites viewers to slow down, experience a sense of wonder and reconsider the possibilities of a traditional craft.
Monique believes in the power of weaving to cultivate community and connection, and hosts regular contemporary weaving workshops in and around Magandjin.
To connect, email hello@heartwoodnaturebathing.com
Meet Monique
Exhibitions and residencies
Monique is a resident artist at Merivale Studios.
Her first solo show, Coping Mechanisms, opens at Merivale Studios on October 23, 2026.
Monique was the 2025 Artist in Residence at the Cossack Art Awards in Western Australia. She lived in an abandoned ghost town for a month, creating a body of work inspired by the Pilbara landscapes.
She returned to the Pilbara in 2026 to host a four-day community weaving activation as part of Red Earth Arts Festival.
Monique has exhibited in group shows at Vacant Assembly, Side Gallery, Our Space and Studio Maverick.
Past work
Red Earth Arts Festival
Over four days at Red Earth Arts Festival 2026, Monique hosted a community weaving activation. In total, 84 people from the Karratha region came together to create a collaborative artwork; many were weaving for the very first time.
Monique titled the work "84 ways to weave" - because there is no one 'right' way, and we all bring our own unique perspective, energy, and ideas to the work.
Cossack Art Awards Artist in Residence
Monique was the Artist in Residence at the Cossack Art Awards in 2025, spending 30 days living in an abandoned ghost town, connecting with the local community and the Pilbara landscapes.
Her outcomes included a visual journal of 30 miniature vessels inspired by the landscapes around her.
Read Monique’s post-residency reflections and see more photos of her time in Cossack here.
Monique has been weaving since 2023, when she was taught the coiling technique at an Ancestral Skills camp.
She effectively has not stopped since then. Weaving is her medicine, teacher, and friend.
She is grateful to tutors including Ruth Woods, Mary Crabbe, Mai Hvid Joergensen, and Mònica Guilera for so generously sharing their knowledge.
