Bronwyn Furlan
Bio
Hello, I have lived in Gisborne most of my life, and I am a Textile Artist. I started learning my craft at my mum's and Nan's knees at a very young age and have progressed through many different textile/fibre mediums progressing with some and failing at others. I am not a dressmaker, and I don't follow a pattern well (I like to add my own take on things). I have entered my work in exhibitions in Gisborne, throughout NZ and have won several awards for my work. I have also exhibited overseas in France and Hawaii. And have taught workshops in NZ and Australia. I have also been a part of the 'She Shed' since its inception opening my studio and garden to other artists and the public.
Description
I am creating a mixed media/textile piece, it will be less than 50cm x 50cm in size. It will be a mix of fabric, thread, applique, paint/oil stix, machine embroidery, depicting people using their cell phones to contact family etc. With maybe a wooden hanging rail that was salvaged from the beach.
Name - At last - contact $400
Social - @bronwynfurlan
Contact - kotarelane@gmail.com
Link to research
The thing I found most difficult was not having any communication with the outside world, my kids live in another country. They had no idea what was happening to us. When the council made Starlink open to the public at the Lawson Field theatre it was quite emotional for many of us to make contact with loved ones.
Bronwyn’s words take us straight back to the rawness of those days after the cyclone, when communication lines were cut and the silence became unbearable. Her reflection — “The thing I found most difficult was not having any communication with the outside world, my kids live in another country” — echoes what many participants shared in the research.
The report describes how being cut off from loved ones left whānau feeling isolated, anxious, and powerless:
“Without communication we were left wondering if people were safe, if help was coming, or if anyone outside even knew what we were going through.”
Bronwyn recalls the moment when the council opened up Starlink at the Lawson Field Theatre:
“It was quite emotional for many of us to make contact with loved ones.”
This moment of reconnection carried immense weight — a reminder of how critical communication is, not just for practical survival, but for emotional and spiritual wellbeing. The research highlights this too:
“Re-establishing contact brought relief, hope, and a renewed sense of connection, even amidst devastation.”
Her piece grounds us in the collective memory of that vulnerability and the deep gratitude that followed once the silence was broken.
