Janet De Boer OAM

Janet, formerly from the U.S.A. but a Queenslander since 1975, began life in media studies, moved on to become a handweaver to the poser loom industry in New York City, then studied Occupaional Therapy and in 1976 found herself at the University of Queensland teaching that very subject, and involving herself in the Art/Craft movement of Australia which was gathering momentum throughout the country. In 1981 she started a humble black/white niche publication, Textile Fibre Forum magazine which grew to become a glossy colour quarterly, still going strong. She also organizes two week-long international textile conferences each year for Australia, one in Mittagong N.S.W., and one at Geelong Grammar School in Victoria.

While her textile bias is evident, she has a broad interest in many art forms as well as the celebratory quality of artists and artists? gatherings, and to this end she served for 22 years as Entertainment Officer of the USQ-McGregor Creative Arts Summer Schools held in Toowoomba, Qld each January ? this gave her the ideal opportunity to meet and learn from a wonderful range of creative personalities, working in diverse ways to achieve their artistic aims.

Since 1987, when The Australian Forum for Textile Arts, Ltd (TAFTA) became a company, she has served as its Executive Director and continues to act as editor for Textile Fibre Forum magazine. In 2004 Janet received the Order of Australia Medal for her services to the Arts.