Carolyn McIntosh is an artist and owner of Wandering Fig Studio based in the Perth hill's suburb of Greenmount, Western Australia. Her work is deeply inspired by the natural world, with a particular focus on the region's landscape, native flora and fauna. Over several years, Carolyn volunteered at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Perth, where she had the unique opportunity to interact with local wildlife. Caring for and hand-feeding native birds, reptiles, and marsupials profoundly influenced her artistic expression.
Working across multiple mediums, Carolyn is currently immersed in fibre and textile sculpture, creating soft forms using wool and other fibres through needle felting. She often combines various techniques and materials, including animal and plant fibres, fabrics, found objects, and recycled materials, to craft her unique pieces.
Carolyn’s art education is both diverse and ongoing. It began with technical college, expanded through fine art studies at university, and continues today with local and online workshops led by artists from around the world.
Her studio’s name is inspired by the wandering fig vine that covered the walls of her first home studio in Bassendean. The dried vine is perfect for weaving nests and baskets, and remains a favourite material in her work. In 2016, Carolyn and her family moved to Greenmount, where the nearby Railway Heritage Trail and Greenmount National Park provide daily inspiration. The surrounding landscape, along with the rich variety of native wildlife that visits her garden, continues to be a central source of creativity in her art.
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Exhibitions​
2025 Incognito Art Show, The Garden Gallery, Sydney
2024 Ferguson Follies Sculpture Trail, Dardanup Art Spectacular
2018 The Ebb and Flow of Linking Waterways Exhibition, Painted Tree Gallery, Northcliffe
2018 Mundaring Hills Open Studios
2018 Don't Jettison Everything, Member's Exhibition, Mundaring Arts Centre (selective)
2017 Hay Bale Challenge, York Festival
2015 Birds of a Feather, Forest Heritage Centre, Dwellingnup
2015 Churchlands Senior High School Art Show
2015 Ellenbrook Art Awards
2015 Artists on the Walkpath, Riverside Gardens, Bayswater (selective)
2014 Community Art Exhibition, Churchlands Senior High School
2014 Reel It In, Native Animal Rescue marquee, educational display installation
2014 Open, Town of Bassendean, art stall and exhibition
2014 Artists on the Walkpath, Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary, Bayswater (selective)
2013 Affordable Art Affair, Sarah House, Subiaco
2013 Connecting Communities Kalamunda, Zig Zag Gallery Kalamunda
2013 St Brigid's College Biennial Art Exhibition and Sale
2013 Midland Artsource Open Studios
2013 Ellenbrook Community Tea Party Event, The Gallery, Ellenbrook
2013 Fingers and Petals The Handmade Flower Show,The Gallery, Ellenbrook
2013 esordio>debut>beginning The Zig Zag Gallery Kalamunda
2012 Shoe-ing Off by Fibrant, Bassendean Memorial Library
2012 Bassendean Art Awards
2012 Mazenod College Art Show
2012 Canning Art Awards
2012 Town of Mosman Park Art Awards
2011 City of Stirling Art Awards
2011 Emerging Artist Awards, City of South Perth (selective)
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Awards
2017 Winner Hay Bale Challenge, York Festival
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I acknowledge that I live, work and play on the traditional lands of the Whadjuk people of the Noogar Nation. I respect their spiritual relationship with country. I recognise the traditional custodians and Elders of Noongar boodjar and any lands on which I travel.
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