Galleria 814

If you are in Toronto between the 3rd and 16th of June, 2015, take a drive over to Galleria 814 (809 St. Clair Avenue West, east of Oakwood).

Last Tree Standing
2014
Click here to learn about this piece.

The Hillcrest Village Fibreworks Show is on and I have two small pieces in it.

Farida's Garden
2009
Click here to learn about this piece and the Afghanistan projects

I chose those two works because they both combine fabric, sewing and Afghanistan embroideries.

The artists will be in attendance on July 4 from 7 to 10 pm at an opening reception.

Hours are Tuesday to Friday 12 to 6, Saturday 12 to 4. The gallery is closed Sunday and Monday.

I am in Italy so someone please send me a 'review' of the exhibit! I am sure it will be interesting.

Official invitation
June 2 is actually the hanging of the works
so I recommend not going on that day.

There is always much variety in the pieces selected in this annual show.

Padova for the Day

A few weeks ago I spent the day in Padova with a friend.

The Venetian symbol seen in many places in Padova

We had a day of ART and inspiration.

Book stores, AltreVoci

The smell of fresh lilacs greeting you was fabulous! It is a wonderful shop.

Art galleries,

Mandala...incompiuto
by Maria Rosa Migliorini
46 pieces of ceramic
85 cm in diametre

a ceramic patchwork

live music in the piazza,

Cant find his name!
He is the famous pianist
that plays in odd places in the world,
like on a gondola in Venice
or the top of a mountain.

architecture,

the back of the Duomo

frescos.

ceiling in the Battistero del Duomo
photo taken from a postcard
as there are no photographs allowed inside. 

We stopped in to admire the work of artist, Gesine Arps.

Le api e i santi dicono la stessa cosa
100 cm x 100 cm

Pittrice
120cm x 120cm

There is something about her paintings that reminded me of the work of Hundertwasser.

She had a very interesting sculpture in the midst of her paintings- all about love and peace.

The sculpture was sewn together.

There were several openings in the body of the bird. One of the openings was filled with special thoughts and wishes. I picked the following.

Un tempo è andato, l'altro non è ancora iniziato, 

ciò che conta è il presente. 

Concentrati e vivilo pienamente.

It means: A time has passed, another has not started yet. The thing that counts is the present. Concentrate on that and live it fully.

It is so fun taking a one-hour train ride and being in a new, wonderful place with a friend.

The End

On Sunday the Canadians left Verona...

Linda's suitcase tag

....either to return to Canada ...

Two off to the airport

or continue travelling in Italy.

Getting ready to go to the train station

One last look out of Susan's apartment window.

Monday we took down all exhibits and Tuesday we packed up art work to be mailed out. I think I will write a blog about mailing work out to exhibits. I saw a few things today that didn't work.

No one is sewing at the studios this week.

Creative Team

DAMSS from Milano spent some time with us one morning before they taught a class.

The cover of the DAMSS sample book.
They created 'pages' measuring about 15 " x 25"
and bound them.

They talked about surface design achieved with heat.

So inspiring!

Their enthusiasm is contagious!

We walked over for a coffee afterwards.

(You may notice we are missing a few travellers. Two left to attend a wedding in Lake Como. The rest had a sleep in. The program I set is optional. People who feel tired or don't want to participate for whatever reason can stay behind....but then of course all want to know what we did and where we went! :-)  )

Show and Share

After we had lunch at the famous Al Calmiere ...

on the Piazza San Zeno...

We had a small show-and-share with Piera, the accountant at the train store.

Piera and her husband at their shop

It was so nice to see her work...

and enjoy her immense creativity.

She is self taught and has a wonderful sense of colour!

Our group with Piera (centre)

She hit it off with one of our travellers.

Piera and Brenda admiring Al Côté's work

We ended the day with an aperitivo! Salute!

Italian Food

After a breakfast at the bar close to the apartments, we went to visit more exhibits.

Making new friends, Canada + Italy

Followed by a great (light) pizza lunch.... 

and more visits...

Art quilts by students of Nancy Crow

Art Gallery UniCredit
My work, Collision with Melancholia (right) 

And a fabulous cooking class at E Cucina with award-winning chef Luca Fasoli and his sous-chef and owner of the school, Martina Cortelazzo.

The menu was super!

preparing Mediterranean Rabbit

Luca prepares an antipasto

asparagus and parmigiano crisps

Cool ingredient!!

Can't wait to try these typical Veronese dishes at my next dinner party.

Wednesday's Program

The focus of Wednesday's program was visiting the exhibits.

Keiko Goke's work

We milled around Verona all day in small groups spending time at different shows.

Japanese exhibit

A few of us attended Jen Jones' talk on her Antique Welsh Quilt collection.

Jen Jones (in white),
Paola Marini, director of Castel Vecchio museum, (beige suit)

She is a font of knowledge on the subject of Welsh quilts. Oddly enough she is not a quilter. In the 1980's when many Welsh families were getting rid of their "old bedding", she started her collection only to preserve this hand work.

She said the quilts were treated with disregard often used for covering sick cattle, covering vegetable gardens, folded and put under a door to prevent the wind from entering the house and Wales gets lots of wind!

exiting the Japanese exhibit

The travellers are very inspired by the city and by the wonderful textile work they are seeing.

Tommi at the Osteria/Enoteca Alcova del Frate

We ended with a wonderful dinner all together at Alcova del Frate, with lots of laughing!