Friday, November 25, 2016

Last weekend for World of Threads

World of Threads, another success!! Congratulations to the festival curators, Dawne Rudman and Gareth Bate.

Waiting #1, Remembrance Women's Loss, detail
Glenys Mann
Australia

It is always a pleasure seeing the works. There is a wide spectrum of styles, techniques and materials used. I got to see things other countries are working on and it is inspiring to me as a maker myself.

Interactions #28: Head to Head, detail
Gerri Spilka
USA

This year's show included 315 works from 23 countries!

Pages from Life's Journey, Series 1
Sung Ja Kim Chisholm
Canada


There were 134 artists and lucky me, I got to see a piece from my favourite Judith Martin!

 detail of Judy Martin's work

The program booklet was also really well done, as always. Nicely formatted and all artists' works photographed were acknowledged! That doesn't always happen in Verona at their festival and I am forever reminding them to write the artist's name. It is important!!

Judy Maryin's work left
Tammy Radcliff's work, right
Canada

Thanks to these kinds of very professional exhibits, the textile art form is gaining legitimacy and importance in the art world. This festival has been running for over 20 years!

Fragment
Neha Puri Dhir
India


Make an effort to see it if you can get out to Oakville.


Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Back in the Studio

It has been a few weeks since I posted and I am sorry for all who kept coming to visit my blog and kept seeing the Gangi post.

I have been back in Toronto for over a week and my suitcase is still on the floor in my dressing room... open... but full!

Today, I made some time to sew.

journal cover

I made the book wrap for my Umbria journal.


I have the stone walls represented, the cypress trees, the rolling hills, the gorgeous sky at sunset, the red string from the textile-art therapy workshop.

Piece on the left shows the lining fabric of the wrap.

And even the olive trees! I happen to find a piece of William Morris reproduction fabric in my stash and although his branches are willows, the colouring and the shape reminded my of the olive trees from Umbria.


I used scraps from Sofia Verna's Ms Emma Designs. Fitting since she taught one of the workshops we did.

I plan to bring it to the Oakville Guild this Thursday when I give my talk.

The theme of my talk is Inspiration. Where do my ideas come from? I hope to inspire the audience!