North of Toronto

I love walking in the woods when it is cold and fresh and there is no one around.

The "winter" air is energizing.

I stop often to listen to the silence.

People often tell me I have it backwards- that I should go to Italy in the winter and stay in Canada in the summer. But I love the winter!

It is maple syrup time. The days reach +5 C and the nights go down to -5 C.

(I hope my photographs are inspirational to you. Fabric ruffles. They were taken in several conservation areas outside Toronto)

Canada Day

Happy 150th Canada! What a great country!

I will be giving a few of these pins out to my Italian friends today.

I am in Italy right now so I won't really be celebrating like I would have been in Toronto.

Our beach without umbrellas

Our prime minister Justin Trudeau was in Italy recently and people here are still buzzing about him!

More coastline of the province Basilicata

They are so impressed with his ways, ideas, public speaking themes...

Our town from above

...and of course his looks!

Down the coast a little

There have been several articles in the Italian papers about our fine country with comments on our immigration policy. We are really such a good role model for the world.

(photos of the region by local resident, hobby photographer and friend, Domenico Vittorini. You can find him on Facebook)

inspirational mineral: Labradorite

There are so many beautiful images of minerals. I was particularly interested in representing a mineral found in Canada.

Looking for Labradorite
79cm x 74cm
hand-dyed assorted fabric from Ms Emma designer S. Verna,
found paper from Arles, France,
magnetic map paper, machine stitched

I liked the variety of colours of the Labradorite and the black lines showing fractures on the rocks.

detail

I interpreted those straight lines as contour lines much like a geophysicist would do on a magnetic map.

detail

(text from the label of my piece for the Minerals exhibit I recently curated)

Canada Day

Happy Canada Day!

Karen Neary's Log Canada quilt
photographed in a historical garden in Nova Scotia.
This image appeared in the book, Canadian Heritage Quilting
which she co-authored with Diane Shink.

July 1 is the official birthdate of Canada! In 1867, three colonies were united- the province of Canada, which was Ontario and Quebec, plus New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. We're 145 years old today and my have we grown! Canada is now made up of 10 provinces and 3 territories.

This is a holiday long weekend when many people head to cottage country. BBQ's and picnics are called for!

detail, Log Canada by Karen Neary
Notice the maple leaf in the quilted design.

This quilt is part of Tradition in Transition. I plan to hang it at the front of the exhibition space to announce to visitors, "This is the Canadian exhibit."