Downtown Toronto

I was downtown yesterday so didn't stitch at all.

Trying Something New

I am officially on Instagram.

The Beach neighbourhood, Toronto

It has been a while since I have wanted to do that.

for Chinese New Year

My user name is sandrareford

for Chinese New Year

Please take a look.

installation by Ben Watt-Meyer

(photos from my Instagram account)

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.

Sunday Walk

I love having Sunday walks with my family.

Snowcone (detail)
installation by Lily Jeon, Diana Koncan

Last weekend we enjoyed the sun and went to the Beach in the west end of Toronto.

The beach in Toronto
(yes that is snow on the left)

It felt odd walking in the sand with my winter boots!

Wingback (detail)
Installation by Tom Olson

There were some interesting installations around the life guard stations. They were meant to attract people to the Beach during winter months.

They were perfect sanctuaries from the cold winds coming off Lake Ontario.

Hotbox
installation by Nicholas Croft and
Zone Six Design Build Landscape
Architects

Nice day together.

Travels

Monday: The view from my window in Toronto.

Wednesday: The view from the bridge near where I am staying in Verona, Italy.

Stop and Breath

Autumn is a beautiful season in Canada. 

Today, I was out for a long walk, clearing my head and making room in there for some new art ideas.

The colours were so vivid. Very inspirational.

It's important to stop from time to time. I didn't even make a post card today.

It's important to stop and "regroup". 

Being Together

I need to be around artists, I've decided.

In fact, about 5 years ago I made a list of Toronto artists and was planning to start a dinner group with these creators of different kinds- a photographer, a painter or two, a mixed-media artist, a filmmaker, a writer...

Encaustic painter Kevin Ghiglione at work

The idea was to meet with these friends once a month for a pot luck dinner and discuss our direction, our new projects, our frustrations with our work. It was to be inspirational to all which is why I wanted to include artists working in different mediums and not necessarily visual artists and definitely artists at different stages of their art paths.

detail: The Backward Stars
by Cass Reimer
mixed media on tyvek

That idea got pushed aside because I had too much on my plate at the time. It came up again when I took a course 2 years ago with artist Iris Häussler . She mentioned she meets with art friends regularly.

Artwork by Cybèle Young,
 a present to me from years ago.
2 .5 " x 3.25 "
Leaf with Strainer, 1999
1/1

Having Judy Martin for dinner last week, while she was in town for her workshop with Sandra Brownlee, confirmed that I want to be around others who create. For artists working alone it is important. I suppose those sharing a studio regularly experience a type of exchange. Those working alone learn to figure things out themselves.

Painting by Toronto artist,  Kim Rodenkirchen

I am preparing to go away (Italy, of course) so when I get back in late September that will be first thing on the list.

Back Home

I left Peru...

Wall art in Lima.

...and am back in Canada.

My snow-covered front lawn.

Subway Art

A patchwork of stone.

A detail of a mosaic in the Spadina subway station in the city of Toronto, Canada.

Click here for more on art and architecture at the Spadina station.

A Visit

Canadian Quilters' Association board of director member, Laine Canivet, was in Toronto recently.

Old City Hall tower in downtown Toronto

She and I (and Marsha Cleveland, editor of The Canadian Quilter) have been communicating about articles for the magazine since the exhibit Tradition in Transition was invited to France.

summer issue 2013

The Summer Issue 2013 has an article entitled Definitely Canadian which is in large part the presentation I gave at the 18th Carrefour Européen du Patchwork Lecture Series.

starts on page 11

A future issue will feature an article about Verona and their biennial textile festival. I will let you know when that gets published.

To order a copy click here.

Laine and I met on Friday for a coffee at my favourite place, L'espresso. She wanted to see my studio which was full of cardboard boxes and bubble wrap and not much sewing. I plan to set up my sewing machine this week as I slowly send out the Mineral pieces that arrived from Europe last week and make more room in my head for creating!

Found Paper

I use found paper in my textile work.

My mineral piece,
Looking for Labradorite
detail showing paper

What is found paper? It's paper that is FOUND.

And you can find paper in some wonderful places.

The piece of paper in Looking for Labradorite is from Arles, in the south of France. I found it while I was there on a holiday.

me in Arles-it was so windy that day
I had to sit down so my dress wouldn't fly up!

Well... I didn't really find it. I ripped it.

view from the top of the Arles amphitheatre

The Arles amphitheatre measures 136 m x 107 m.
The Colosseum in Rome measures 188 m x 156 m

It was an advertisement for a film, I think, and with the rain it had become unglued and was draping off the wall. The event was over so I decided to "find" it and I ripped it off. The raw uneven edge is very interesting.

fossils from the stone of the Arles amphitheatre

I have also used found paper in "My City", a collage I created for takepART 2012. The paper is from an advertisement that was on a pole in downtown Toronto. I specifically tore off the part with the letters.

The best time to find that kind of paper is after a rain.

Found paper seen in the creating stage.

Your found paper does not have to be found outside. Found paper can be a stamp from an envelope, a school child's homework, a chocolate bar wrapper, a page from a book that is falling apart.

Keep your eyes open.

Late Night and Early Morning

Five textile art pieces inspired by minerals were exhibited last night at the 40th anniversary party of PGW, consulting geophysicists.

Two works in the Alberta Room at the Royal York Hotel
 Fundy Flame Agate by Kate Madeloso from Nova Scotia (left)
"We dig. We cut. We polish. We colour our world!"
by Suzanne Neilson from Ontario (right)

I was setting up all 16 pieces of the MINERALS exhibit for the KEGS breakfast (Canadian Exploration Geophysics Society) at the Royal York Hotel this morning at 6:15 a.m.

I have never seen the Royal York main lobby empty.
Notice the time on the central clock.

Again so many compliments and many earth scientists came to speak to me as I was packing up the works three hours later.

The Imperial Room at the Royal York Hotel
For artists' names please view past posts.

I think these works would look stunning in an office! Click here for prices of the works.

More Mineral Pieces in the Imperial Room at the Royal York Hotel.
For artists' names please view past posts.

I am back home. Later I am packing up the works to send them to Verona for Verona Tessile.

Right now, I am going back to bed!

Making Things

I had my twin teenage nieces visiting this weekend. It was their first time in Toronto.

We did some touristy things.

The downtown core
seen from the St Lawrence Market

We went to see some creative stuff!

They love making things. As all good crafters do, they travel with their supplies!

Look at this artistry!

Bracelet made with embroidery floss

We cooked together.

Home made pasta.

We sewed.

This is what they made.
(pattern from The Workroom)

We had fun!