Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Side Space Gallery Show

It is the 4th year the Hillcrest Fibre Artists exhibit at the Side Space Gallery in Toronto.

Every year there is a wide variety of works.

"Honouring Hmong Women"
headdress made of silk, beads, silver leaf, wire
by Shelley Fowler and Pam Woodward

side space gallery, south end


"Breathing Exercise" by Anna Payne-Krzyzanowski
straight pins, thread, dry cleaning plastic bag

antique blocks from Stephanie Levers' great grandmother.
Stephanie added the sashing and hand quilted it.
I love the 'mistake' on purpose- it adds a little unpredictability

Three of the contributing artists:
me, Gunnel Hag, Marion Spanjerdt
in front of my work, Many Moons

We always have a quote.


                                                                                        

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Art Show in Toronto

The Hillcrest Village Fibreworks Artists are having their annual exhibit at the Side Space Gallery.

I will have two pieces exhibited. Both were exhibited for the first time in March 2011 in Verona for Verona Tessile. Click here to see them at that exhibit.

detail, Pages of my Life

detail, Pages of my LIfe

detail, Pages of my Life

detail, Many Moons

detail, Many Moons
I will be at the opening, Sunday, June 12, from 2 to 6 pm. The gallery is located at 1080 St Clair Avenue West, in Toronto, NW corner at Lauder.

You can see the textile works close up at the opening or through the gallery's wall-to-wall windows throughout the month till July 16, 2012. The gallery is well lit in the evenings.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Siamo Donne

We are women...and one man.

Daniele Mendini and Marina Tavella, the brains behind Siamo Donne

Marina is primarily a textile artist and Daniele is a professional photographer who has photographed some of my art pieces for catalogues.

Back at the end of May while I was in Verona, they invited me to film 3 video recipe segments for their website, siamodonne

setting up
microphone check
rehearsing

They asked me for Canadian recipes so I chose pancakes with maple syrup, of course, chocolate chip cookies and apple pie.

apple pie with Siamo Donne logo


You can view one of the clips here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdVxnbnr5Z4


(I am never that serious! LOL)





Tuesday, June 7, 2011

present

I did a 2-hour demo for Aurifil at Abilmente in Vicenza, Italy, back in March and they sent me a box of thread as a thank you.

It came while I was in Italy!!

12 beautiful spools

Saturday, June 4, 2011

next year's Verona Tessile event

I am setting up activities for next year's Verona Tessile trip, March 6 to 11. I plan to bring another group for 10 days to Verona. Anyone interested should email me so I can keep them up to date on the itinerary, costs and the like.


Ponte di Castelvecchio, also called Ponte Scaligero,
in the beautiful city of Verona

The pre-requisites for the trip are: open-minded, independant travellers, people who quilt or create textile art, people in good shape for walking.

Last week, I went not-too-far out of town and saw an amazing place, Hotel Delser, that I am considering renting for 2 nights for the group. It will officially open this summer.

It is an old sistern renovated into a beautiful hotel with amazing views and expansive spaces. The structure has been preserved and the vaulted ceilings everywhere are impressive as are the roman stone pieces decorating the open spaces. The owner, Alberto Delser, has an attention to detail I can appreciate; the doors are made of repurposed antique wood, the lights go on in the hallways without a switch, the circular cut-outs in the ceiling of the rooms and the library let in the natural light, even the door hinges that were lazer cut from a hand-drawn image and hammered for an antique look add a special touch.

It was all so romantic that I forgot to ask all the important things, like how much a room costs!

We went up the hill for lunch -an amazing view of the Valpolicella.

no camera that day, only a friend's iphone

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

not only patchwork

When I am in Italy, I do squeeze in some time for "holidaying". Last week, some of my quilting friends and I went to Forte dei Marmi, near Firenze.







I took a picture of the trees. Look how they are pruned,
so they grow out flat. Good quilting design idea!
stopping for a rest. Great colour!!
Maria Teresa and I showing off our new bags!

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Visit at Yoko Okuyama's Home

Yoko is a world-renowned architect and artist.

Yoko Okuyama and I celebrating at her home

She is from Japan and has been living in Verona for about 12 years.



view of Verona roof tops from her apartment window
The view reminds me of italian Daniela Cassani's work.

D. Cassani's work entitled: Lemon Trees in Town

With the help of Ad Maiora, Yoko is putting together a benefit concert to raise money for the victims of the tsunami with all moneys collected going to the Japanese Red Cross.

The concert is on Sunday, May 29 @ 5:30 pm, at the Circolo Ufficial, concerto di musica lirica vocale. I plan to attend.
We were invited to celebrate the up-coming event at her home.


Her latest art works hung in her apartment are made of rice paper. Textile art.


Yoko and her art work


She has digitally transfered her work onto silk. Maria Teresa gave me one of the silk scarves as a gift! Lucky me to have wearable art!! and such a special friend. Thanks MT.


in front of the wisteria, notice the scarf!

Yoko and soprano Nami Shigihara wave good bye