Seeds Sown Long Ago

Sometimes things done and seen long ago plant seeds that sprout in the future. That's what is happening to me from time to time. Although I haven't been exhibiting and teaching for the last two years, I still had my work noticed by a magazine, Art Quilting Studio, and was invited to write an article. "When Photography Converges with Dyes, Fabric and Stitch" is published in the Summer 2021 issue. No you won't find me on the cover, but you will find my article inside.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, it has been hard to locate a copy of the magazine. Yes, I should receive a complimentary copy for being in the magazine, but it doesn't seem that the mail has been reliable. I've searched out four Chapters/Indigo stores in my city, with no success. One sold out quickly. Another has a huge stack of the Spring issue, so who knows if they will receive the Summer. Most Chapters/Indigo stores have also reduced the number of magazine titles they carry. There is a mixture of old and new issues on display. Not to worry, I've ordered a few copies from the publisher. They will get here when they get here. In the mean time, I do have a pdf of my article so I can at least show you what it looks like. This is the pdf they sent for me to proof. I made no changes except to add the name of the photographer (Patrick Blake) of my sunflower triptych, "Fleur du Soleil".

It also happens that my international Crossing Oceans Textile Artists group is having their first exhibition since the pandemic at Farfield Mill, Sedbergh, England. Our organizer, Jane Rollason lives half-time in England and half-time in France. For a while our works were locked in her home in France without her being unable to access them due to lockdowns and travel restrictions. If you click on the photo below you will be taken to a nice spread of our work and information about the artists.

I'm nearing completion of my fourth coffee cup collage, so I will be back with that soon. I am now fully vaccinated, and wondering "what now"?

Fibre Content Show, Art Gallery of Burlington

Today is the opening of the Fibre Content Show at the Art Gallery of Burlington in Burlington, Ontario. I am pleased that two of my works will be there: Cascade 1 and Cascade 2 below. The show will run until September 16.

  

The exhibition includes 90 art works by 60 artists from across Ontario, plus an interactive exhibit of samples for you to investigate and touch. Admission is free.

The official opening of the show is on Sunday, September 9 from 1 - 3 pm. at 1133 Lakeshore, Burlington, Ontario. The Art Gallery of Burlington is open from 9 am to 9 pm Monday through Friday and 10 am to 5 pm on Saturday and Sunday. 

New this year are Artist talks. Here is the schedule>

Sept 8:

10:30  Tracey Lawko lecture:  One Stitch at a Time

2 pm   Gunnel Hag lecture: Her Enduring Love of Surface Design

2 pm   Al Cote workshop: Playful Abstract Creations

Sept 15:

10:30  Mita Giacomini lecture: How I Do What I Do - When I Don’t Know What I’m Doing

2 pm   Pat Hertzberg lecture: Her Unique Use of Water Soluble Film

2 pm   Chandra Rice workshop: Eco Printing on Paper and Rust/ Tanning

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fibre-content-2018-lecture-series-workshops-tickets-43636799843

I wish I could be there, but this weekend I'm fully committed to being a workshop instructor and vendor at Fibrefest Almonte. See my last blog post for information.

Later this month (September 29/30), my friends at Quiltco will be having a show of their work at the Glebe Community Centre in Ottawa celebrating their 25 years in existence.

We've been having a heat wave here in my part of the world. It was so hot on Canada Day (July 1) that very few people showed up on Parliament Hill for Canada Day celebrations. I personally stayed in my air-conditioned house and was very productive. It cooled off for a bit on Friday, but now it is brutally hot and humid (it is the humidity that is the killer) again. I am dropping in with some news.

This week I am shipping Smoke & Mirrors 2 off to Festival of Quilts, Birmingham, England. It will be exhibited in the Art Quilt category. No I will not be at the show in August. I wish I could be though. 

Cascade 1 and 2 were both accepted to the Fibre Content show at the Art Gallery of Burlington. The show runs September 6-16, 2018. More info at More info: http://fibrations.org/. I probably will not make it to that show either. It is right during Fibrefest, and after a day of teaching and two days of vending I am not sure I will feel like making the six hour drive to Burlington. However, I am pleased to have my work there.

 

The rain we experienced after the heat wave provided a wonderful opportunity to shoot raindrops on the hosta leaves. I really am thrilled with the HDR setting on my Samsung Smart phone. I have been able to take better raindrop photos with it than my Canon Rebel with macro lens. Now that might have something to do with my own inexperience with the latter.

Dyeing continues in earnest. I am committed to working away at 30 or 40 meters each week to avoid a last-minute panic prior to Fibrefest. I dont handle panics so well anymore ;-)

Janet Kivisto sent me a photo of this wall of quilts at the Trent Valley Quilters Guild Show in Brighton, Ontario. In Spring 2017 I taught an In Full Bloom workshop to this group, and I think this group gets a medal for most pieces finished in shortest time (I understand there were a few more in the show). These were made using my Peony and Sunkissed Poppy patterns, and in many cases students purchased my kit of hand-dyed fabrics too. 

On Canada Day Weekend I spent a good amount of time on this. Two years ago I picked up a Mussel shell on the beach in New Brunswick. I did not keep the shell, nor did I even take a photo. I am using my memory of the shell as a jumping off point to produce this work. It will be called Mussel Memory.

Because I am working with two colourways (purple to blue and yellow-gold to orange) I am ending up with blocks in two colourways.

I am working with a variety of block sizes. Small rectangular blocks and small square blocks are completed. I still have to sew and add larger rectangular blocks and larger square blocks. Then it will be hard to get to bed at night while I play with these babies on the design wall!!

I am madly prepping for my class on Flowers, Foliage and Trees at the Haliburton School of Art + Design, the week of July 23. It is not too late to join us. There are still three spaces left. However, I am heading up to Haliburton on July 14 to take a class on Travelling with a Sketchbook. Lots to prepare and think of for staying in a cottage for two weeks, while also taking and teaching classes.

Last, but certainly not least, the couple who are commissioning work for their home have agreed to a design and I am just waiting for the signed contract. I will be blogging about the making of this triptych as it comes together. What an honour to make a piece that will have impact when visitors step into their home, and that they will hopefully enjoy each day themselves. It is kinda cool to be doing some new things and some things I havent done in a while. 

More Gaudi & Packing Again

I spent Easter weekend visiting my father and sister in Waterloo, and now I'm packing to hit the road again. Sunday I am leaving for Vancouver and spending several days next week with the Fraser Valley Quilters' Guild in Delta/Surrey, British Columbia. I've worked in a few days of vacation too. I understand the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. I hope to find out where the best places to view them are and capture some photos.

Part of getting ready is lining up my artist pencils and sharpening them. It is good colour therapy. I'm also bringing Caran d'Ache Neocolor 2 Water Soluble Wax Pastels, InkTense Pencils, and Tsukineko Inks, for two days of Surface Design fun.

In addition, I am teaching a one-day class of "In Full Bloom". I've dyed and packed all the kits. They sure do add weight in my suitcases.

Here's keeping my fingers crossed that everything fits into two check-in bags that are each under 50 lbs.

Of course there are quilts in those bags too because I'm giving two lectures, one for their morning meeting and one for their evening meeting.

In the mean time, I thought I'd share just a few more photos of inspiration from Barcelona.

On our way to take a tour to Montserrat (more on that tomorrow), we accidentally got to visit two more buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi, the architect who designed the Sagrada Familia that I spoke of in my last post.

Even the benches along this street are Gaudi inspired.

La Padrero is an apartment block that Gaudi designed , that was constructed between 1906 - 1912.  

Apparently there is not a single right angle on this building. It is designed in that wonderful curvacious style of his.

A bit further down this street you come to Casa Batllo, considered another of Gaudi's masterpieces. Both La Padrera (above) and Casa Batllo have received UNESCO World Heritage site designations. The area that contains both these buildings (on Passeo de Gracia St.) is a location where Barcelona's most important families set up home in the early 1900's.

Joseph Batllo granted full creative freedom to Gaudi in his redesigning of this building.

Unfortunately we did not have an opportunity to view the insides of these buildings because we ran out of time. There is just so much to see in Barcelona.

The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia

Tonight's post is about my absolute favorite site of those I saw in Barcelona. I had heard many acquaintances and friends rave about the amazing architectural gem that is Antoni Gaudi's Basilica de la Sagrada Familia (Basilica of the Sacred Family). I had to see it for myself. I've visited a good number of old churches and basilicas and while all have their own beauty, nothing can quite compare to this one. You will see why shortly. The Basilica was started in 1882, with Gaudi taking over as architect in 1883. Gaudi worked on this project for 43 years. During the last 12 years of his life, he worked on it exclusively. It was only partially completed in 1926 when Gaudi died.

This is the sight as you approach, just like the many photos I have seen. You can see that work is still taking place. It is funded by tourist dollars. This is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Barcelona. Even in March, there are a lot of tourists inside. I would not want to be there in July or August. We purchased advance tickets on-line before our trip.

Around the front and entry are depictions of popular biblical stories.

This one depicts the slaughter of the innocents.

I had no idea how amazing the inside would be. We stepped into a theatre of colour and light. My photos do not do it justice. I had made the decision to only carry my Smart phone, to relieve the stress of my DSLR camera on my shoulders. For most of the trip that worked fine, but I can't help but wish that I had carried a better camera that day.

Gaudi is widely considered one of the greatest architects of all time. He studied the natural environment and took inspiration from it.

The Basilica is designed to mimic a forest, with the branching columns representing the trees. It is built to look like light shining through a forest. Is this why I responded so positively to it?

This feature was especially evident as the afternoon sun shone through the western side, creating a canopy of light.

After a couple of hours inside, we headed outside to access the Passion Tower.

The on-line tickets I had purchased included the experience of ascending the Passion Tower, one of the bell tours. The elevator takes you up, to a level where you can see the view of Barcelona. I was really enamored of the view of trees and their shadows in a park below.

Only when we were on the elevator to head to the top did I learn that the only way down was via a descent of 400 stairs. The stairs are designed to mimic the interior of a gigantic snail.

Let me just say that it was a bit of a claustrophobic and a dizzying experience! We took our time. It was definitely worth it.