Canadian Canola Fields and Marsh areas

Recently I attended a guild meeting in Alliston hosted by the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners held at the Gibson Centre for Community, Arts and Culture. Ann Berman introduced herself to me and decided she wanted to return to weaving after reading about the Community Threads project in the local paper. She  explained that she had wove quite a bit of the Community Tapestry shown here. She radiates enthusiasm and pride in the work that is being done on the Community Tapestries.  On her right, we can see the image of the Gibson trucks, transporters for Honda in the area, which is half way completed. Two full  tapestry panels are already completed. Valerie has just started another one. We are always looking for more people to contribute to this exciting tapestry project. On May 3 we will be conducting another painting session to create more images. Below, the most recently completed section depicting a Canola Field, a crop commonly found in the region of New Tecumseth.

A number of people came up to me on separate occassions after having seen the solo exhibition of my tapestries at the Gibson Centre  as well as to view the launch of the Community Threads tapestries and told me how impressed they were that people who had never painted before created these images under my direction and guidance. They were so impressed that they asked me to put on a special workshop.  If you would like to join us here are the details:

DESIGNING FOR TAPESTRY WEAVING
An intensive painting and design course for the tapestry weaver without art training. June 18 - 22 10am to 4pm
Toronto Weaving School, 255 Royal York Road, Toronto, On
$250. plus materials, $300 if you would like to include lunch.
Contact: Line Dufour tapestryline@sympatico.ca or telephone 905 836 1321
Register by May 4 2012 

Walter Rothenburger is a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design and was working in a hospital lab prior to starting his second profession as a fibre artist. He's been a participant in my weaving classes for quite a number of years. Here he is shown with one of his just finished tapestries, an interpretation of a photograph he took. Below, the tapestry in more detail.

A number of tapestries are nearing completion at the Toronto Weaving School and we are looking forward to sharing them with you.

My presentation at the Pomegranate Guild

This week I gave a presentation to the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles in Toronto. I've learned that " pomegranates were known in Ancient Israel as the fruits which the scouts brought to Moses to demonstrate the fertility of the "promised land". The Book of Exodus describes the me'il ("robe of the ephod") worn by the Hebrew High Priest as having pomegranates embroidered on the hem. According to the Books of Kings the capitals of the two pillars (Jachin and Boaz) that stood in front of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem were engraved with pomegranates. It is said that Solomon designed his coronet based on the pomegranate's "crown" (calyx). It is traditional to consume pomegranates on Rosh Hashana because the pomegranate, with its numerous seeds, symbolizes fruitfulness. Also, it is said to have 613 seeds, which corresponds with the 613 mitzvot or commandments of the Torah.. The pomegranate appeared on the ancient coins of Judea. When not in use, the handles of Torah scrolls are sometimes covered with decorative silver globes similar in shape to "pomegranates" (rimmonim) Some Jewish scholars believe that the pomegranate was the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.[68] Pomegranates are one of the Seven Species  of fruits and grains enumerated in the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy 8:8) as being special products of the Land of Israel. The pomegranate is mentioned in the Bible many times. Pomegranates also symbolize the mystical experience in the Jewish mystical tradition, or kabbalah, with the typical reference being to entering the "garden of pomegranates" or pardes rimonim; this is also the title of a book by the 16th-century mystic Moses ben Jacob Cordovero.

I realize now what a good fit it was for me since they hold dear their religious and spiritual beliefs, and that I myself value making my spiritual life a priority. I prepared my powerpoint presentation, and was really organized and ready for them. I thought having a powerpoint presentation made me look ‘professional’ and I was quite proud about that. I loaded my tapestries and handwoven items into the car, my laptop, my notes, my usb. There wasn’t a thing I forgot. I arrived at my destination 15 minutes early and fortunately, Rikki, my hostess for the evening, was also there early. I unloaded the car, and set up my presentation, laying out tapestries and woven items, and fumbling with the projector that would connect to my computer. Somehow, I made it work! I loaded my USB with the powerpoint presentation. Everything was going perfectly.

Then up came a message saying that Microsoft Office was not loaded on my laptop. Without it, I could not use my powerpoint presentation. Panic set in though I kept it under wraps. I felt somehow that now my talk would be a real disappointment to all the people who had shown up to hear and see it. A guild member tried and tried to open the pictures in some other format but no luck. Fortunately, I had some pictures of my work on the laptop but not all of the ones I had hoped to share with the group. So the decision was made that I would wing it and wing it I did. I let go of the facade of trying to appear ‘professional’ which at this point seemed farcical. And off I launched into a talk for one and a half hours. The first time I’ve talked about myself and work for that long.

This scenario kept me honest, genuine and real and now that this mishap had occurred it was an opportunity to just be very honest and personal with the group about what I do and why I do it instead of hiding behind the camouflage of academic speak. At the end of the presentation, many people came up to talk to me. Rikki, my hostess, told me I was a hit and that the people really enjoyed the personal approach. My colleague, Melanie Siegal, wrote me an email saying that many people enjoyed the presentation. My overall impression of the group was their welcoming warmth and appreciation of what I did. Love and respect was palpable in this room: love of people, love of textiles, love of art and creativity.

And all this seems to connect somehow to something else I’ve been wanting to share with you. One of my tapestries, Joy, appears as a book cover that has been published entitled: Born to Love: Memoirs of an Ageless Senior by Ofidean Virginia Mitchell_Phillips Ph.D. herself a deeply spiritual person.

This is a group who has its share of very talented fibre artists and I’ve included their links below, one for Melanie Siegel and another, Temma Gentles are the ones I know. Some of you may be interested in joining this guild which is located presently on Glencairn Avenue in Toronto. The membership fee is nominal and provides a warm supportive environment for whatever your textile preference is.

In parting, fill your life with all that you love and with all who love you!

www.pomegranateguild.ca/
www.msiegel.ca
www.temmagentles.com/

Community Threads Week 35

The Community Threads tapestries are coming along slowly. The momentum seems to have slowed somewhat and I hope this is not a sign that enthusiasm is waning. Jackie, on the right, has been working steadily away on the gobelin loom over the last month. Here she is showing Susan Menzies, an artist herself, how to weave tapestry. This is Susan's first attempt. Susan also brought along 2 boys who were in here care over the March Break. They too tried their hand at tapestry weaving. Below, the section of the Community Threads tapestry that Jackie has been working on. I love all the textures and its taking on a three dimensional look.

I brought in a video of the birthing of the Community Threads project that I put together to show those in attendance. I think it re-inspired us all. We're looking to promote a local musician(s) music track to add to the video and then put it on YouTube. It's a wonderful chronicle of the projects unfolding. I was also told  that the historical society had visited on Wednesday. I think the tapestries are looking great! I'm really pleased with the results so far!

Exploring the Possibilities

The tapestry weavers in my weaving class are so seldomly featured on my blog that I thought I would dedicate todays entry to them . They work away...usually quietly though at times they can get into very animated and have deep discussions. I've come to believe that the tapestry weavers are the philisophers among all the other weavers. Perhaps the process of tapestry weaving draws that kind of person - a person with profound thoughts and insightful points of view. I have not met a tapestry weaver who I would consider to be dull even if tapestry weaving is repetitive. Monday mornings has come to be the time when we have more tapestry weavers than other kind of weavers in the class. For me, a treat. Entirely different considerations in tapestry weaving. Technically, not as rigourous and demanding as other kinds of weaving. I wanted to talk about tapestry weavers this week because I think they have some important approaches that other weavers can learn and benefit from.

First and foremost, tapestry weavers tend to be an adventourous lot. They are usually up for exploring the possibilities of their creative endeavours and this I think translates in how they lead their lives. Most of the tapestry weavers I know have constructed an unusual life....and not a life that is prescribed. They take chances, and take risks.....and usually have surprising results that would make many envious. They think outside the box, perhaps because often they cannot fit into the box! This sampler, done by Pauline Abraham, is a perfect illustration of what I'm talking about. Most people I know that have done this sampler have done exactly what I told them to do, rarely departing from the format. Pauline was unable to restrain her own creative forces and it came surging through her sample. She explored. She experimented and did not concern herself with what I thought or anyone else. She asked herself, as she placed colours and threads side by side....what if I did this or that? She saw new possiblilities and explored them.

Which brings me to discuss another person who took her introduction to tapestry weaving with me - Susan Middleton. Susan is a talented artist. She also, could no longer be restrained from pursueing her dream. After being a teacher for many years, and fighting off her irrational desire to be a tapestry weaver and artist, she finally relinquished her fears and her job to make her dreams come true. The first thing she did was study with a tapestry weaver in Belgium. Upon her return she bought a beautiful Glimarka tapestry loom (no longer being made) and rented a studio space. This past summer, on her own, she created a wide range of yarns for weaving her tapestries, all dyed with natural dyes. This she did after attending a conference/trade show in France that was about natural dyes.

When one pursues what one loves, although we wrestle with our fears, it makes for a most interesting journey. We feel more alive. More real. There is no rule book. One advances a step at a time. Opening doors to new possibilities. Making new connections. Growing in our creativity, our technical abilities, but above all having nourishing and positive relationships with ourselves and with others. We need this fertile environment to flourish in every way. If you'd like to see more of Susan's work you can go to http://chezrouleau.com/chezrouleau.html

And so happy weaving and may it be your path to a bliss and joy.

Community Threads: Week Ten

Sunday September 11 was the opening reception of my tapestry exhibit Wholeness, featuring mostly tapestries and some other fibre related work. This event was also the official launch day for the Community Threads tapestries initiative funded in part by the Ontario Arts Council and undertaken by the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners Guild. The event was well attended and by my count, about 60 people came by to the Gibson Centre for Community, Arts and Culture. Quite a few of the guests came from out of town and had a minimum of one to two hour drive each way. Thanks to them for braving it. Among the guests, shown here in this photograph, Lynda Mitchell Reynolds, the Executive Director of the South Simcoe Arts Council, Mike MacEachern, Mayor of New Tecumseth. To learn more about this lovely towship go to http://www.town.newtecumseth.on.ca/

Since I had two years to prepare for the solo exhibition, I was able to create about 6 new pieces.....5 of which were tapestries. Shown here, are two of my most recent pieces which the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners helped in the finishing. These two pieces entitled Chakra 5 and 7 are shown here left to right. The chakras present us with a system to weave together body, mind, heart and spirit. This system of beliefs works well in describing how I choose to live my life and practice my artistic and artisinal endeavours, always trying to keep in balance the various needs we have as humans.
The Gallery at the Gibson Centre is a wonderfully restored historic warehouse. It once was a home to manufacturing agricultural machinery. It has been in the Gibson Family a long time, who make a significant contribution to Alliston's economy. They have a fleet of transport trucks that do much of the hauling for Honda, who also employs a large number of people in the area. The building was donated to the community to host its various social and cultural activities. I liked that it had a cash bar for people which meant I didn't have to be out of pocket for refreshments.

I thank Sharon Robinson and Greg Rodrigo for taking most of the pictures (and videos) of the event. Most of the pictures here are ones that Sharon took. Greg put together an outstanding slide and video presentation of the entire process of the Community Threads project to date. Everyone stopped to look at it and were mesmerized and awed.

What has touched me so profoundly is the positive feedback, praise and support of so many people, of the exhibition and the Community Threads endeavour. Debbie Harris, herself a talented tapestry weaver, couldn't believe that the designs for the tapestries had been done by people who had never painted before. Only two or three people had had a lot of experience painting. The rest were novices.

The weaving guild members continued weaving on the Community Threads tapestries during the reception. Here we see Janet Fayle at the top and Elisabeth Bishof at the bottom. Both of these two women have been working steadily during the entire project thus far.

Here a guest, Michelle Brady, an Art Director in the film industry, tries her hand at tapestry weaving.





Funded in part by the Ontario Arts Council.

CommunityThreads: Week 9

What strikes me most thus far while I am a guest artist and weaver at the Gibson Centre, is how much people can accomplish when they work together. Collaboration. Interaction. Cooperation. Together we can work wonders. Over and over again during the time I've been assisting the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners, one fact is glaringly evident. So many of these people, and in this particular circumstance, women, are doing so much volunteer work to make their community a better place, their environment healthier, and the world a kinder place to live in. I am always so awed by the largesse of people's hearts. My life and financial circumstances don't give me the time and resources I would need to do what these people are able to undertake. Let us just say, that many othose who have more abundant resources do give back in ways I wish I could. They are great role models and mentors to others who will follow behind them.
The main gobelin loom is set up and the weaving guild members are now weaving on the tapestries. In this picture, Nellie on the left and Corrie sitting beside her. Above, we took a group shot of many of those who have helped out regularly over the last two months. Unfortunately, some were not present and certainly deserved to be part of this group shot. It's nice to record the event and project as it evolves.

Today, two gentlemen found their way to Alice's Attic where the weaving guild convenes. On the left, Dan Boucher, from Beeton and David Lloyd who lives in Keswick. These fellows own alpacas are were there to let the weavers and spinners know about their alpaca events and products. Their website is www.DATRIXALPACAS.COM if you want to know more.

Tracy Mulhall from Snap newspaper came by to see what we were doing. She took several photos and some notes on the Community Threads project and also on the Wholeness exhibition of my tapestries. She was very enthusiastic and personable and made us all feel so at ease. Tracy is standing at the back. In front from left to right, Elisabeth, Dawna and Nathalia.

This Sunday, the opening reception of Wholeness and the launch of the Community Threads project. It's shaping up to be a very exciting event with a lot of people saying they will be in attendance. See you soon!

Artist Statement: Wholeness

ARTIST STATEMENT

To be whole, is described as being healthy, entire; recovered from a wound or injury; restored; free of defect or impairment; mentally and emotionally sound; constituting an undivided unit; constituting a person in their full nature; not having omitted or disregarded anything; a coherent system or organization of parts working together as one; Referenced from Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary

Wholeness. Many of us seek to become whole. To be and become what we can be. To be given the opportunity and the circumstances to know wholeness as a human being. That is undoubtely a blessing. We can find wholeness by engaging in an assortment of activities and relationships that will help us grow, flourish, and lead to our transformation. This has been a theme in my art practice, and my philosophy of life ever since I can remember.

Most, though not all of the work I am presenting for this solo exhibition are handwoven tapestries. Two series or bodies of work are presented, distinguished by their use of colour and the manner in which they are hung. What unites the two groups of work is that both groups of work seek to interpret visually the human experience of emotion, states and interactions. They have been inspired by a large body of research on religion, psychology, spirituality and scientific studies on the effects of colour. The series that employs bright colours is called the Well Being series. The dark, large, three dimensional pieces are part of the groupings called Turbulence.

The colours in the Well Being series have been inspired by the colours used to describe the chakras. In Hinduism, there are physical focal points where psychic forces merge and interact and there are seven chakras, each associated with a colour among other things. Chakras work in dialogue and relationship with each other. It is a body/mind paradigm which is also the case in western psychology especially in the practice of cognitive therapy. The momentum of this movement of well being can be observed in bookstores and on television where it has almost become mainstream, yet seems still to evade so many of us.

The colours found in the Turbulence grouping are more ponderous and heavy. Thoughts, feelings and memories weigh upon us bringing us some measure of discomfort. Acknowledging our shadow side helps us to transform these denser feelings into new insights, that may bring us a more joyful, positive and harmonious dimension to our life.

The two distinct groups of weavings are united in their theme – giving visual expression to the wide range of human emotion and states, and this includes our shadow/dark/ side as well as our more pleasant emotions. The pleasant emotions, the Well Being series, are shown as bright and intense colours, simple in their composition and convey the lightness and buoyancy they bring to our spirit, body and energy. Our darker side/reflective side is represented by the pieces in the Turbulence group, and they incorporate black as the dominant colour, and also a three dimensional technical aspect. This dimension of ourselves is more complex, revealing insights if we the courage to face them, if we are receptive and willing to heed its message. Grappling with our inner uncertainties, fears and uncomfortable emotions in a way that honours them, can transform them and us. This is represented in some of my tapestries that are three dimensional which are also interactive and are able to be hung in different configurations.

It seems really appropriate that the opening for my exhibition Wholeness is taking place on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Who can forget that day? That terrifying day left all of us in shock, our sense of security forever shaken. Taking the time to create work that has been part of my healing journey, I hope my work will have positive transformative effects upon those that view them. I have another reason to feel that this is a good date as well. My nephew was born on that date. For him, and all others born on this day, is reason enough to go forward to make their life, their world a better one, and to not steal away their happiness because of our grief.

Exhibition: September 1 - 26 2011

Opening Reception: Sunday, September 11, 2011

Gibson Centre of Community, Arts and Culture

63 Tupper Street West

Alliston, Ontario

www.gibsoncentre.com

Community Threads: Day 5

Linda Needles, president of her guild, is one of the dynamic forces at the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners in Alliston. She sent me all kinds of links and pictures related to tapestry weaving. I'll post them at the end of the blog for you to reference and learn more about tapestry as well as about historical and contemporary tapestry practices. Of the many images she sent me, this one was included. It is taken at Stirling Castle in Scotland where they are recreating the historical Unicorn tapestries.

There were various tasks to accomplish today. The guild participants helped me in the finishing of my tapestries recently off the loom in an effort to have them ready for the exhibition opening Wholeness, September 11 between 2-5pm at the Gibson Centre for Community, Art and Culture, 63 Tupper Street West. An intensive effort as they soon discovered. This task requires hours of inserting the weft threads into the 'tunnel' that the weft thread creates as it passes over the warp threads.
In this picture, from left to right, Janet Fayle, Elisabeth Bishof, and Betty C.

The advantage of such a task when undertaken with others, is that it is one of those jobs that you can engage in conversation easily. So lots of chatting went on. From left to right, Nellie, our new OHS president Sandi Nemenyi, and Janet .
As I listen to them talking among each other I clearly see that these women make valuable contirubtions to their community. Sharon Robinson Rodrigo summed it up beautifully when she said that these kinds of cultural activities are community building activities. It builds morale, lifts the spirits of not only those who make the contributions but also those who will benefit from their contributions. People like Linda Needles who works to fundraise for a digital mammography machine, Sandi Nemenyi who puts in countless hours voluntarily and unpaid for the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners, Janet Fayle, whose good sense of order and organization keeps the Nottawasaga Guild running smoothly, Sharon Robinson Rodrigo who puts in volunteer hours for her church, and their youth camp as well as their endeavours to send aid to Haiti. All of you that have come out to participate in the Community Threads project ....I can only say it is such a generous gesture to participate in a project of this scope. I'm sure there are many more of you that contribute in other ways that I have not heard of and you deserve a great round of applause. These community and volunteer efforts contribute to our 'wholeness', to the 'wholeness' of one's community and various organizations , which makes this entire endeavour so compatible with my upcoming exhibit entitled Wholeness.
In this picture Sharon Robinson Rodrigo and Linda Needles prepare the paper that will be layered between the warp threads on the gobelin loom.

We learned today that the Gibson Centre has a TV monitor in the reception area where they post pictures of the activities that take place there. I'll be submitting pictures to the Gibson Centre for that purpose....so head's up, your picture might be there! The South Simcoe Arts Council friended us on 'Facebook' and is very supportive of our undertaking. They have made a contribution to the Community Threads project.


Libby Hoffman and Nathalia Smugden finished setting up the warps on the smaller tapestry looms we'll be using. Nathalia mentioned that she took Ukrainian weaving for several years at the Banff School of Art and recalls the luxury of having a swim morning and night, and weaving all day in between. We talked about how wonderful it is to be able to dedicate time to an activity we feel passionate about and love doing. Time out from the usual mundande domestic chores. Time to just focus on what matters to us. Time to not take care of anyone else but ourselves. We all need to do that once in awhile, to feel whole, to feel renewed!

The final preparations of the warp on the gobelin loom overseen by Gayle Wheeler on the right. Valerie Splaine and Elisabeth Bishof undertake the task. Gayle has studied tapestry with Marcel Marois and Archie Brennan ( and also studied with me!). You should ask Gayle what is was like to work with Marcel and Archie. I'm sure it would be intriguing and very interesting!

I spent the day on the floor preparing the colour combinations and butterflies for the one of the twelve tapestries. Everything had to be coded for the days when I won't be available to help.

Below the promised links to other tapestry information, historical and contemporary forwarded by Linda Needles.
This link makes reference to an artist who commissioned the Victorian Tapestry Workshop to create his designs for tapestries that are still hanging in Saskatchewan. See page 12 of the transcripts of this talk given.
http://tapestrycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/8th-annual-lecture-walker1.pdf
This link is to the Stirling Castle tapestries
http://www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/tapestries
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/edinburgh-scotland-c-2631/

Canongate Kirk - "kirk," that's what they call churches in Scotland - is at
the lower end of Edinburgh's Royal Mile, near Holyrood Palace.

Built in 1690, its plain, light-blue interior, without embellishments such
as stained-glass windows, reflects the country's conversion to Protestantism
in the 16th century, under fire-and-brimstone-breathing Scottish preacher
John Knox.

But in 2000, some truly lovely and moving elaborations were made to the
otherwise Spartan church in the form of embroidered seat cushions for the
stalls in the apse.

Commissioned by the Fife, Lothians and Borders branch of the Normandy
Veterans Assn., they commemorate the soldiers who died, fighting to liberate
Europe during World War II, on D-day.

Fine three-stranded wool thread dyed in a rainbow of colors was used by
textile artists from all over the world, in patterns well-known to crewel
workers, including Scottish and Gobelin stitchery. The result is radiant,
though it's doubtful that Knox would agree.
Susan Spano, Los Angeles Times staff writer

Community Threads Day Three

My drive to the Gibson Centre for Culture, Art and Culture takes me through pastoral farmland. It's always pleasant to get there no matter what time of year. Everyone is eager to contribute to the Community Threads tapestries project and everyone's contribution is welcomed and finds its way into this absorbing endeavour. Much of the project depends on their contribution and their contribution is one of the reasons we are fostering this artistic and creative undertaking. Donations of time, materials, expertise and labour. In the picture above, just some of the yarn we've collected from many. One of the activities we did today, headed by Chris H, was sorting the piles of yarn we received into colour groupings. Chris was helped by Sharon Robinson-Rodrigo and Linda Needles, the President of the Nottawasaga Weavers and Spinners.















The first thing we did today was collect up all the paintings that had been done. I shared with the group how we were going about editing the paintings and abstracting from them the designs that we would be using for the tapestries. It was hard at first for participants to imagine the purpose of this exercise, but as it evolved, they 'got it'! Creativity, for those who were brave enough to venture there, was/is very much about relingquishing control and having somewhat of a blind faith as to where you feel you are being led. In the above picture, Sharon Robinson-Rodrigo with her son, Nicolas.














Linda Needles, president of the Nottawasaga Weavers and Spinners editing the paintings.














I admired many of the participants who, despite having no confidence in their own artistic abilities, put their fear aside and jumped in feet first! Here, Janet Dryden and Valerie Splaine. Yes, I'm sure many of us had to beat back our inner self critical voices and allow ourselves to find some beauty in the marks on that page that are distinctly and uniquely our own.














Gayle Wheeler is herself a talented tapestry weaver. Her husband Norm Wheeler is a well reknowned potter. Gayle will be lead technical assitant for the bulk of the weaving of the tapestries.














Dawna Beatty (I think I spelled your name right this time!) at work editing her painting.














Today saw a few new participants. Corrie Parsons, shown above at the left, sitting beside Elizabeth Bishof.

We also had a visit from Maija Hoggett, a journalist from The Herald, the newspaper for South Simcoe and based in Alliston. She took all kinds of notes and will be writing an article in the near future about the project.














We were very glad to be graced with the every graceful and abundantly enthusiastic and creative Executive Director of the Gibson Centre, Angela Drainville shown here third from left, wearing black. She came up with the name of the project, Community Threads, which of course, is such a perfect metaphor for what is happening at different levels as well as captures the artisinal aspect of the project. She also donated the space and administrative resources to undertake this Ontario Arts Council funded undertaking. She has lined up an exciting list of entertainers that will be coming to the Gibson Centre soon. To know more go to http://www.gibsoncentre.com/













All the pieces of the edited paintings come together. We are taking the sections of paintings and reorganizing them into strips that work together aesthetically. From left to right, Corrie Parsons, Gayle Wheeler, Elizabeth Bishof and Nicolas Robinson-Rodrigo.












So we designed our tapetries, 12 altogether. We won't let you see the final designs because we like to maintain some surprise and make you curious enough to come to the official launch of the Community Threads project on September 11 2011 between 2-5pm when I will also be having a solo exhibition of my tapestries.














And finally, another task that got done today is creating the warps for the tapestry looms. Above, Janet Fayle and Elizabeth working on the 10 yd warp for the gobelin loom and below, Betty (who I think would like to remain annonymous...if not please let me know)














We all felt really enlivened and invigorated after todays events. Nothing is as exciting to me as sparking the creativity in others. I know how much joy I derive from my artistic and creative endeavours but its even more electifying when its shared with others. I am also in awe and admiration when I look at a group of people who have so much talent and skill and are so humble about it. The participants must be applauded! Thank you all for another great day!

Community Threads tapestries Day One

I was totally impressed with the paintings that were produced by the guild members and guests of the Nottawasaga Handweavers and Spinners, most of whom do not consider themselves artists. I agree wholeheartedly with Picasso who said that everyone is an artist. So many of us have heard so many negative messages about art, about making art, and were well trained to focus our energies and talents into other domains. But if you take a minute to recall your childhood, remember how easily we engaged in the activity of making pictures and how freely we did it. This session was about disconnecting from our critical voices and freeing ourselves to freely make marks on the paper connected to our theme - images that represented community.


People selected mostly photographs they had taken from the the municipality that are representative of the community. Some people also sought out other sources such as magazines and the internet as other themes that represented community were lacking. We've decided to have another painting day next Thursday July 21 10am to 1pm. Eventually these paintings will be translated into designs for 12 tapestries that we hope will hang in different venues in the municipality with an accompanying self guided tour brochures. This suggestion was from Angela Drainville, the Executive Director of the Gibson Centre. She also gave us the title of the project which we felt was very appropriate.

After a brief lesson on design and application of the paints, we got started, hesitantly at first, but before we knew it people were creating amanzing results. Janet Fayle said " I didn't believe I could do it!" When Donna Beatty was done, she said it was ''uplifting" and Allanah Bishof said that painting made her feel good. Mattie Sullivan enjoyed painting with a group and that this was stimulating for her and generated a lot of ideas. She made reference to really being able to get into the 'flow' that happens in painting and being creative. Libby Hoffman was interested in how the painting could apply to her weaving and Gail Sheldon agreed. Painting has many applications for the weaver as a source of colour inspiration for fabric, spinning and dyeing. It will give you ideas about combining colours that you may never have thought of combining before. Valerie wasn't too sure about how she felt about painting but she said she would do it again which is a great sign. In addition, what she was able to produce was remarkable and showed no sign of her uncertainty. Linda Needles felt she'd rather be knitting which, since she was painting madly away, showed what a good sport she is and a team player! Thanks Linda! We had a few experienced painters in the group that joined us as well: Barbara Huson, Carol and Joan (sorry....didn't get last names). Carol and Joan helped some of the novices with the application of paint. We appreciated their input and contribution.


This project is made possible by the generous contribution of the Ontario Arts Council and many volunteer hours and donations.