Connections Fibre Artists - Greenbelt Show

 

“Greenbelt” showcases original artwork by the Connections Fibre Artists and is a rare opportunity to see their artwork in Toronto.  The exhibition is inspired by Ontario’s Greenbelt, now celebrating 20 years, and features a wide variety of fibre art including wet felting, stitching, quilting, collage and mixed media.

Each artist brings a unique perspective to the exhibition, reflecting the diversity and beauty of the landscapes, waterways, and communities that make up Ontario’s Greenbelt. These works invite viewers to consider our relationship to this vital resource and the importance of safeguarding the Greenbelt for future generations.

Connections Fibre Artists (CFA) is a nationally recognized group of accomplished Canadian fibre artists, established in 1999. Members include published authors, artists who have exhibited both nationally and internationally, workshop facilitators, major award winners, and pioneers in the fibre art field. The Greenbelt exhibition will feature works by twenty-two of the group’s twenty-five members.

If you are in the GTA please go and see our show.

The opening is Saturday November 8 (2-4pm)

I am so sad I can’t be there

But am thrilled to be part of this show.

 I have been a member of Connections since their beginnings and am sad that I now live too far away to be with them physically.

But I will be there in spirit!

Re:Play - A Show Opening on October 6th

Re:Play

Is a Connections Fibre Artists group show

Opening on Sunday October 6, 2024, 1-3 pm

At Wellington County Museum, Fergus Ontario 

 

Each of us had to choose a toy from the museum’s collection

I chose this lovely rag doll

It seemed to suit my plant dyed fabrics

And

I imagined that the mother who made this doll for her child had used 

fabrics she had on hand…with no trips to the shops!

And finally I thought that any self respecting rag doll deserved a few blankets for her hope chest.

Thread Story - One

I chose to use scraps from my stash

Scraps inherited from my mother’s stash

Lace from my own wedding dress

Bits and pieces of explorations in stitch that had been rejected for past projects.

Thread Story - Two

Bits and pieces that had been gifted to me

Like the piece of whitish bark cloth laid on top of the brown fabric

This was a gift From Al during the 2023

Connections retreat at Crieff.

A place where lots of sharing goes on.

Thread Story - Three

But as is usual with me….

the thread and stitching became the most important part of the story.

I just can’t resist…..so there is no point in holding back!

It is not just the rhythmic act of stitching

It is also the texture of tiny ripples as layers of cloth become one through many, many stitches.

There is hardly an inch without stitch!

They became known as Thread Stories in my mind.

A favourite corner with a tiny shot of colour from my mother’s stash.

A precious piece of my wedding dress lace.

It was a bolt of lace given to my grandfather during WWII

He was a doctor before the National Health existed

And so this lace had been in payment for some kind of treatment.

My grandfather passed away before I was three….but I remember him.

My grandmother, Robin, kept the bolt of lace all those years until my wedding in 1969.

Then she and my mother made it into a hooded coat to go over my wedding dress.

So special to have that link between the generations.

There were several scraps with holes

And I felt the need to add bright patches as reverse appliqué to peak through.

My foundation fabric for this piece was an old linen serviette

As I stitched the rolled edge of the serviette began to tear away.

I didn’t have the heart to remove it and so just let it drape down and kept in place with more stitches.

The memories we are leaving behind with our stitches

Will soon be hidden from those who do not know!

Enjoy your memories!

And all are welcome for the opening on Sunday of course.

In the Middle of the World at ArtsPlace Ready for Visitors

I want to talk about line of sight.

All three gallery locations where In the Middle of the World was hung

created interesting lines of sight showing layers of work

And interesting half hidden teasers of what might be coming into sight around the corner.

 Miranda Bouchard, Judith Martin me and our helping husbands

created this intimate and enticing layout!

And as Judy said…just like a walk in the woods.

Love it!

Eternity by Judy Martin

Beaver Moon Dreaming by Penny Berens

Medicine Earth by Judy

 luckily we could hang Judy’s pieces away from the wall 

Allowing viewers to peak behind it. For as you must know Judy’s work is always two-sided.

Then we have another of my pieces…November Song

Prayer to the Sky by Judy Martin

 Chasing the Moon by Penny Berens

Thoughts and Memories and Dreams by Judy

Eternity Judy’s

Stoney Island Memories mine

Whispering Cairn mine

Prayer to the Sky Judy’s

Textiles add warmth and intimacy to every space.

Some thought it was like entering a cathedral

When I looked down that long wall I thought of old English manors

Where tapestries were hung on the walls for warmth.

The folk at ArtsPlace noticed it had reduced the echoes in the gallery.

The wonders of textile arts!

I became fascinated by the shadows forming under my wall hangings.

Love that!

….and the shadows behind and beneath Judy’s work too.

So many thanks to Sophie and Geoff at ArtsPlace

Thank you for reading my meanderings!

Have a wonderful day!

Installing ‘In the Middle of the World’ at ArtsPlace in Annapolis Royal

 Before we even began this beautiful vase of flowers arrived from Margi and Kathryn

Our fabulous friends

Thank you both so very much

A lovely beginning for two days of installing.

Boy that task is exhausting!

To get started we wanted to get an easy wall done

We chose

Underfoot the Earth Divine and Resting at Low Tide

Perfect pairing n’est ce pas!

Off to a great start!

Then our precious work lounged about on the floor as we considered what next.

Judy began preparing Eternity for hanging from the ceiling.

And, Handy Hubby, Richard fiddled with straightening.

Judy’s Ned and I discussing something or other

Boy there were a lot of decisions to make!

Miranda Bouchard our brilliant curator and companion from the start of our In the Middle of the World project was in charge of installation of course.

She and Handy Hubby must have been fixing something.

I forget!

She was up and down those ladders like a mountain goat.

Nearly ready to hang Eternity.

Then it was up

And Handy Hubby could get to work on placing my works 

According to Miranda’s plan.

We were ready for coffee and a snack!

Miranda and Ned 

Where to hang Judy’s bundles.

Surely we are done!

Sorry to bore you

But had to have a record for myself

And thank these wonderful people for such a long two days

With a magnificent end result…..

Next time I will show you the show!

Walk Through of In the Middle of the World

 Judy Martin and I did a walk through and talked about our pieces 

hanging at The Muse Gallery in Kenora, Ontario.

Thank you Miranda Bouchard for recording the event with your Photographs.

'My Awakened Heart', 'Her Arms Wrapped Round' and 'My Heart'

Judy's three pieces in the foreground.

'Resting Between Night and Day', 'The Edge of the Woods', 'A Stream Runs Through it' and 'Woodpeckers Live Here'

My pieces on the wall.

As you walk into the gallery this is the beginning of what I think is an emotional experience.

Not to be sentimental but being surrounded by large stitchings have that effect on me!

 They create a welcoming and comforting environment.

Like old English houses where walls were hung with tapestries 

both to impress but also to help warm the place.

Like my grandmother's home where huge, heavy velvet curtains separated the living room from the dining room to keep us warm with a coal (yikes) fire burning.

Love this photo

'Beaver Moon Dreaming' My piece on the wall.

'Eternity', 'Flowers Bloomed' and 'The Forever' Judy's three pieces.

'Resting at Low Tide' My piece on the wall.

'The Forever' Side B Judy's piece in the foreground.

We are so different yet so alike!

Miranda, me, Dagmar Plenk and Judy

We had a surprise visitor, Dagmar who came up from the States to see the show.

We had met online but it is so much better getting to know someone in the flesh.

We had a lovely visit didn't we, Dagmar!

We all loved listening to Judy explaining each piece.

'The Forever' and 'Time Future' Judy's pieces in the foreground.

'Summer's Dance' my piece on the wall.

'Time Past' Judy's piece in the foreground.

'Woodland Berries' My piece on the wall.

'Woodland Berries' is a piece not only about the wild berries the float 

like waves through the woods in Autumn

 but it's also about the woodpeckers that lie in these woods

and the stoney ground that huge trees somehow manage to find nutrients in.

'Dancing in the Wind' and 'Follow the Moon' My pieces on the wall.

'Medicine Earth' Side B Judy's piece beyond the door.

My experience of someone's work is always enriched with their artist talk.

So I am always happy to share my thoughts and process with others.

Even if my throat goes dry and scratchy sometimes!

Some of my works had to be given a wall of their own.

Just too many of them!

Thank you to The Muse for giving them space.

We are delighted that

'In the Middle of the World'

A show of Judith E. Martin and Penny Berens's work

Curated by Miranda Bouchard

has been extended to hang in The Muse gallery,

Kenora, Ontario

Until July 4th, 2023.

Have a great day

We are enjoying a few days of rain here in Nova Scotia

 Hope it is enough to dampen all the wild fires.

  

Tending Winter's Garden

Summer's Dance

I thought that using brighter colours
would help me through the winter months that I find so difficult
and, boy oh boy, last summer was glorious.
I wanted to record and celebrate that too
and forget the winter winds outside.

But then I read Rainer Maria Rilke's thoughts on winter

A time to care for one's inner garden

A time to mend

A time of growth for mind and spirit. 

A time of looking deeply inwards 

Learning

Healing

Reflecting

For so many Winters

I have said I should do a winter piece.

When the word 'should' comes out of my mouth

I now recognize it's never gonna happen!

Acceptance

 

So in this deep mid-winter stitching of the joyful dance of summer's dahlias

I hope I am learning to accept winter's edge

as a quietness

a retreat into deepening knowledge.

Now that this piece is finished

it fills me with joy and rich memories.

Winter's edge was harsh this year

So much so that the Rusty Pups could sniff the upturned top

of quite a few sixty foot spruce

At the other end I found inspiration in it's, oh so shallow, root ball.

There were many days when it was best to stay inside!

Even the RP's thought so.

In May the dahlia corms will go back into the ground

In August their blooms will be dancing and bobbing in summer breezes.