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!

An Invitation to the Opening of In the Middle of the World at ARCAC in Annapolis Royal

 I am very happy to announce that In the Middle of the World is coming to my local art centre in Annapolis Royal. We will have an opening reception at ARTSPLACE on September 7th 12-2pm. The reception will be followed with a talk between Judy Martin, Miranda Bouchard and myself.

I am excited to see this wonderful tactile show again. And it will be extra special to have a few days to spend with Judy and Miranda again. They will both be flying in from Northern Ontario and I will be driving down the road!

It is hard to believe our show was first hung so beautifully at The Mississippi Textile Museum in Almonte, Ontario back in 2021 during Covid when I was not able to attend…..so disappointed was I.

Since then it has travelled to The Muse, in Kenora, Ontario where all three of us could attend and meet so many wonderful people who came from all over.

And now I am thrilled it is coming to my little town and our wonderfully active and supportive ARTSPLACE.

Manitoulin Memory

Looking towards Killarney from Manitoulin Island

Spirit Island

Judy Martin's home

Judy's inspiration

Photo by Miranda Bouchard

For years and years Judy and have visited each other

stitching

sharing

supporting

dreaming

discussing

critiquing

sometimes friends joined us too

This time Miranda Bouchard joined us.

We are happy Miranda is curating our next show

I believe we are all finding this intergenerational collaboration very rewarding.

Thank you to the Ontario Arts Council for funding Miranda in this curatorial project.

Top Judy's work in progress Bottom Penny's Whispering Cairn

 We viewed pieces together

sharing thoughts and insights

It is a special friendship

when you feel comfortable

giving honest critique and receiving it.

Thank you for that gift

Left Penny's Stone Islands  Right Judy's Dark Side of the Sun

Sometimes we turned things around

Sometimes we turned things upside down

Sometimes we got the scissors out and took things apart

Left Penny's Work in Progress Right Judy's Work in Progress

Judy and I are very similar but oh so different too.

For this show...

Judy aims at inspiring people to gaze skyward

at it's enormity 

but also to find that immensity in ourselves too.

My goal is to inspire us to observe the places we live in

to recognize how we are in nature

and how nature can fill the immensity that is us.

Judy's Work in Progress

We reach out

We touch

We are textile artists after all

Touch is everything