What’s My View? - ReBecca Paterson, Searsville, New Brunswick

Here is a pic of the neighbours sheep that Keta and I see on our walks.

Another of an Iris that I’m thinking of doing something with.

What’s My View? - Heidi Wulfraat, Lakeburn, New Brunswick

My inspiration very often comes from day trips along the back roads of New Brunswick.

I try to have my camera ready at all times!

What’s My View? - Laurie Swim, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

This is the start of the documentary for Laurie's Halifax Explosion Project. 

And it has the view from her studio...

Go to Halifax Explosion Project and use the Password 902hope

For those who would like to participate in Laurie's Halifax Explosion Centenary project with the beading of the Scroll of Remembrance in Braille, you can contact her at laurieswim@eastlink.ca

Each sheet is approximately 12"x 10" and has 12 names in script and Braille dots. The sheets will come with 10 grams of beads, a needle and 14 yd. of nylon thread to cover the beading. The task is not onerous and actually quite meditative in its process. A minimum of two sheets are sent out at a time and you are welcome to undertake as many as you can. The idea is to engage as many people as possible in the community component to build awareness of the historical impact of this horrific event that took place 100 years ago and how it effects us even today.

There are 1946 names on 162 sheets to bead over the next 3 years. Eventually, they will be in columns of four sheets to make a narrow panel. When hung consecutively, the panels will measure approximately 40 feet in length. The pieces I create in my studio may hang above the scroll or in the middle of the scroll according to the size of the venue where the work is displayed. I am hoping to tour the work for two years across Canada and down through the New England States.

"Structures” Call for Entry - Information Update

“Structures” Call for Entry Forms are available on the SAQA site at Prospectus/Entry Info

Hilary Rice Workshops and Trunk Show - Fredericton, New brunswick October 21 - 25, 2014

October Workshops with Textile Artist Hilary Rice

Be inspired, learn something different and challenge yourself to be innovative with new techniques under the guidance of fibre artist and professional teacher Hilary Rice when she visits New Brunswick in October.  Sponsored by Fredericton Quilters’ Guild, these hands-on workshops will build confidence in using the techniques while exposing participants to broader possibilities.  Definitely a fun opportunity!  To see examples of Hilary’s work, visit www.mestudios.ca.

Easy-Peasy Curves — The Basics of Top-stitch Curved Piecing
Tuesday, October 21.
No more sewing only straight lines!  For confident beginner & beyond, produce a small landscape and be introduced to embellishing ideas.    Kit fee: $50

Imagine & Create — Embellishment Techniques for Art Quilters 
Wednesday-Thursday, October 22 – 23.
With the mastery and exploration of an assortment of embellishment techniques, you can design and create anything!  For anyone with an adventurous spirit, emphasis will be on an imaginative approach to the creation of innovative works with input from an experienced fibre artist.    Kit fee: $10

Funky Tricks & Techniques — For Textile & Mixed Media Artists
Friday, October 24.
Learn a smattering of fun techniques applicable to a variety of artistic endeavours, such as transfer foiling, silk paper making, metal work and toner transfer.  For all people, all ages.    Kit fee: $20

Quilting with Metal/Mettle or Everything you wanted to know about metal appliqué but were afraid to try 
Saturday, October 25, 2014.
Instruction will be given on the entire how-to involved when working with metal as an appliqué accent - anneal your chosen metal, see demos of embossing and colouring, use a blowtorch!  For those with an adventurous spirit.    Kit fee: $20

Workshops run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and are being held at Willie O’Ree Place, Fredericton.  Cost is $65 per day + kit fee.

To register, contact LaVerne McCallum Deakin 459-5324 or at lmd@bellaliant.net or Lee McLean 451-1311 or at quilter@jamocha.com.

As well, Hilary is offering a trunk show/presentation, “Along the Silk Road” 

It is said that all things are connected. Each of us moves through our lives, one thing leading to another, the way the silk journey of long ago was a continuous journey. While selling silk was part of it, it also acted as a conduit for thoughts and ideas. In her inspirational talk, textile and mixed media artist Hilary Rice will share her story – a story full of chance meetings and doors opening, fun experiments and happy accidents. It is a journey that acts as a conduit for thoughts and ideas - a journey that winds through a progression of art quilts and into a new world of creativity.

The trunk Show is being held at 7:00 p.m. Oct. 21 at Hugh John Flemming Forestry Complex, Fredericton (across from Regent Mall).  Open to the public.  Admission $5.

For photos, see the Fredericton Quilt Guild blog at http://frederictonquiltersguild.blogspot.ca/2014/09/gearing-up-and-hilary-rice.html

Update and food for thought - Chris Nielsen

I'm afraid that nothing triggers my creativity more than some suffering, fear and a little drama. I have had my fair share over the last 15 days, including an unexpected detour to ICU. But all signs point to discharge next week and no additional recovery time.

Hospitals are incredibly lonely and insular places and I have had lots to time to think. I am even more convinced now that I, and I hope some other regional members, should take the next step of entering larger SAQA exhibitions. Frankly, the internal and external work involved will be almost negligible compared to the heroics I have observed in my fellow patients. Sometimes it takes something special to see that the roadblocks we have placed in our way are just minor ripples in the road.

As soon as I get home I will be setting up some mechanism to help us continue to overcome those ripples as we move toward a common goal of show entries. Please give some thought to what format might help you the most and leave a comment here or send me a note.

Summer Project - ReBecca Paterson, Searsville, New Brunswick

ReBecca reports that she had a wonderful summer, but creative pursuits took a bit of back seat. The only project she tried to stay focused on was a new Gazebo cover after Arthur shredded the original one. ReBecca purchased 30 yards of unknown fibers in Portland Maine for $1.99 a yard ( a huge deal for Canadian shoppers!). Both selvages have been sewn over 3 times, so she said it her took forever to sew. She also said that she was waiting for the right day to cut out the 8 pieces and that by her calculations, it should be done just in time to pack everything away for fall and winter.

What’s my View? - Nancy MacIntosh, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia

The Fundy Shore at sunset in August.  Peace and tranquility as we say goodbye to a summer day.

SAQA Atlantic Regional Show - Call for Entry

SAQA Atlantic is very pleased to announce a Call for Entry for our second Regional Show, ‘Structures’! 

Our show will premiere at the Art Gallery of St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia on June 1, 2015, with opening night on June 5, 2015.

Show Concept: 

Structures surround us. They can comprise man-made or natural arrangements, thought concepts, social relations, musical compositions and much more. We are embedded within social structures of all types and rely on them to determine everything from how we organize our days to how we build our sentences. Physical structures can be as large as a bridge or high rise building or as small as a molecular arrangement.

SAQA Atlantic Canada encourages its members to submit art quilts which are inspired by structures. Abstract and representational work are encouraged.

Juror: Alan Syliboy:

An established Mi’kmaq artist, Alan Syliboy’s work is influenced by the indigenous Mi'kmaq rock drawing and quill weaving traditions. Working in acrylic and mixed media, Alan creates vibrantly coloured images exploring the themes of family, searching, spirituality, struggle, and strength. The use of layering symbols and mark making creates depth and texture in Alan’s work. Besides painting Alan also works in sculpture and pottery. His career spans several decades of highly acclaimed work. You find more information on his website www.alansyliboy.org 

Curator: Regina Marzlin 

IMPORTANT DATES

Entry opens ► March 15, 2015 

Deadline for receipt of entries ► April 15, 2015 

Notification of acceptance ► April 30, 2015

Accepted artwork delivery date ► May 15, 2015 

Artist reception ► June 5, 2015 

Exhibition opens ► June 1, 2015

Exhibition closes► The show will travel to multiple venues. We anticipate that it will remain intact until June 30, 2016.

Nova Scotia Fibre Fest 2014 Upcoming Workshops - Deb Plestid, Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia

The 7th annual Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival takes place in Amherst from October 14-18th, 2014. It is a five day celebration of all things fibre - quilting, rug hooking, knitting, weaving, felting, crocheting and much more. This festival features creative workshops, stunning exhibits and hands-on demonstrations and some of the region’s most beautiful fibre work.

I am pleased to be a part of the festival and to have my work displayed in the Dayle’s Department Store windows at 129 Victoria St East in Amherst. Check out the festival website at www.fibreartsfestival.com

I’ll be presenting two workshops - Three Bums on a Beach and Thread Vessels.
The festival will thrill those who love to hold and behold fibre in all its guises.

Three Bums on a Beach - Deb Plestid

Thread Vessel - Deb Plestid

Thread Vessel - Deb Plestid

Update - Chris Nielsen, Head of St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia

I know many are wondering just how our esteemed leader, Chris is doing after her surgery on Friday. I am very pleased to report she is doing well and if you would like to send her notes of encouragement, please do so via her personal blog The Galloping Cat, where she has posted her first "real time" post-surgery entry this morning. 

Feel free to express your awe as she takes control of her recovery with her usual focus, determination and attention to detail. 

Speedy recovery, Chris! We know better than to expect nothing less.

What's my view? - Chris Nielsen, Head of St. Margaret's Bay, NS

Readers of my blog have already seen this image but it so important to me that I will share it here. This was taken on my solo bike ride along the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany in 2013. It represents my love of that part of the world, my freedom to do as I pleased for a week and is attractive to me in its simplicity. The pure reflections on the water say a lot to me.

Road trip report

Susan Tilsley Manley, Kate Madeloso and I recently took a two day road trip  to see all four galleries where the Oh, Canada show was being presented. After picking up Susan in Durham, NS we took the ferry to Prince Edward Island with the gallery at the Confederation Centre for the Arts as our first destination. But we didn't get there without a fibre detour! After passing the sign for Belfast Mini Mills we turned around (yes, we foolishly drove a few more kilometres) and headed for the business. It was one of the highlights of the trip. The owners are warm wonderful people who delighted in giving us a tour of their operation. We had a chance to talk with Hazel who creates wonderful wet felted backgrounds for people who want to pursue felting but are put off by the blinding whiteness at the start. She offers a one day class and we will definitely go back for a day of felting and laughter.

I had never been to the Confederation Centre of the Arts and I was really surprised to see such a large and well-kept facility. The gallery space was very nice. The show was a mixture of pieces we liked, pieces that puzzled us, and pieces we really disliked. After ice cream at Cows we headed over the bridge to Moncton.

Our first stop the next morning was to be Galerie Sans Nom. We were about thirty minutes early so we wandered around the Aberdeen Cultural Centre where the gallery is located. An artist in a studio on the main floor told us about a fibre artist upstairs. Imagine that person's surprise when the three of us piled into her studio and started oohing and aahing. As it became clear that we spoke her language she started going into her closet and bringing out things that were hidden away, probably because not many non-fibre people would 'get' them. We loved each new thing more. The artist is Marjolaine Bourgeois. You should stop by and say hello when you are in Moncton. You won't regret a visit to the Aberdeen building. It has a warm and creative vibe.

Les pieds dans l'eau, 2014, Marjolaine Bourgeois

We saw the next two galleries on the afternoon of the second day. It was good to end at the Owens Gallery at Mount Allison University. All three of us felt found some of our favourite artwork in that portion of the show. The Oh, Canada show will remain in our region for a couple more weeks. I encourage everyone to get out to see it if you can. You won't like everything (or anything) but it will prompt you to reflect on important topics globally and in your own art practice.

SAQA Atlantic trunk show

As summer ends and we begin to convene in groups of all kinds to help offset the trials of the coming cold and snow, please don't forget that our regional trunk show is available to travel. Think outside the box about where you'd like to spread the love of art quilts and share the talents of your fellow SAQA members.

Check out the trunk show link on the home page of the blog to contact the coordinators. Even if the trunk is in another province, we can make arrangements to get it to you. The coordinators can help create a reasonable schedule for its travels.

Laurie Swim, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia - Student’s Work

Recently Laurie taught her class, From Start to Finish, in Lunenburg, NS. Cathy Nunn was one of her students and wrote this lovely note to Laurie about her experience and what she learned in the five day workshop. Here she is with her nearly completed art quilt.

August, 2014.Wow!  It’s been a great week. I have learned so much. Can I just say what a fine teacher you are? Thank you for your generosity in sharing your skills and techniques and stories. I feel more confident now meeting those “unexpected” opportunities for creativity. Again, thank you for sharing your time and space.  -Cathy Nunn.

Laurie would also like tell folks that with her project, Hope and Survival, The Halifax Explosion taking place over the next three years, as well as taking on a large commission recently (more on that to come), she most likely will not be teaching these workshops for some time.

There are still openings in the September 15-19, 2014 workshop for anyone who is interested.  Contact Laurie at swim@ican.net