Join Hélène Blanchet for the opening of her solo show at the Craig Gallery, Dartmouth NS, Tuesday Oct 30

Cape Breton textile artist Hélène Blanchet's series “Calgary Days” celebrates scenes, activities and events she experienced when living in Calgary. Her signature folk art style captures the people, the sights and the colours of the city brilliantly.  

A natural story-teller, Hélène brings her stories to life in the minutia of detail featured in every piece. Tiny bits of cloth are painstakingly appliquéd with minuscule stitches onto a background of fine quilting, and adorned with wee glass beads and colourful embroidery threads. 

Hélène Blanchet has been quilting for over 25 years. For several years her husband’s work took her to live in many parts of the world, including a brief stint in Calgary, Alberta. These travels have nourished her love of traditional textiles of all kinds and have had a large influence on her work. She draws inspiration from these traditions, the natural world, family and her beloved Nova Scotia.

What:   Calgary Days, Textile art exhibition

Where: Craig Gallery, Alderney Ferry Terminal, Dartmouth NS

When:  Opening & Artist Talk -- Tuesday, Oct. 30, 5pm - 7pm

              Show runs: October 31 - December 2, 2018

Gallery Hours: (subject to change)

              Monday - CLOSED

              Tuesday to Friday - noon to 5:30pm

              Saturday - 9am to 5pm

              Sunday - 11am - 3pm

Read more about Hélène Blanchet on our 2016 artist interview, Folk Art in Big Nature.

Two calls for entries from Sacred Threads

SAQA Atlantic member Helene Blanchet is encouraging textile artists in Atlantic Canada to consider entering Sacred Threads. There are two calls for entries.

Sacred Threads

Sacred Threads is a juried exhibition for quilters of all faiths who see their work as a connection to the sacred and/or as an expression of their spiritual journey. Quilts submitted should explore themes of joy, spirituality, peace/brotherhood, inspiration, grief, or healing. Sacred Threads is open only to artists within the United States and Canada. Quilts must be an original design or an original execution of a traditional pattern.

Entry deadline: January 10, 2019. Further details on Sacred Threads website.

Sacred Threads Eye Contact: Creating a connection

A special installation exhibit of fibre and mixed media pieces that feature eyes, size 23" x 5".

Entry deadline: May 31, 2019. Further details on Eye Contact page, Sacred Threads website.

Printed Fabric Collage workshop with Regina Marzlin

 Mariners Quilt Guild invite you to join them in exploring different methods of printing on fabric with SAQA fibre artist Regina Marzlin. Participants will use stamps, stencils and a variety of tools to print onto fabric with fabric paint. Using a free-form collage technique, the resulting fabrics will be assembled into a small quilt top that can be further embellished and quilted by either hand or machine. Class size limited to 15 people.

Where: Superstore Community Room

             9 Braemar Drive, Dartmouth, NS

When:  9:00 am to 4:00 pm - November 3, 2018 
Fee:      $50.00 for Mariners members, $60 for non-members
             Payment due by October 22.  No refund after that date.      

For information or to register, please contact Karen Henry at seequilt@hotmail.com.

Closing date correction for SOFAAR exhibits

It has just come to our attention that two textile art exhibitions announced on this blog one month ago have incorrect end dates.

The exhibitions, organized by the Society of Fibre Artists of Annapolis Royal (SOFAAR), were at the time reported as both running to the end of October.

In fact, one of the shows, Art of Fibre, will hang until October 13th, 2018.

The second show, East meets West, represents artwork from local and Vancouver artists. The western pieces came down on October 3rd. The local artwork will hang until the end of the month.

Apologies for any inconvenience or confusion this error may have caused.

Fourth SAQA Atlantic Retreat Rescheduled: November 9, 10, 11, 2018

Join SAQA Atlantic members at the Debert Hospitality Centre for a weekend of camaraderie, learning and inspiration! 

Program

Friday November 9th
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.  Arrival 
Arrival at Debert Hospitality Centre, room check in, meet and greet, orientation. 

Friday evening
Welcome by SAQA Atlantic area rep Regina Marzlin
Show & Tell

Saturday, November 10th
9-10:00  Lightning Talks
A series of quick presentations by SAQA members on a variety of topics, such as paper making, establishing your business, printmaking, etc. Details of the speakers and topics will follow. Each lightning talk will be 6 minutes in length, followed by a short Q and A and discussion period.

10:30  SAQA general meeting

1:30-4:30  Writing Professional Applications 
Presentation by Melanie Colosimo
Although our experience within the art community varies, we are all periodically confronted with the need to prepare an application for an exhibition, grant, or residency opportunity. Melanie will take us through the components of these applications, how they differ from one another, and from other types of writing (journalistic, business, scientific) with which we might be more familiar. She will teach us how to craft a project proposal, differentiate between an artist’s CV and an artist’s resume, and what is looked for in artist statements, artist bios, and the importance of visual materials.

Melanie Colosimo, is currently Director of the Anna Leonowens Gallery at NSCAD University in Halifax. You can learn more about Melanie and her work and experience at her website melaniecolosimo.com.

Saturday evening:
Show and Tell continues, social time, hand work

Sunday November 11th
Morning:  SAQA Mentorship program
Presentation by Regina Marzlin

Departure after lunch on Sunday.

_________

Cost:
The fee for the retreat is $240, which includes two nights accommodation and all meals. We appreciate receipt of a contribution from SAQA headquarters to make this event affordable. 

Please register for the retreat on or before October 25th, 2018. For more information or to register, contact our SAQA Atlantic representative Regina Marzlin.    

Please note that this event is for SAQA members exclusively. Not a member? You can join SAQA here!