Cathy Drummond introduces Displaced

We were delighted to learn that Mahone Bay, NS artist Cathy Drummond's work has been accepted into SAQA's global exhibition, Forced to Flee. SAQA members throughout the world were encouraged "to illustrate the issues surrounding the global refugee crises, impacts on families and communities, the stress placed on host countries, and the need for new initiatives, funding, and international cooperation to find solutions to the crisis." 

Cathy's art quilt, Displaced, is one of the 36 pieces from ten countries that were accepted from among the 136 entries. It was the only piece from Canada. Well done Cathy!

Displaced, by Cathy Drummond (2018) w30"xh25"

We asked Cathy Drummond to tell us about her Inspiration for Displaced:

Cathy: A quite beautiful news photo of a small group of people walking along a road first attracted my attention. Only after a few moments did I realize I was looking at two Syrian families fleeing for their lives. 

Displaced (detail)

I couldn't stop thinking about the families in that photo. Their options are so limited and their futures so bleak. I began Displaced by sketching individual people, but soon began thinking about the difficulty of imagining each individual when there are over 65 million of them! How do the refugees keep their sense of self, given their de-humanizing  experience? 

These thoughts led me to instead cut random pieces of cloth, some vaguely human shaped, others not. (Refugee routes must be strewn with abandoned belongings.) I wanted to express dehumanization, exhaustion and grief, as well as the closed doors between displaced people and a new life.

The Forced to Flee exhibition will debut at the Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts at the Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida: May 25 – August 24, 2019, and then travel internationally. Follow the exhibition's travel's here.

More textile works on exhibit in Annapolis Royal until December 20th

SAQA artists Penny Berens and Grace Butland are showing their work in Five - The Artist Way Collective Show, hanging until December 20th at the Annapolis Royal Community Art Centre (ARCAC). The show features works by five artists: three fibre artists and two painters.

The show will hang concurrently with the annual ARCAC members' exhibit, also featuring textile work by Penny Berens.

Exhilarating. Informative. Productive. Exhausting. Inspiring. Fun.

Artwork by Jeanine Gunn

These are just some of the words that describe SAQA Atlantic's fourth retreat, held last weekend in Debert, Nova Scotia.

Fourteen SAQA members attended, including new member Jeanine Gunn, from Antigonish County, NS.

By day, we learned about preparing proposals in the art world, whether for a grant, a show or a residency. This session was thoughtfully led by Melanie Colosimo, director and curator of the Anna Leonowens Gallery. 

We listened to lightning talks by Kristi Farrier, Holly McLean, Anne Morrell Robinson and Christine Nielsen. Regina Marzlin presented her experiences with the SAQA Mentorship Program, tempting many of us to sign up. And together we planned some exciting next steps for SAQA Atlantic:

• Holly McLean will set up an Instagram account.
• Helene Blanchet will maintain our blog's Call for Entry page.
• Susan Lilley will begin a series of Artist Studio series on our blog.
• Regina Marzlin will create a Facebook page for our region.
• Helene Blanchet will coordinate the next SAQA trunk show tour.
• Our next regional retreat will take place next fall. Once again, Laureen van Lierop has agreed to coordinate the program.
• Kristi Farrier will replace Regina Marzlin as our regional representative, beginning March 1, 2019.
• We decided to form a regional critique group using Zoom technology. Regina Marzlin will set us all up with the technology and prepare the first meeting for mid January. Laureen van Lierop and Jeanine Gunn will be the first facilitators.

But the retreat wasn't all work. By evening, we kicked back with wine, cheese and chocolates, showing and talking about our work. Throughout the event, we continued to build relationships across the region.

Overall it was a great weekend, the mood was constructive, the level of volunteering exceptional and we all appreciated the various learning opportunities provided. 

If you missed this year's retreat, stay tuned for information about the next one, tentatively planned for autumn 2019.

Artwork by Helene Blanchet

Artwork by Cathy Drummond

Artwork by Kristi Farrier

Printwork by Linda Mackie Finley

Artwork by Regina Marzlin

Laureen van Lierop's sketchbook

Artwork by Holly McLean

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.