Kristi Farrier - North American Hand Papermakers conference

 

Downtown Providence, RI.

Kristi Farrier was excited to be in Rhode Island, USA, at the North American Hand Papermakers (@nahandpapermakers) conference in October 2023. She was talking about growing fibre flax and demonstrating how to hand process it to access the fibre for papermaking

Hera are a few shots from her demonstration on Slow Craft and Sustainability: Growing and Hand Processing Fibre Flax for Hand Papermaking.. 

   

It was a gift to have this opportunity to share about her motivations and explorations for working with flax in this way. Being with this epic group of papermakers and paper artists in the setting and spaces of the Rhode Island School of Design was incredible and a wee bit surreal. Amazing conversations were had and connections made.

    

Kristi Farrier: You Can't be Here if You're There

Alberta – Arrival #1 by K. Farrier  (2021) w23" x h29”   

Alberta – The Ties That Bind

Alberta is my place of birth and coming of age.

Often a place of memory and revisiting – even when I am there in the present.

Saskatchewan – Renewal

Saskatchewan provided me with the space to grow.

It holds spirit and inspiration, mixed with myth, mystery, and a bit of magic.

Cape Breton – All That’s Possible

Cape Breton is my home; my here and now. 

It’s a place of everyday ordinary life that I love and yet, where all things are possible to me.

(KF, excerpt from a longer piece, 2020)

SAQA Atlantic member Kristi Farrier is a textile artist and hand papermaker based out of Flying Finch Studio in Middle River, Cape Breton Island.

You Can’t be Here if You’re There is a series of art quilts Kristi created as part of a three-artist collaboration on the theme: Place in Perspective. Her pieces examine her personal experiences with the three provinces the trio has in common: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia.  

Hélène Blanchet and Alison Dean Cowitz complete the trio, each having created her own body of work reflecting that same theme. Their exhibition opened in September 2021 at the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design and will be travelling to galleries across the country.

I recently spoke with Kristi about her own experience as part of this collaborative project.

Kristi, how would you describe your textile work? 

I would describe it as contemporary abstract art. My pieces express my responses to significant experiences, events and places. Line and color are primary elements in these whole cloth fabric pieces which I mark with thread-stitch, paint, dyes and inks. 

The 15 quilts in You Can’t Be Here If You’re There explore my links to Alberta, Saskatchewan and Cape Breton, three places with which I am deeply connected. The pieces feature colours and motifs which spring from these places and which emerge through my spontaneous curvilinear machine quilting.  

Saskatchewan – Father’s Finery by K Farrier (2020)
w18.5" x h 27½”  

How was your experience of working collaboratively?

This was my first artist collaboration, and it was amazing! I feel it really lifted me to a new level as an artist. We met regularly, had deadlines and were all committed to the project. We became close friends, creating an inspiring and safe space for exploring new ideas. Each of us brought different skills to the group, forming a strong team for planning and executing the exhibition. 

Our SAQA mentor, Tracey Lawko, challenged us creatively and guided us through the curatorial and exhibition coordination processes.

The project’s success came because we really supported each other creatively, raised each other up during the trying times, and balanced each other well for the administrative aspects of the project.

Where can this exhibition be seen?

We currently have five confirmed venues and expect to confirm more in the coming months. 

• The Chester Art Centre, Chester, Nova Scotia - October 26 to November 13, 2022
• The Ice House Gallery, Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia - February 2023
• The Craig Gallery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia - March 2023
• The Quilt Canada Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia - June 8 to 10, 2023.
• The Crowsnest Pass Gallery, Frank, Alberta - May 2024

Cape Breton - Maple Buds and Snow Squalls
by K. Farrier (2021) w12.5" x h18”  

*****

See more of Kristi Farrier’s work on her website, Flying Finch Studio. 

Deb Plestid and Sheree Fitch publication: Sing in the Spring

Congratulations to fibre artist Deb Plestid and poet Sheree Fitch, who together recently published Sing in the Spring, a children's book of poems entirely illustrated with quilts.

A book launch and reading will be held at the Grace Jollymore Joyce Arts Centre in Tatamagouche, from 1-2pm on April 30th. Woozles Book Shop, in Halifax, will host a second reading on May 7th. Copies of the book may be ordered from Woozles, here.

They're Back! by Deb Plestid

Enjoy a short preview of their book:

Come meet Deb and Sheree in a recent CTV interview.

Deb Plestid is a SAQA Juried Artist from Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia. Learn more about this project on her website: deb plestid fibre art.

Fogo Island residency for textile artist and printmaker Audrey Feltham

Audrey Feltham: Line reduction work, in progress

Audrey Feltham, from Deer Lake, NL, is serving a 5-week artist residency in Tilting, on Fogo Island, Newfoundland. 

AF: “My residency at Tilting will be time spent creating works on both textile and paper, deconstructing the objectification of the material. In doing so I hope to take the viewer to a place where abstraction allows one to see a specific object through new eyes. Like the word "artifact", the object itself will become barely recognizable. Rather, line, shape, colour and texture will be signposts to the viewer to create surfaces that speak to both emotion and place. I have no idea of the number of works I will create or the size. My intent is solely to fill my days with creating“.

One week into her residency, Audrey reported that her accommodation/studio space is a small, rustic, remote, 150-year-old house by the ocean. “There are two rooms downstairs...a kitchen and a small drawing room that is now a very small studio space. As you can see, I am using every available space, walls, floor, etc, to cope with lack of working space.”

Without radio, television or internet access, there are few distractions to keep Audrey from her artwork. So far, she has completed an edition of reduction block prints in her series Quotidian/culture/kitsch. 

Audrey Feltham: Coal shuttle/sugar spoon, reduction block print.

Audrey Feltham: Coal shuttle / sugar spoon on hand-dyed silk.

Learn more about Audrey Feltham at Atelier West Studios, and in our 2018 feature interview Audrey Feltham: Printmaker on paper and textile + stitch.

The Fogo Island Arts’ international residency program hosts artists on Fogo Island for terms of one to three months. Artists-in-residence are provided with accommodation and studio space, a weekly stipend and travel expenses. 

Welcome to Anne Morrell Robinson's new gallery in Big Intervale, Cape Breton

If you find yourself in Cape Breton be sure to visit Anne Morrell Robinson's brand new gallery. Housed in a beautiful new barn, the gallery incorporates wood salvaged from an old barn on the property, giving it a sense of both past and present. Currently, the gallery walls and hanging rails display Anne’s numerous quilts, a riot of colour and quilt styles.

When the pandemic is over, Anne hopes the gallery will be used for exhibitions by other Atlantic Canadian quilters and textile artists. The space is also a perfect venue for a retreat, with an attached classroom and a cozy lodge just down the the road.

Anne always wanted to have other artists enjoy and be inspired by the beauty, peace and quiet that she enjoys in Big Intervale, Cape Breton. It took a long time to reach that goal but at last it’s a reality!

The gallery is currently open by chance or appointment. Please call a day or more ahead of your planned visit. (Note that there is no cellular service in the area.)

Learn about Anne Morrell Robinson's studio, shop and workspace in her 2019 photo essay, Welcome to my Studio.

Visit Anne Morrell Roboinson's website, Kingross Quilts and Fibre Arts.

Chickadees for a wintery day

Feeding the  Chickadees by
Holly MacLean w12"xh14"

Holly MacLean of Bathurst, New Brunswick, recently completed two wintery pieces entitled Feeding the Chickadees. 

Feeding the  Chickadees by
Holly MacLean w12"xh14"

HM: These are my two chickadees. They were done as a commission. The client chose to buy the second one.



You can see more of Holly's textile work on her blog, Through my Window.

Abstract Joy: Opening Wednesday, Gallery at the Guild

Melting Sky by Julea Boswell w40" x h30".
Paint and ink on raw canvas. Layered and stitched by hand and machine. 

ABSTRACT JOY: 

THE AMAZING NATURAL BEAUTY THAT SURROUNDS US

SAQA artist Julea Boswell's exhibition opens Wednesday, May 15  at Charlottetown's Gallery at the Guild. 

Opening reception: from 7 to 9 pm

Exhibition dates are: May 15-26, 2019

Abstract Joy features lively abstract art "providing a nice hit of colour to warm us up for summer.” Julea's imaginative pieces are shaped with a blend of recalled imagery, thoughts and emotion. 

See more of Julea's artwork at:

www.juleaboswell.com

instagram @julea.b 

Facebook @juleaboswellart

Abstract Joy: The Natural Beauty that Surrounds Us opens in Charlottetown, May 15, 2019

Abstract Joy series by Julea Boswell. Acrylic, mixed media and collage.

Mark your calendar to join SAQA Artist 

JULEA BOSWELL

as her exhibition

ABSTRACT JOY: THE AMAZING NATURAL BEAUTY 

THAT SURROUNDS US

opens at the 

GALLERY AT THE GUILD

Charlottetown PEI

Exhibition dates are: May 15-26, 2019

Opening reception: May 15 from 7 to 9 pm.

Abstract Joy features lively abstract art which Julea describes as “providing a nice hit of colour to warm us up for summer”. Her imaginative pieces take shape with a blend of recalled imagery, thoughts and emotion. 

Although the work is abstract it is pretty straightforward. I simply try to capture moments of spontaneous joy and express this in my art. What stays with me from these moments becomes my inner springboard for creation. Like many artists, the amazing natural beauty that surrounds me, especially on PEI, is a primary source of inspiration.

Julea Boswell is a multifaceted artist. Growing up in Charlottetown she was immersed in the arts from a young age - activities that set the stage for her varied creative interests and future path. She attributes the sense of movement and lightness in her visual art to her background as a dance artist. A series of small pieces in the exhibit is a nod to “improv” technique as used in dance and theatre. Her skills as a modern quilt designer-maker are also evident in the show, which includes a work that will be going to Quilt Canada’s National Juried Show in June. This summer, Julea’s work will be featured at The Dunes Gallery in Brackley.

Moving freely within a mix of different materials and forms allows Julea to present a contrast in textures and variations in colour intensity. Whether a crisp and bright acrylic collage on paper, or a painted and stitched textile piece, the common thread in Julea’s work is a feeling of joy. The overall result is a style that is fresh and contemporary.

The show opens with a reception on May 15 from 7 to 9 pm. All are invited to come and meet the artist.

Journey by Julea Boswell  w65" x h45", Each journey is navigated through many new pathways. Poured paint and oil stick markings on raw canvas. Layered and stitched by hand and machine

"Wow! Such colour and freedom. I love your expression of movement."       (show visitor, Ottawa)

See more about Julea and her work at www.juleaboswell.com, instagram @julea.b and Facebook @juleaboswellart

World Wide Whispers revealed

Results of World Wide Whispers, an international collaborative quilt challenge, were revealed at the Scottish Quilter’s Guild Show in Glasgow earlier this month. SAQA Atlantic member Kathy Tidswell represented New Brunswick on the Canada team, which was one of five country teams involved. Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and the USA each hosted their own World Wide Whispers challenge.

The project was described as being similar to a child’s game where the leader whispers a sentence to the next person, who whispers it to the next, the sentence evolving and changing as it goes on.

#1  Old Barn on a Crisp Morning by Kim Caskey (2018)

Team Canada leader Kim Caskey (Alberta) made the first quilt, inspired by a photograph by Lesley Zwaal of Edmonton Alberta. Thirteen artists, one from each province and territory of Canada, each in succession, were sent a photograph and statement of only the most recent piece. Each had one month to create an 18” x 24” piece of their own, inspired by the previous participant’s piece. 

Kathy Tidswell: I created the third quilt in the series. It’s been a long 13 months when we were not allowed to reveal our involvement and saw only a photo of the quilt that inspired our piece. 

The Canadian collection was shipped to Scotland and now hangs with quilts from the other four teams at the Scotland Quilter’s Guild AGM in Glasgow. The entire collection will travel to The Netherlands for a show in April and will be at The Birmingham (UK) Festival of Quilts in August 2019. I plan to attend and will give two, one-hour demonstrations on using Inktense pencils to create appliqués, as part of the Quick and Easy Demonstrations series.

#3 Looking In Looking Out by Kathy Tidswell (2018)

LOOKING IN, LOOKING OUT
By Kathy Tidswell, Burtts Corner, NB - February 2018 – 3 of 13

Drawing inspiration from Pat Findlay’s landscape and suggestions from my “idea generating” husband, I chose to feature my favourite little owl, a Saw Whet owl. Surveying his kingdom from a fence post, he stares out with that quizzical expression. What could he be thinking? Is he wondering why he hasn’t moved further south before the snow has come to New Brunswick? Watching over him is a stately oak tree clinging to a few remaining leaves. I love to create texture and dimension and if you look closely you will find it.


Karen Henry, an early member of SAQA Atlantic, represented Nova Scotia in the challenge and created the sixth piece in the Canadian series.

#6 Anchor & Drift by Karen Henry (2018)

ANCHOR & DRIFT

By Karen Henry, Dartmouth, NS - May 2018 – 6 of 13

At various points in our lives we feel anchored, adrift or in the process of letting go. Any of these three stages could be applied to our evolutions through aging, in creativity, in the growth of our offspring, in our education, moving from one physical space to another, etc. This wall hanging reflects the changing circumstances of our lives.

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.

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.

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.

Stitch, Paint, Sculpt: 3 Artists, 3 Media - Lunenburg, NS

Fibre artist Laurie Swim, from Lunenburg NS, is welcoming two new artists into her gallery for the 2018 season: painter Hangama Amiri and sculptor Chippie Kennedy. The trio will launch their collaboration on May 20th with the show Stitch, Paint, Sculpt: Three Artists, Three Media.

Laurie Swim’s textile art explores the concepts of home, community and story. About Hangama and Chippie coming aboard, Laurie says, “Thirteen years after opening, sharing our gallery space in this way is refreshing and exciting.”

Hangama Amiri’s paintings explore childhood memory, cross-cultural dialogue, and Afghan feminism. She has been a featured artist at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto and received the Portia White Protégé Award in 2013. Hangama will be attending Yale School of Art in New Haven, CT this fall to complete her MFA in Painting and Printmaking.

Chippie Kennedy’s evocative sculptures are driven by her fascination with the presentation of the human form. She is a recipient of the 2017 Canadian Portrait Society’s Best Portrait Award.

What: Stitch, Paint, Sculpt: Three Artists, Three Media
When: Opening Sunday, May 20, 2018, 2-5pm. 
             The show runs until July 20
Where: 138 Lincoln Street, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Refreshments will be served and all are welcome.
Gallery Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-5pm; Sunday 12-5pm

About Laurie Swim Gallery

Laurie Swim Gallery is a fine art gallery established in 2005 in Lunenburg, NS. Laurie specializes in quilt and textile art and received the prestigious Portia White Prize in 2013. She has produced numerous works of community-based art and her personal art focuses on life in her community. She has also published 3 books on the art of quilting and a children’s story of historical fiction titled, Hope and Survival: A Story of the Halifax Explosion.

Learn more about Laurie Swim in our recent feature Laurie Swim interview: Artist to Watch and check out Laurie Swim's own website.

Regina Marzlin's Daily Bread

Regina Marzlin, from Antigonish Nova Scotia, recently finished an art quilt entitled Daily Bread. She described the piece on another textile art blog, Cloth in Common. We are reposting the item for our readers.

Daily Bread by Regina Marzlin, 2018 w20" x h30"

Hand painted cotton, commercial batik fabric, organza, ink,

flour paste resist painting, photo transfer, piecing and raw edge applique, machine stitched

RM: I bake a bread almost every day. This seems to be part of my German heritage, we just love a good crusty bread. I keep it very simple, just four ingredients: flour, water, yeast and salt. This gets mixed together and I let it rise for about 12 hours, then bake it. I still find it magical, this transformation from lumpy dough to a loaf that smells and looks as good as it tastes. So I took this as my kitchen inspiration.

I decided to use all four ingredients to do surface design on my fabrics for this quilt. The white and black crackle fabric was made with water and flour paste that dried on the fabric, was then crackled and painted with black ink. The blue fabrics were painted and then I placed salt on one part and dry yeast on the other to get some resist marks. I digitally altered a photo of my bread and printed it on fabric, the wheat stalks were scanned and printed on organza.

Daily Bread by Regina Marzlin, detail

The quilting lines mimic the yeast cells, the square salt crystals and in the lower part of the crackle fabric I wrote a continuous line of the four words "yeast, water, salt, flour". Just looking at this makes me hungry!

Daily Bread was created as part of Regina Marzlin's work with an international group of fibre artists called Cloth In Common. To subscribe to the Cloth in Common blog, just enter your email address at the bottom of the home page.  

Book launch and artist Q&A with author/illustrator Laurie Swim - November 4th, 2017

The Halifax Central Library will host Laurie Swim as she launches her brand new children's book Hope and Survival: A Story of the Halifax Explosion. The book, richly illustrated with Laurie’s unique artwork, tells the story of a young girl caught up in the aftermath of the explosion.

Laurie will read from the picture book and answer questions on art quilting. She will also give a talk about creating her monumental centennial quilt "Hope and Survival", which is currently on display at Halifax's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Some of the original snow-dyed and quilted pieces she created to illustrate the book will be on display at the library.


Where: Halifax Central Library, 5440 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax NS

When:  3:30-4:30 pm, Saturday Nov 4th, 2017

Admission: Free

Read more about Laurie Swim and her work on her website: 
https://www.laurieswim.com/

Please join Regina Marzlin for her artist talk and opening of her solo show, Textile Explorations.

Artist talk: Friday September 1st, 6:00-7:00pm

Workshop:  September 9th, 10:00am-1:00pm (Fabric collage)

Show run: September 1-30, 2017

Antigonish Town and County Library

283 Main St, Antigonish, NS

Ascending by Regina Marzlin w24" x h20"

Contemplation by Regina Marzlin,  w21" x h22"

Harvest Moon by Regina Marzlin, w24" x h37"

To learn more about Regina and her artwork, visit reginamarzlin.com.

Laurie Swim's Hope and Survival, the Halifax Explosion Memorial Quilt, opens Thursday June 15, 2017

Please plan to join Laurie Swim at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic for the official installation of her four-year project, Hope and Survival. The community-built quilt project marks the path of tragedy and rebuilding after Halifax experienced the largest manmade explosion prior to Hiroshima. The installation is part of the MMA's special exhibits commemorating the 100th anniversary of the explosion.

Where: Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax 
When: Thursday June 15, 2-4pm. Opening remarks at 2:20pm. 

"This community art project involved hundreds of volunteers in beading the Braille for The Scroll of Remembrance that accompanies the centrepiece that I created over the past four years. Hope and Survival is a memorial to those lost in the Halifax Explosion a hundred years ago and a gift to the people of Nova Scotia."
Laurie Swim, June 2017

Read more about the Hope and Survival project on Laurie Swim's website and in a recent SAQA interview.

Laurie Swim creates Time Goes By

You'll enjoy this timelapse video, by Teresa MacInnes and Kent Nason, of Lunenburg artist Laurie Swim creating "Time Goes By”. A nine-months process condensed into a 4-minute video!


Time Goes By from Teresa MacInnes on Vimeo.

See more of Laurie Swim's work on her website, 

Anne Morrell Robinson and Diane Borsato collaborate for exhibit at Vancouver's Contemporary Art Gallery

Self-titled, by Anne Morrell Robinson and Diane Borsato, 2017. w6 'x h4'

AMR: This quilt is a third collaborative piece I've made with Toronto-based contemporary artist Diane Borsato. It features the title of her upcoming one-night installation at Vancouver's Contemporary Art Gallery, a quote by Ikebana Sogetsu founder Teshigahara Sofu, in which he imagines making arrangements in another, very different world. 

Diane developed the concept and chose the fabric. I turned it into a quilt. The piece uses Asian fabrics, traditional piecing and appliqué techniques and hand quilting.

Borsato will work with members of the Japanese flower arranging (Ikebana) community in Vancouver to develop The Moon Is Often Referred To As a Dead, Barren World, But I Think This Is Not Necessarily The Case. The event takes place 6-9pm, Saturday, March 25, 2017.

Read more about Anne Morrell Robinson on her website, Kingross Quilts. 

SAQA Spotlight Auction 2017 - Hélène Blanchet

The Creation to Curation Spotlight Auction is an opportunity for all SAQA members to have their work showcased at the 2017 SAQA Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Members are encouraged to donate small art quilts (6"x8"), which will be sold through a silent auction at the conference banquet. All proceeds will be used to benefit SAQA's exhibition programs.

The deadline for filling in the online artist participation form has been extended to March 15, 2017. It's not too late to get involved.

Hélène Blanchet's piece is our first featured entry from Atlantic Canada.

The Cabin No 2, by Hélène Blanchet of Margaree Valley, NS

The Cabin No 2 by Hélène Blanchet, w6" x h8"

HB: This is a little picture of where we live, in the spring.This view of our home is sort of my muse, like Cezanne's Mount Ste Victoire. I have another small piece showing the same view in autumn. 

Read more about Hélène Blanchet and her artwork in a recent SAQA Atlantic artist interview.