Surface Design Association Conference, Beyond the Surface, St Louis, Missouri

The Surface Design Association's 2019 biennial conference, Beyond the Surface, was in St Louis, Missouri. It was held in conjunction with the Innovations in Textiles 2019 a three-month-long event held every four years. With 43 participating venues and a large number of other museums and other historic buildings in the St Louis area, SDA members attending the conference had to come up with a plan to make the most of their time. We couldn't see it all even when arriving early in St Louis and leaving a few days after the conference.

One of the highlights for me was SDA's own annual juried members' exhibition Beyond the Surface. Jurors Jo Stealey and Jim Arendt said in their opening remarks they selected 48 artists who demonstrated a "well-developed artistic vision" and mastery of their craft, both factors equally weighted. The gallery was full of strong works executed with an exceptionally high skill level.

Kathy Nida, Swallow Me Whole, raw edge applique with quilted ground, 67" x 76"

First place award

Kathy's website/blog https://kathynida.com/

Swallow Me Whole, detail

It was fun to stand in front of this work and come up with a story. Kathy has perfected her technique and uses it consistently making her work easy to recognise. She knows her biology so well she pushes, pulls and exaggerates it with great humour. Check out her website for more of her funny/serious narrative quilts.

 
Marie Bergstedt, In There, fulled fabric sculpted wall hanging, 48" x 35" x 3.5"
Second place award
Marie's website https://mariebergstedtartist.com/home.html

In There, detail

Sorry about the fuzzy image but it was the only one I took and I wanted to show the sculptural 3D quality of this work. Marie is a fibre artist who has perfected several different techniques. I have seen some of her amazing button works and know she is a skilled embroiderer. I didn't know she also works in wool. This work is kinda icky and at the same time warm and fuzzy. Marie really plays with the viewer's emotions.

Leslie Horan Simon, Geologic Time, 34.5" x 27" x 0.5"

Third place award winner

Leslie's website https://www.lesliehoransimon.com/

Geologic Time, detail

This close up shows how Leslie knit then fulled each stone before attaching it to a black felt ground.

If I was forced to pick my favourite work this would be it. It got me with being knit and fulled, 2 techniques not often used in quality fibre artwork. I was enchanted with the luminosity of colour Leslie managed to achieve with fuzzy wool.

I did have many other second favourites.

Chris Motley, Here and There, hand-knit wire and fibre, 43" x 50" x 4"

Chris's website http://www.chrismotleyart.com/

I would have preferred the individual units hung level at the top to give more of a suggestion of downward movement.

Here and There, detail

Chris is a knitter and as a result, has a vast range of techniques she can use as well as a world of different materials that can be worked with two sticks. In this work, Chris shows the sculptural quality that can be achieved with the knit stitch.

Chris in front of her work opening night. I did enjoy talking with her about her work.

Nanhee Kim, Layered Fluidity, nomex, monofilament yarn, 48" x 36" x 4"

https://twitter.com/nanheekim

Another knitted work caught my eye, surprise surprise. This one worked in a stiff 'yarn' so the shaping stood out in raised relief. It made for the most interesting play of values strengthening the form.

Nanhee Kim describes herself as a "knit textile/surface/ fashion designer and artist."

Melinda K. P. Stees, st equal px, knitted yarn mounted on a rigid internal frame, 24" x 29"

Melinda's website https://imageknits.com/about/

st = px, detail

Melinda says about her work, "The strong contrasting colors can catch your eye from across a room, while the knitted texture will pique your curiosity when you’re up close enough to see it."

You may also notice this computer-programmed, machine-knit work has been worked from the right to the left, with the stitches presented lying on their sides. I wonder if Melinda did this and stretched the work on a rigid frame to counter knit fabric's characteristic drape.

Time Notes: Day, detail
Here is another work with computer-programmed, machine-knit work in a scale making it readable only from the other side of the room.


Ann Clark, Time Notes: Day, knit fulled wool, 93" x 66" x  0.25"
Ann made this work as a rug. As fabulous as it looks on the wall I imagine the impact of the image would read differently when viewed from above while walking.

I was delighted there were so many knit works in this exhibition showing 'the best of contemporary work by SDA members.'

Check out Wendy Klotz's blog post about what she saw during the SDA conference, here and see more on what there was to see and do in St Louis.

Garden Report: New Garden Bed with Path Construction Before the Rains Start

Here on Vancouver Island, we are waiting for the rains to start after our dry season. By waiting I don't mean we are lying around waiting. I have a whole list of garden jobs timed for just before the rains start.

On the list is a path through a garden bed to a tap and hose. Last year Ron installed the hose reel on a stand which is now so easy to use. The soil he dug up then went crazy producing a deep-rooted plant and quack grass. I am always on the lookout for grass because it is banned from the garden beds in the backyard. Shovel by shovel I have spent several weeks sifting out all the roots and grass from this area. Also, as is usual, I removed all rocks in the soil. It was slow going and I hope I don't see either of those two plants here again.

Next, I dug a trench and placed in it a layer of the rocks I had removed from the soil. I get a checkmark here for following the permaculture principle of using what you have.

I reused paper grocery bags to make a pattern of the paver size I was planning on using. I needed to know how many pavers to bring up to the bed.

At this stage I consulted the resident civil engineer for advice on materials and fluid mechanics. Phew, I got the go-ahead. I was on the right track.

The next path layer called for smaller gravel. We have a little gravel pile leftover from making the main garden paths. Another checkmark earned.

I started putting as much gravel in the wheelbarrow as I could manage to lift up the stone steps to the path level. This was hard work. I was getting tired but I was determined to finish the project before the rains were forecast to start at 2:30 pm.

I requested more muscle power with the heaviest tasks.

Five pavers were needed.

We selected five of the best pavers leftover from reworking paths and the new guest patio. 

 Another permaculture checkmark earned.

The gravel had to be leveled to ensure the pavers were stable and didn't move when walked on and well supported so they didn't break. The notches in the pavers will not be noticed once plants have grown over and softened the edges.

While the stronger of us worked with paver placement...

I dug out bucketsful of soil and took them up the steps to another bed to use later. I had been advised the soil level needed to be lower than the path so the water would drain off and away.

Arrgh, the rain started two hours earlier than forecast. I planted the north side and got thoroughly soaked. Against the rock, I planted a new perennial garlic bed. The large flower heads will look elegant when walking up and down the steps. In front of the garlic are broccoli plants I started from seed about a month ago. Next to the broccoli, following the path, I planted another 'best buddy', beet/beetroot seeds, quite densely because the thinnings, leaves roots and all, are delicious. These winter vegetables apart from being our food will protect the soil over the wet winter. Once the crops have been harvested I will plant more perennials in their place come spring.

Wet through I gave up before I planted the other side of the path because there is still a lot of extra soil to move before I can plant it out. I'll get that done once there is a break in the rain.

 I don't like the way the large rocks look like they are sitting precariously on top of the soil. I will put tall plants in front of them to hide the bottoms of the rocks. 

I look forward to planning over the winter months which plants will go where in this bed and in the others. 

Pierre Paulin Mid-century Modern Chair Designer

The ubiquitous garden-variety, plastic chair...

...and its variations found throughout the world.

I have come across this chair in almost every place I have travelled to. It is inexpensive, light, portable, stackable and weatherproof making it accessible to so many people. It has enabled people around the world to sit in comfort alone and in groups, up off the floor to dine, learn, work. We have all seen this chair but have you ever thought about who designed what has become a universal commodity?

Vienna, 2003, Brian Jungen 

Brian Jungen is a Canadian artist who understands the universality of the white plastic chair and has used it in a series of 3 powerful works.

more info on Jungen's work here

Don't worry that you don't know the designer because that is the way he likes it. He wants to remain anonymous and for you to just enjoy living with his designs.

 

That is why this poster of an exhibition of Maia and Pierre Paulin's designs caught my attention when we were travelling in the Cevennes region in southern France. We were learning about the history of the silk industry in an old silk factory now the Maison Rouge Museum when we came across a room full of Mid Century Modern furniture.

Tulip chair, 1950, Pierre Paulin

It was the French designer Pierre Paulin who designed the white plastic chair and many other iconic chairs and furniture. This room was a treasure trove of his and his wife, Maia 's work.

 Orange Slice chair, 1960, Pierre Paulin

It was fun to walk through the museum and recognize chair after chair and realise I had never before put them all together as one designer's work.

Ribbon chair, 1966, Pierre Paulin

I wondered why this small regional museum had such a large collection of Paulin's chairs and furniture. I did a bit of research. Paulin was born in Paris and worked internationally but it was in the nearby Cevennes Mountains National Park he 'retired' and continued to design.

 Tongue chair, 1968, Pierre Paulin

Maybe the furniture in this exhibition had come from his home nearby where his wife Maia continues to live.

 Banquette Amphis or the Osaka sofa (1967), Pierre Paulin

Pierre Paulin left the spotlight of international design several times in his career and worked for many years in his wife's design company, where he designed utilitarian things such as razors and irons.

Pierre Paulin's portable iron design, a first.

He has been quoted as saying "Objects should remain anonymous."

I wonder how many of the everyday products I use were originally Pierre or Maia Wodzislawska designs?

I need to rewatch some James Bond movies to do some Paulin furniture spotting.

Articulation's Current Exhibition Connected Heritage, Gimli, Manitoba

The exhibition is on all summer at the New Icelandic Heritage Museum in Gimli Manitoba.

 Research for this body of work began with a study session covering Winnipeg, Gimli and the Inter-Lake area of Lake Winnipeg. I posted earlier about the trip here and here. When we Articulation members were back in our respective studios, we got to work sifting through all our research materials narrowing down a mass of images, stories and information to a focus which caught our imaginations enough to want to go deeper while being guided by the "Connected Heritage" concept the group had settled on.

While out and about exploring I was enamored with the boats and the unique way of fishing. The Icelandic people had brought with them their way of fishing and learned from the First Nations people how to adapt from the sea to an inland lake. Other settlers such as the Ukrainians and Scots also contributed their knowledge to make InterLake fishing the unique industry it became.

And I loved everything about the Icelandic horses. I watched all of the movies I could find where they starred and I found several documentaries on them.

But as is usual for me after an Articulation Study Session, once I got home and into my studio, my interest was piqued by a different subject. Part of my ongoing research involved reading about the history of the Icelandic people and I focused on their unique DNA heritage that has been studied in great detail. A long isolated human population with written records going back centuries can tell geneticists a lot. This knowledge can be applied to the benefit of other populations, for example, understanding the origins of genetic diseases enables diagnostics tests and drugs to be developed.

I became intrigued with the way a group carries its genetic identity with them no matter where they settle and their cultural identity is carried in their material possessions.

Recent genetic research has confirmed what the sagas have been saying for generations. Genetic research has come up with the statistics. Seventy-five percent of the males in the founding population was Scandinavian, mainly Norsemen. Fifty percent of the founding females were Celtic from the western coastal areas of the UK. It seems the bachelor Norsemen picked up Celtic wives before heading across the sea to settle in Iceland.

The Icelanders brought this genetic heritage with them when they settled in the Canadian Inter-Lake area. They also brought their cultural identity embedded in the few possessions they brought with them.

I decided to work with well-worn woolen blankets, essential items they may have brought with them. I projected an image of an old woodblock print onto the blanket then cut the image away suggesting how their cultural identity is embedded in their material culture.

Stitching the design

Cutting out the design to show the backing blanket

Blanket stitching around the design lines

Genetic research has noted people of Icelandic descent are very likely to have blue or rarer green eyes: 89% of males and 87% of females, with green eyes being more common in the women.

 

 I illustrated this genetic trait by colouring the male's eye blue and the female's green. This genetic trait is still very evident in the current population.

Each Articulation member explored a different aspect of the Interlake population. Visit Articulation's Blog here to see what others have worked on.

If you find yourself in Manitoba this summer, I do hope you can take a trip out to Gimli to see this very interesting exhibition and to take in the sights in this unique town.