Pathways Exhibition by Vancouver Island Surface Design Association - VISDA

During the Vancouver Island Surface Design Association (VISDA) 'Pathways' exhibition in the Portals Gallery, Duncan, a member sat in the gallery each day.

When it was my turn to sit with the exhibition I had a lovely day. 

When I wasn't talking to visitors I had time to look at every work, then I had knitting to get on with.

'Memories of Place: A Chromatic Narrative,' Sarah McLaren, left.

'Life is s Spiral Pathway, Not a Straight Line,' Donna-Fay Digance, right.

'River' Laura Feeleus, left.

'Deer Trails,' Jean Cockburn, right.

Eco-Threads Exhibition at Coast Collective, Colwood

Eco-Threads is a juried exhibition put on jointly by Vancouver Island Surface Design Association and the Coast Collective in Colwood, on from June 28 to July 9, 2017. 

There will be an artists' reception from 3 to 5 pm followed by a themed fashion show from 7 to 9:30 pm.

All of the work juried into the exhibition and all of the garments in the fashion show have a connection with recycling, re-purposing, or reusing. Some are the result of a studio practice that is kind to the environment while others are about the environment.

The lovely image in the exhibition poster is Bryony Dunsmore's work.

Douglas-fir: Wind Drawing

I am happy to say my entry was juried into the exhibition.

It is about a Douglas-fir tree in our back yard. The middle part is a drawing done in ink by a branch of the tree on a windy day. The different fabrics are from old bedsheets. The middle one was composted under the tree canopy before being drawn on.

The exhibition is one of many being held during the Northwest Weavers Conference being held at the University of Victoria. The conference theme is 'Treddle Lightly.' It is completely sold out but the exhibitions and the Merchants Mall are open to the public.

It is going to be a fun weekend.

VISDA Current Threads 2017 Exhibition in Ladysmith BC

The annual Vancouver Island Surface Design Association Currents Threads exhibition will open on April 15 and run until April 30, 2017.

This year the group is returning to the Ladysmith Waterfront Gallery, Ladysmith. 

All of the work will have been completed in the last 3 years and has not been shown in any Current Threads exhibition before.

We are anticipating another successful exhibition with many visitors.

The Artist Reception is on April 22, from 2:00 until 4:00 pm. I do hope many of you can attend to enjoy the work and talk to the artists in attendance.

Artists will be sitting the gallery every day from 11 am until 4 pm.

During Ladysmith's Spring Art Tour on April 21st until 23rd, the gallery hours are extended from 10 am until 5 pm.

This annual exhibition is a survey of the most recent work by fibre artists who live on Vancouver Island and many of the smaller offshore islands.

You are all invited to attend.

Cryosphere - Hydrosphere completed and out there

Cryosphere II - Hydrosphere, 80"h x 50"w, machine sewing, dry felting, stuffing; nylon, polyester, net, cotton, beads, glitter, Timtex, cotton and rayon thread.

An exploration of the way water changes its molecular structure each time it shifts from a frozen state to a solid-state and back again. It is a process known as a phase change and is unique to the water molecule. 

Stuffed icicles of frozen water with bead-filled ends.

Attaching all icicles and flowing water panels together.

Attachment to the hanging device

While visiting hardware stores, fishing stores, pharmacies, a haberdashery and chandleries I bought clip-rings, lure swivels, silicon hair ties, tapes of hooks and eyes and nylon cord. I worked with them all to find a hanging device that would allow the panels to hang freely, hang straight and reposition themselves after being moved.

I settled on the tapes of hooks and eyes.

I bounced ideas off Ron, my resident problem-solver. He made a solid wooden frame to hang the work from.

All packed and ready to go with one and a half hours to spare - just enough time for a shower before I have to leave for the gallery. 

At the gallery attaching the hooks to the eyes.

Velcro to hold on the pelmets. An eye screw and carribenna type attachment to hold the wire to suspend the work from an overhead beam.

Cryosphere - Hydrosphere was my entry in the recent Vancouver Island Surface Design Association's annual exhibition 'Current Threads 2016' installed at the CACSP's Tulista Gallery.

VISDA 'Current Threads 2016' Artists with their Work

Judi MacLeod 'White Lady,' white linen, manipulated white cotton, hand and machine stitched

Judi led the this year's Current Threads exhibition committee. She led the hanging and compiled the artist statement binder among many other tasks.

A close up of 'White Lady' because my poor photography didn't really show any of the texture.

Committee member Sarah McLaren with her 'Van Gogh in Yellow,' cotton, silk, tulle, organdy; edge turned machine applique, free motion embroidery.

Sarah organised an elegant afternoon tea on the gallery verandah during the artist reception.

Committee member Dale MacEwan beside her work 'Nature's Patterns' (bottom - Karen Selk's work on top).'

Dale manipulated and printed on cotton 2 of her rock pattern photos then machine stitched into them.

Among the many tasks Dale worked on were registration and the show sitting schedule.

Many thanks to this year's Current Threads exhibition committee for doing an excellent job showcasing VISDA members work so well.

During the artist reception, I managed to catch 2 other artists with their work.

Susan Duffield 'Ragged End of Life' - stitched textile fragments mounted on painted canvas.

Louise Slobodan 

Top - 'Ancient Pathways' - a collagraph printed on rust printed muslin with stitching. 

Below - 'Arbutus Landscape' - Photographs printed on rust-print cotton with hand and machine stitching.

The exhibition is on for another week. I would recommend you visit if you are in the area.

Vancouver Island Surface Design Association's 'Current Threads 2016' exhibition at Tulista Gallery, Sidney

Laura Feeleus 'Heartfelt'

VISDA's annual exhibition is on at CACSP's Tulista Gallery in Sidney.

Works by Lori Mudrie, Terry Phillips, Donna-Fay Digance

The exhibition is on until Sunday 4:00 pm July 31st.

Works by Barb McCaffery, Margie Preninger

There will be an Artists' Reception on Saturday 2 to 4 pm July 23rd.

Works by Bryony Dunsmore, Sarah McLaren, Jo Ann Allen

Many of the artists will be in attendance. It will be a great opportunity to talk to them about their work. 

Works by Sarah Mclaren, Morag Orr-Stevens,

As this is an annual event for VISDA we are already working on our 2017 exhibition.

Jo Ann Allan 'Song of the Earth' 

Any work a member finishes between now and the date of the next exhibition is eligible to be shown.

We are working on several exciting ideas for next year's venue.

Day 2: The Gatherers Meet at the Edge of the Royal Roads University Forest

After Kerry Mason's talk, there was time for a quick lunch at the Habitat Cafe on the Royal Roads University campus before walking across the road to the edge of the forest.

Gaia College instructor, ecological landscape designer and consultant, Manon Tremblay (centre) took the first group upstream for their walk in the forest.

She led the Gatherers through a series of sensory exercises to help them explore the rain forest.

Meanwhile, Gaia College instructor, Ecological Landscape Designer and Master Gardener, Debbie Guedes (centre), took her group downstream to experience the shifting ecologies as they walked towards the ocean.

Debbie sharing her wealth of knowledge.

An excellent example of a wildlife tree seen from the track.

The Skunk Cabbages are in fine form.

At the same time, under the shade of the forest trees, I gave the third group a quick workshop on earth dyeing.

Here I am showing Jean Cockburn a dyed cloth while she massages earth into her cloth.

I use Bengala earth dyes. They are so simple to use I was able to set the workshop up under the trees for 40+ people.

Shamina Senaratne checks her cloth as it dries on a branch.

Debbie and Manon try their hand at earth dyeing.

I could not have run this workshop without my 2 excellent assistants - Sarah McLaren (in red) and Louise Slobodan (in green). For 2 hours, with cold wet hands, they helped people, reorganised the work table before the next group arrived and packed everything up at the end.

These 4 made this an event enjoyed by many. 

After each group had rotated through the 3 activities it was time to return to the hotel to freshen up before the next event.

The post-event survey results had comments from some Gatherers that they wanted a longer time out in the forest. We were lucky with the weather but if it had been any colder, windier or raining the 2 hours would have felt too long. The committee decided to take the risk and allowed 2 hours for the outside activities. We left time the next day for the Gatherers to return to the forest to experience more on their own.

Thanks again to Judi McLeod for the use of her excellent images.

Professor Kerry Mason Speaks About Emily Carr at the Gathering at the Edge

Professor Kerry Mason and world authority on all things Emily Carr gives a presentation to the Gatherers about the artist's sketches, paintings, textiles and pottery.

I have the job of introducing Kerry

Sheila Wex, BC + Yukon representative for SDA and Barbara McCaffrey, Gathering at the Edge committee member.

Everyone was captivated by the way Kerry talked about the BC artist Emily Carr. 

In a post-event survey, people were asked, 'What did you like about the Event (the 3-day Gathering)?'

"Loved the lecture about Emily Carr,"

"Learning about Emily Carr. Such a wonderful talk!"

"Everything was so well thought out in detail but my very favourite was the Emily Carr 

presentation by Dr. Kerry Mason."

Gathering at the Edge - A Surface Design Association BC + Yukon Event, April 1 - 3, 2016

Gathering at the Edge committee members woman the registration desk in the Holiday Inn Express & Suites lobby.

Barbara McCaffery, Lesley Turner, Laura Feeleus. Susan Purney-Mark signs in.

Gatherers: Katie Stein Sather and Jennifer Love

'Gathering at the Edge' is a three-day event in conjunction with the national touring exhibition, 'Edge of the Forest,' where SDA BC + Yukon members will come together to create connection and build community.' Quote from the program.

Lori Mudrie, Elserine Sprenger, and Hugo Sprenger register in the hotel.

Many of the Gatherers stay in the hotel over the event.

Sheila Wex, the BC + Yukon representative for SDA, welcomes people to the Gathering during the celebration dinner held in the Coastal Offices Conference Room, next to the hotel.

It is a time to put faces to familiar names, to make new friendships and to renew old ones.

A common passion for fibre links and bonds everyone in the room and there is a spirit of celebration.

Special thanks to Judi McLeod for taking these photographs and continuing to document the whole event.