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.

More Gatherers Stand 'At the Edge of the Forest'

Eleanor Hannan

website - eleanorhannan.com/

Jean Cockburn

Blog - whenyouloveblue.blogspot.com

Jennifer Love

email - jenniferannelove@hotmail.com

Judi McLeod

website - www.gobc.ca/victoria-travel/judi-macleod_1033

Judi was the official photographer of the Gathering. She did a fabulous job capturing the atmosphere and the action of every event. Thanks, Judi. 

Katie Stein Sather

Blog - quiltingmylife.blogspot.ca/

Lily Thorne

Patt Wilson

Bryony Dunsmore

Gloria S Daly

Website - studiogart.com/

Gloria was the recipient of the “Award of Excellence” in memory of Mary Frances Fox. Mary Frances Fox was an SDA Ontario Representative and textile artist who inspired the original concept for this exhibition.

There will be one last opportunity to see 'Edge of the Forest'

July 9 – August 21, 2016, Fibreworks Gallery, Sunshine Coast, BC

Backyard Project and Work in the Studio

Ron and Nordic Fencing team leader, Mat, plan the location of the deer fence along the south boundary.

Nathan is digging trenches for irrigation pipes.

The main pipe will be located under the path going around the pergola and arbor. If there is ever a problem with the pipe it can be dug up without disturbing any garden beds.

Meanwhile, I am collecting leaf skeletons from under the tulip trees.

The damp conditions are ideal for the soft parts of the leaf to rot away leaving the leaf skeleton in tact.

After washing and laying the leaves out to dry...

...I am sewing them onto an embroidered afternoon tea cloth that spent a year or so outside wrapped around a tree trunk. I have been adding leaves to this cloth for the past couple of years. The repair of the decayed cloth with darned leaves speaks of how leaves fall to nourish and repair the soil, the skin of the earth. I will keep adding to the cloth for another season or so to demonstrate how soil building is a long term continual process.

The work is called, 'Earth Repair.'

The hyacinths are blooming in the studio bed. There is such a lovely smell as I come and go from the Green Shed.

Now that the winter rains have eased we can continue with the Backyard Project tasks

Textile Treasures Exhibition - Mark Makers at Tulista Gallery, Sidney

The Mark Makers are exhibiting again!

Here is a peek at what they have produced over the past couple of years.

This is the view as one walks into the gallery - wearable art and 2D and 3D wet felt.

To the right are the results of a challenge to produce interpretations of the Melford Messenger Bag with a focus on upcycling, recycling and embellishment.

To the left - 2 different ways of working on top of a printed image.

Wet felted wall hanging, upcycled jacquard linen table cloth transformed into a blouse, embellished bags. 

Exploring the water and sky themes.

Upcycled pillows, soft sculptures and wearable art.

Hand and machine stitched framed wall pieces.

Art dolls, soft sculpture, wet felted forms.

Wet felted hats, scarf, bag, neck art.

Hand and machine 2D and 3D fibre art.

The alcove has a display of old traditional, handmade textiles from the 5 continents. They illustrate the history, techniques and skill mastery behind the Mark Makers' work.

This is just a taste of what is on display at the Tulista Gallery in Sidney, until May 1st.

There will be artists in attendance every day to answer your questions and to tell you the stories.

Edge of the Forest Exhibition Arrives in Victoria, Canadian Surface Design Association

After working its way from Newfoundland and across Canada to places in between, the 'Edge of the Forest' exhibition has arrived on the west coast. 

Actually, the 54 works in 2 shipping crates arrived on the island a month or so ago and I have kept them in storage until today when they were loaded into the car to be taken to Coast Collective's new gallery in Colwood.

Barb McCaffrey - Hanging Team Member

The first task was to measure all of the hanging walls and do a bit of math to work out how to fit in all of the works without gaps, squishing or have work left over.

We laid white sheets on the floor then laid each work down as we unpacked the boxes.

Laura Feeleus - Hanging Team Member

Next, we moved works around to find the best arrangement for each wall.

We tried lots of different combinations until there was a consensus.

I think I am checking the lighting.

The view from one entrance door with labels up but lighting still to be adjusted.

The view from the internal entrance.

Anni Hunt's work beside the text panel.

This Surface Design Association exhibition by Canadian members is to open in the Coast Collective's new gallery in Colwood, just out of Victoria, on Vancouver Island.

It opens on March 23rd and there will be 2 receptions during the duration of the exhibition.

The first reception, on March 26th from 2 pm to 4 pm, celebrates the arrival and display of the current work by Canadian textile and fibre artists.

The second reception is private because it is part of the 3-day 'Gathering at the Edge' event where over 40 BC members of the Surface Design Association will come together to share and build their community. 18 of the 26 BC artists whose work is in the exhibition will be attending this reception.

I do hope if you live in this part of the world or are visiting at this time you can come and see the exhibition, attend one of the receptions and talk to the artists about their work.

For more info on the exhibition and details about every work visit the website Edge of the Forest