Inspiration for Fundy Post Cards

The inspiration for Post Cards # 4 and #5 came from the Age of Sail Museum http://www.ageofsailmuseum.ca/, the sailor's costume for Post Card #4 and these woolen quilts for Post Card #5.

The quilts appear to be made from woolen clothing, particularly men's suits.

One of my favourite textile researchers is Anne Hollander. She has written extensively on the role the suit has played in society. Her books read like novels as she reveals the story. 

In the Post Card I incorporated 3 different horse hair textiles traditionally used to interface suit jackets. I collected these fabrics last November while exploring Toronto's textile district with other Articulation members.

Another important source of information for this series of work has been Allen Penney's book Houses of Nova Scotia.

Post Cards from Fundy #5

The 5th post card covers the mid to late 19th century when Gothic Revival architecture was all the rage, particularly in the UK. Here is the 'stamp' for the post card, a simple wooden version of the style as built around the Bay of Fundy.

Here is a magnificent example of the Gothic Revival style translated in wood, found in the sea port of Yarmouth.

Two identical houses were built (1877-78) side by side by a father for his son and daughter.

This one survives after the other unfortunately burnt down in 1992.

Loving attention was given to the gable and window detailing.

 

Post Cards from Fundy #3 Arcadians

The 3rd post card is one from the Arcadians who settled in the Bay of Fundy area from the early 17th century.
Here is the 'stamp' in progress showing a typical house with animal shelter attached and dykes the people made. 

The Arcadians brought with them a high level of textile skills so their garments were made from a variety of sophisticated materials: fulled, felted, woven, dyed wools; bleached linens; soft, adorned leathers; fine lace; woven ribbons.
I have made decisions about which fabrics I will work with and arranged them by colour scheme, value scale and intensity.

Assembly of the post card. 

Auditioning different materials for the printed lines found on post cards.

Mimkwamlis, Village Island

I also read Totem Poles and Tea by Hughina Harold, a teacher and nurse who worked in the village for 2 years in the 1930s. 

The Mamalillikulla people have left their village and now it is being covered by berry plants, wild mint and old fruit trees.

From the sea the location of the village is marked by the bright white midden shell beach.

Closer inspection of the beach reveals much beach glass and pieces of pottery and porcelain.  

I picked up a few mementos and plan to incorporate them into a work about my visit.

Sea Reflections

While we were on our annual sailing trip exploring the Pacific North West coast I took pictures of the shoreline reflected in the sea. 

This shot I didn't rotate because it made such an interesting mirror reflection pattern.

 

The different compositions change the mood of the shot.
There is lots of potential in looking at the concept of reflection and mirroring.

Getting Ready For London

Sorting through my workbooks to decide which ones I'll take to London to support my work during my assessment.

Meanwhile the new goslings in the garden are growing rapidly. 

 

I don't know how significant it is but I have to defend my work in front of the assessment board on the day of June's new moon. I won't be able to see the trees' colours so I have started working June's band of stitching in white threads.

Architectural Feast - Yarmouth

When in Nova Scotia, any easy way to get a taste of the range of architectural styles to be found in the province is to visit Yarmouth. What a feast.

The information bureau puts out a great self-guided, walking tour brochure.

Ron and I set off on the tour once the soft late afternoon light was creating enough shadows to highlight the architectural details. We took a photo of the paragraph in the brochure before taking photos of the building so I have a little bit of information about each place as a reference to begin further study.

For those of you interested in Canadian architecture, there is an excellent book that focuses on what can be found in Nova Scotia.

Penny, Allen, 'Houses of Nova Scotia An illustrated guide to architectural style recognition', co-published by Formac Publishing Company and The Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax, 1989.

I use architecture as a resource in my art work. I see buildings as portals into the social history of the time. Acting as a detective and noticing the details, talking to the owners, and tracking down primary resources such as newspapers and diaries in local archives can build up wonderful stories to share through my work.

Art Deco in Canada

This semester, for my Julia Caprara School of Textile Arts degree studies, I am investigating the Art Deco Movement. While on holiday touring the Maritimes I was on the look out for evidence of the movement wherever I went.

I was rewarded with examples, often in the most unlikely places.

While touring the Briggs and Little woollen yarn factory in New Brunswick, we spied what looked like a car under covers behind bales of fleece. One of the workers threw back the covers to show a 1930s car the owner of the factory had restored. It was a perfectly preserved example of an Art Deco object with its aerodynamic shape that only recently has been reused in car design for fuel efficiency.

Hood/bonnet ornaments were works of art.

The 3 or 4 straight lines, called Streamline, were a distinctive motif that suggested speed, new technology and acceptance of the benefits of the machine age.

I am now developing my thesis for a 2,000 word paper I have to write on a specific subject in the Art Deco Movement. I am doing lots of reading of library books and articles from web searches.