Victoria College of Art Christmas Show 2011

What a busy and exciting 3 days we have had in the textiles studio at the college.
On Thursday students turned up with rubber gloves and gave the studio a thorough clean.
On Friday morning they finished off their boards displaying their work and set up the studio.

I set up a table where I would do demos on the Saturday

The crowds came on Friday night.

Some members of the Mark Making Class of winter 2011 - me, Kati Akhavan, Sarah McLaren, Garland Fong, Esther Paterson.

College President Prof. Peter Such presented Jo Ann Allen with a Fine Arts Textiles Certificate.
The textiles program began November 2010 and Jo Ann is the first person to be awarded this certificate.

Barbara Gilbert, also a VCA student, and here representing the Embroiderer's Guild of Victoria, congratulates Jo Ann on behalf of the guild.
Well done Jo Ann. We are all very proud of you.

Progress With Red

The 3rd layer of needle weaving is finished. It is always a surprise when I take the work off the frame because I can see only sections of it while I work on it in the frame.
People often ask me, when they see this technique, 'how long did this take you?' So far this work has taken 29 hours - this includes 4 to develop the design, 1 1/2 cutting up thread, 1 hour setting up the frame. And there are still many more hours to go before it will be finished.

My colour palette is much depleted. I will have to replenish it before I begin the second in the series.

This is the back of the work as it is being blocked.

I am sewing from the back a drawing of a Mi'kmaq petroglyph.

Busy Hands Finishing Work

Students in the VCA Textiles class have had their final class where they were busy finishing samples, projects and assignments.
Dana

Kati

Sarah

Garland

Esther

Progress With Red & Students' Samples

Progress Report on Red: 3rd layer is just about finished

VCA student progress with samples
Esther's couching

Sarah's couching

Kati's couching

Garland's buttonhole stitch on her painted ground fabric
The students will be finishing off their samples and projects this coming week

Red & Student Work

An up-dated image of Red. Working on the 3rd layer using finer yarns.

More samples of student work - Self Applique using their own hand painted cloth.
Garland

Sarah

Kati
There is much excitement in the college this week as students have their last lesson for the term. They are finishing assignments, projects and art works in preparation for the Christmas Show when their works will fill every bit of space inside the college.
The Christmas Show will be on Friday December 16th from 7:00pm and Saturday December 17th, 1:00 - 4:30pm. On Saturday I will be demonstrating with my sewing machine and talking about the course I will teach in January - Mark Making With Machine. 

Red & VCA Student Work

Here is a progress shot of Red - it will be needing its pedigree name soon
Working on the 2nd layer - thick yarns

Victoria College of Art Mark Making With Thread
Student samples - Self-Applique
James

Sue Mei

Esther
A technique that always produces surprises

Art at the Whyte

Lesley Turner 'Valuing Women's Work' 81" x 62", composted, hand stitching; cotton
An afternoon tea cloth was left under a maple tree during fall to be incorporated into the decay cycle. After many hours of washing, ironing and stitching the work goes largely unnoticed as the restored cloth is sacrificed again to protect furniture while the hostess serves tea to her guests. This installation is a metaphor for much of women's work not accounted for in our national accounts system.

Mary Shaffer's jacket...

...was the inspiration for a number of works placed around it.

Likewise, Catherine Whyte's engagement dress, shoes and portrait  inspired Ingrid Lincoln's panel. The artist statement reads: 'This is a homage to Catherine Whyte. A strong personality in a soft guise.'

The curators Michale Lang and Mary-Beth Laviolette did a very good job pairing and arranging artifacts from the Whyte collection with Articulation's art works.

Imagists Exhibition in Victoria

http://www.artopenings.ca/Art_Openings.ca/Imagists_Opening.html
Click on this link to get details about the Imagists current exhibition
It is a most interesting collection of work
Thanks Kate for putting this review up on your site

Articulation at the Whyte

Here is the view from the entrance, looking left

The view looking from the 1st entrance

View from inside the gallery
There is lots of breathing space for the works

Here is Articulation, in the gallery

Articulation At The Whyte

This is the text panel at the entrance to Articulation's work in the Whyte Museum, Banff

With Vickie Newington's 2 works beside it - see below

In front of the entrance is this red wall with Gloria S Daly's work

Gloria S. Daly, 'Glacier', 42" x 38"
Gloria was inspired by A. C. Gault's sketch called 'Mountain Monsters', in the book 'Rocky Mountain Madness' by Edward Cavell & Jon Whyte. Indigo dyed cotton and silk rushing is hand embroidered with a zillion french knots and machine quilting.

Vickie Newington
 (top) 'Ice and Stones,' 17" x 20", glass, mohair wool - hand felting, glass fusion
Vickie describes this work, "As the mountain starts to warm up and come alive in the spring, the edges of the ice on the lakes retreats, exposing interesting stones."
(bottom) 'Ice Water,' 22" x 24", fused glass, polyester, wool mohair - glass fusing, machine embroidery, hand felting
Vickie describes this work,"The spring breakup in the mountains brings texture and reflection to the water and  the ice.
These 2 works are beside the text panel.
More Articulation work to come.