VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4, 2006 ANTHOLOGY - Velvet Highway · fibreQuarterly VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4, 2006 ANTHOLOGY 6 cities today -- from migration and growth, The Sweater Lodge The Canadian Design

fibreQuarterly VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4, 2006 ANTHOLOGY

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fibre QUARTERLY, VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4, 2006 ANTHOLOGY Canadian Textile and Fibre Arts on-line Magazine, www.velvethighway.com

Amy Belanger Kate Busby Suzanne Carlsen Martha Cockshutt Thea Haines Tim Jocelyn Bettina Lee Lee Maszaros Allyson Mitchell Janet Morton Lorraine Smith Carl Stewart The Sweater Lodge Anna Torma Hillary Webb Ange Yake

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Anna Torma, Red Flowers 1 (detail) 2006, 168 x 133cm, hand embroidery

Anna Torma Entering The Garden

Art Gallery of Hamilton

123 King Street West, Hamilton, Ontario

September 30 - December 31, 2006

Curated by Sara Knelman

This exhibition accompanies Hungarian Splendour: Masterpieces from the National Gallery in Budapest. Opening Reception: Sunday, October 22, 2006


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content

...... - 3 - Editorial: under rated and unobserved .................................................... - 4 - In the view finder ....................................................................................... - 5 -

Hillary Webb: Molecular colour and line ..........................................................................5 The Sweater Lodge.............................................................................................................6

Fibre Active: introducing Lorraine Smith......................................................7 Spun Out by Lorraine Smith..............................................................................................9

Re-signing Icarus..........................................................................................12 Finishing School: An Education in Textiles................................................19

Amy Belanger ...................................................................................................................20 Kate Busby........................................................................................................................22 Thea Haines ......................................................................................................................25 Bettina Lee ........................................................................................................................27 Lee Maszaros....................................................................................................................28 Ange Yake - Textile Artist ..................................................................................................29

fibreQuarterly is posted three times yearly on line at www.velvethighway.com registered business # 160956728

publisher/editor: joelewis, editorial staff: Sharon Butler, Mary O'Neil, Alexandra Albert, Advisory Board, Dorothy Caldwell, Lila Lewis Irving, Rebecca Kelley, Mary Pace, Luba Sckambarra, Michelle Walker


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Editorial: under rated and unobserved October 5, 2006; in two weeks time, Textile Narratives and Conversations, the tenth bi-annual Symposium of the Textile Society of America, will be over, and the About Jacquard Mini Conference in Montreal will be taking place. In the time between, 17 exhibitions will have opened in the Toronto area. It is a time to celebrate, and perhaps to reflect. In past editorials, I have talked about the lack of coverage and loss of publications that have covered textile and fibre arts. Now it is time to focus on the wide variety of things that have recently been happening. From the number of venues exhibiting textile art this month, the viability of textile work is becoming obvious to more dealers and curators. The amount of coverage in the popular as well as art presses is encouraging, and if subscriptions validate interest (and effort), then this publication may actually continue and evolve into a highly viable resource for critical discourse. This past summer, at the Toronto Outdoor Show at Nathan Philips Square, the “best sculpture” was the Ugly Bunny ‘textile’ soft sculpture created by Sarah Reynolds. There have been a number of recent graduates from the Ontario College of Art and Design and from Sheridan College (featured in Finishing School: an education in textiles in this anthology). Post-secondary institutions across the country have students in fine arts focusing on textiles. The Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary, and Concordia University in Montreal, both have programs in which students can complete a more fully developed and tightly focused textile curriculum and work towards a doctorate degree This coming generation has an unabashedly positive attitude toward working with fibre and textiles. These works are not being submitted as “mixed media” or “installation” works which previously were the side door entry point into the bastions of “fine art”. On September 30, I was in the Art Gallery of Hamilton to see Anna Torma’s new exhibit and meet the artist. While talking about the current state of textile art, she noted that it reminded her of Hungary under Communist rule. Textiles were such an underrated and unobserved category, and the creative freedom to push the boundaries and to experiment then is reminiscent of Canada now. Exhibitions such as Fray are evidence of this, while at the same time, Patricia Bentley’s Dance of Pattern and Continuum along with Natalia Nekrassova’s Wondering Weavers, have provided an accessible yet scholarly look at the Textile Museum of Canada’s collection. Canada’s community of practicing artists, educators, students, and curators as well as the public are on a learning curve. At the Textile Society of America symposium, the programming consists of presentations on a variety of topics and disciplines including textiles and trade, education, ritual practices, cultural transitions, gender issues, contemporary art practices and focussed sessions addressing disparate geographical and historical topics. This, considered along with the viewing opportunities, make this fall in Toronto very exciting for those of us who love fibre arts. Joe Lewis

Image on front cover is by Hillary Webb, all images are copyrighted material ( unless otherwise stated) and are the property of the artist and or the institution that provided them and have all been reproduced here with permission, Written Material is the property of the authors and may not be duplicated , transmitted or otherwise redistributed without permission of the author.


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In the view finder

Hillary Webb: Molecular colour

and line

Hillary Webb has been making the rounds of Craft Shows since graduating with a Bachelor of Design from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 2005. Her work consists of cotton, wax, natural dies, tattered holes, reverse appliqué and thread combined to create objects/ images reflective of an organic world. By waxing dyed cottons to deepen colours, embellishing with beading, and drawing with both graphite and embroidery, Hillary Webb draws on a seemingly microscopic, if not molecular, view of nature. Her subtle sense of colour and form is always under control, regardless of the size or shape of each piece. A broach or bookmark, alone or framed in a shadow box, are as finished as her larger wall pieces. With attention to detail and layering of materials, Hillary is building a body of work to keep watch for. Now is the time to invest -- with her career just beginning, and while she is still doing the "Craft Show" circuit, you have time to encourage this new artist. If you missed her at the Toronto Outdoor Show, go to her website to view her work and see what is next: http://www.hillarywebb.ca/

Hillary Webb at the Toronto Outdoor Show July 2006


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The Sweater Lodge

The Canadian Design Studio of Pechet and Robb warm up the Venice Biennial in Architecture this coming fall with their installation called SweaterLodge. Bill Pechet and Stephanie Robb run an award-winning interdisciplinary design practice, based in Vancouver, with backgrounds in both architecture and fine art. Since 1991, they have produced a portfolio of projects which include private residences, cemeteries, memorials, public art, commercial interiors, exhibitions, set designs and furniture. Their interest lies in developing environments which bridge the worlds of art and imagination to everyday life with a trademark theatricality, wit and cultural commentary. The 10th Venice Biennale in Architecture began in 1984, adding a new component to a cultural institution that started in Venice in 1895, and has grown to include most aspects of Cultural production: visual arts, theatre, music, dance, literature and film. This year’s event which takes place from September 9th - November 19th will focus on the design of cities and their urban infrastructure and social dynamics, providing a unique international perspective on the relationship between architecture, society, and sustainability. The twelve-week exhibition will tackle the key issues facing

cities today -- from migration and growth, to mobility and sustainable development. It will examine the role of architects and architecture in constructing democratic and sustainable urban environments, and their links to policymaking, governance and social cohesion. It will propose a manifesto for Cities of the 21st Century – focusing on the potential of cities to contribute to a more sustainable, democratic and equitable world. It will also provide the professional audience with new and detailed information of the complex issues that affect urban growth today: new developments in transport, emerging forms of urban governance, and the new landscapes of housing, workplaces, and public institutions that are shaping the contemporary world. SweaterLodge has been chosen through a national juried competition to represent Canada at the 2006 Venice Biennale of Architecture. It is a multi-media exhibit reflective of: Canada’s vast wilderness, our resourcefulness, our dedication to issues that affect urban growth today: new developments in transport, emerging forms of urban governance, and the new landscapes of housing, workplaces, and public institutions that are shaping the contemporary world. SweaterLodge has been chosen through a national juried competition to represent Canada at the 2006 Venice Biennale of Architecture. It is a multi-media exhibit reflective of: Canada’s vast wilderness, our resourcefulness, our dedication to sustainable living and, our collective enjoyment of outdoor recreation. The main element of SweaterLodge is a giant polar fleece sweater. Offering visitors a warm welcome, this common article of Canadian street wear is


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amplified into an iconic architectural environment, reflecting how outdoor leisure lifestyle intersects with Vancouver urban living. The polar fleece fabric is made from recycled plastic drink containers. Suspended within the Canadian pavilion, the inhabited garment becomes a lodge, a voluminous glowing orange interior space, evoking fire light and the brilliance of out-in-the-woods safety wear.

As visitors enter the sweater, they encounter a series of digital films showing vignettes about a city that intertwines wilderness and modern urban life. Each projection is activated by a viewer peddling a stationary bicycle: the faster they peddle, the faster the video plays. The shipping crates and baggage used to transport the exhibition will transform to become pavilion furniture as SweaterLodge envisions a future where daily objects become multifunctional: a sweater becomes a lodge, packs become sofas, and bicycles become projectors. After the exhibition, the 400 square meter sweater will return to Canada for a public “sew-in” event where it will be recycled into hats, scarves and mitts for charitable giving.

The Design Firm of Pechet and Robb is in the home stretch for fundraising. They are hoping to raise another $25, 000 before the end of August. Creating a unique and memorable exhibit of this magnitude is an expensive proposition,

and they rely on the generosity of government, corporate and private donations. People can donate on-line at www.sweaterlodge.ca. All donations will receive an immediate tax receipt and would be greatly appreciated! Let’s get the Sweater Lodge to Venice and show what Canadian Design and Ingenuity is about

Visit these sites http://www.sweaterlodge.ca/ www.pechetandrobb.ca www.labiennale.org/en

Fibre Active: introducing Lorraine Smith

Lorraine Smith has been spinning since the early 1990's and is the Publisher/Editor of Spinners' Quarterly, a newsletter available four times a year in print. Spinner’s Quarterly is a forum for discussing how the ancient craft of spinning fits into our contemporary life. Lorraine has translated her passion for spinning into writing, lecturing, and giving workshops to a wide audience. Her ability to speak clearly about spinning in terms of its history, complex technical variations, and as a business, as well as a meditative, spiritual or creative occupation, makes spinning accessible to all. I met Lorraine when I joined the Toronto Guild of Spinners and Weavers She spoke of a community connected by a common interest rather than geography; revealing a story of the active exchange of goods, information, and hospitality that is very prevalent in the world of Fibre and Textile arts. This validated my Guild experience which, from the outside, can appear as nothing more than an administrative money


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making machine – with ever increasing membership and workshop fees and no interest in maintaining standards or the passing on of traditional knowledge (similar to the medieval guilds, which were more about exclusion, maintaining market value, and discouraging innovation than about keeping standards). Lorraine’s determination to keep this age old traditional “craft” a living art makes her an artist to watch.

Lorraine Smith spindling on a boat in Winnipeg near the forks

Toronto to Victoria, Canada by Square 2003 a story blanket in fibre. Spun and knitted by Lorraine Smith 2003-2004

A Support Spindle made of a double-pointed sock needle with femo bead and soy sauce bowl.

full moon rising over the shores of Lake Superior fibres include wool, camel and alpaca

Fire on the Mountain: three different wool types, including a strand of dyed orange yarn given to me by a study group of the Edmonton guild I visited, which had just completed a series on dyeing using onion bags and two separate dye pots.


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Spun Out by Lorraine Smith

It was spring of 2003 and I was restless. The grating sound of the corporate cubicle grind was more than my subway knitting could soften. I was tired. I was grouchy. I needed to stop complaining and do something about it. Around this time, I had been more actively following the chatter on the yahoo discussion group, CanSpin, a collection of handspinners from across the country. There was so much going on; it seemed, from interesting spinning events to general support of a fibrey, and sometimes not-so-fibrey, nature. All this spinning talk got my subconscious churning, and with each rotation through the revolving doors of my office tower, the need to spin away from the conventional rut I was in became clearer.

This professional discontent and harking of supportive spinning behaviour on-line coincided with one more crucial piece of the puzzle: an article in Spin Off (“Sushi Spindles,” Spring 2003, page 83) about making support spindles using knitting needles and femo whorls. I suddenly knew my inner truth: I must make a support spindle, quit my job, and travel the country by bus, spinning my way from place to place.

I raided our cupboard for a likely support bowl (a little ceramic dish previously dedicated to soy sauce worked

like a charm) and found a double-pointed sock needle that matched the picture in Spin Off. Now all I needed was a whorl. I knew of a shop in Toronto’s Kensington Market--Courage My Love--that sells a variety of beads. As I opened drawer after drawer of miscellaneous beads, shells and buckles in this curious shop of sundry vintage tidbits and hippy hangovers, poking my needle into each object hoping for a snug fit and a balanced spin, the proprietor came over to sceptically inquire if I needed assistance.

“I’m looking for a spindle whorl,” I replied sheepishly, assuming this would not appease his retail suspicion. To my surprise, he said he used to work at the Royal Ontario Museum, and spent a lot of time with the South American artifacts, including many spindles. He knew all about handspinning tools, and was keen to help me find just the right bead. The two of us set about looking, until two good candidates were found, for 75 cents each. (I only needed one, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to have a back-up.)

Later that night, I sequestered myself in order to learn how to use the spindle I had made. I have been spinning for over 10 years, yet the concept of spinning off the tip had eluded me. I surfed the net and scoured my fibre library looking for pictures or even just helpful hints. The most useful reference I found came from chapter 8 of Connie Delaney’s Spindle


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Spinning from Novice to Expert. After two solid hours, punctuated by the clang of the needle hitting the support bowl as I dropped it yet again, I was finally drafting with one hand and making a relatively decent singles.

Next I posted a note on CanSpin about how I was thinking of traveling out west on an extended spinning adventure. Would anyone be interested in getting together to spin along my route? Were there any events I should aim to include in my travels? In the following days I was inundated with suggestions, supportive notes, and even invitations to come and stay with people along the trail. It was very heartening, and it gave me the validation I needed. I gave my notice at work, talked my partner into feeding our cats for the summer, bought a 60-day Greyhound bus pass and boarded the bus on June 23, first stop Sudbury, Ontario. My mom--who is a member of the Sudbury Weavers and Spinners Guild--lives there, and it, seemed like the right way to start off.

My “plan” was to meander from Toronto to Victoria and back, with a vague schedule and a spindle on my lap, spinning up yarns and knitting squares depicting the people and places I saw, or whatever else inspired me. I hoped I could spin and knit enough to compile a small blanket, but I didn’t enforce that vision as I wanted the journey to unfold as it should--no more rigid schedules and agendas, and

certainly no meetings about the project requirements and desired outcomes. I just wanted to enter into a cross-country dialogue about spinning, with other spinners, as well as the unsuspecting, non-spinning public.

July 30/03 Peace Arch Spinners and Weavers of White Rock BC at the annual Spin In. Over 70 spinners came from far and wide

How to describe what transpired? The memories are accordioned into a sense of gratitude to the spinning community for so graciously showing me around each area I visited. I attended “official” spin-ins in Saskatoon, Red Deer, Edmonton, White Rock, and Chilliwack. There were also less formal gatherings of spinners (we do like to gather, don’t we?) in: Blucher and North Battleford (both near Saskatoon), Rock Creek and Medicine Hat. I met Canada’s largest herd of Alpacas, just outside of Saskatoon; numerous flocks of sheep of various breeds in Saskatchewan and Alberta; several angora bunnies; and a group of flax researchers in Saskatoon.


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I was given (to my great surprise and delight, even though by the end I could scarcely close my backpack) samples of every kind of fibre known to the handspinner, some dyed, combed, blended or right from the animal’s back. My only constraint was time, as there was obviously an unlimited amount of engaging spinnerly things to see and do along the way.

I had to improvise as I went, learning to ply using my running shoes (see photo), using my arm as a niddy-noddy, blending colours with my hand, and enjoying the luxury of actual spinning tools when they were offered at a spinning host’s home. The varied nature of the yarns I spun--kept diverse by the range of fibres, preparations, and circumstances (it was very windy on the ferry to Victoria!)--will ensure that the finished piece has character and depth.

learning to ply using her running shoes

All of these experiences, combined with the tremendous generosity, fascinating conversations, heart-warming peeks into other people’s lives, and many long hours spinning on the bus (quietly musing to myself or chatting with the often curious neighbour beside me) are knitted up into 99 colourful 5” x 5” squares. There is still work to be done--blocking and assembling the squares, knitting a border, and deciding how this blanket will fit into my life--but the gathering phase is done. I’m back in Toronto and ready to forge a path that spins me through a more pleasant, fibre-friendly series of doors each day.

The above was the beginning of a three part essay that was published in Fibre Focus the member’s magazine of the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners that was published over three issues from fall 03 until summer 04. Along with the initial story of the journey the essays go on in part one and two to give detailed technical information for using a Support Spindle, In part three Lorraine talks about telling the story/ giving lectures to various guilds and non fibre people and the response to this tail of community.

Spun Out is reprinted here with permission of Fibre Focus. Lorraine smith can be contacted by e-mail [email protected]

Websites for Organizations mentioned in this article are

Ontario Handweavers and Spinners http://www.ohs.on.ca which has extensive links to fibre sources and events

Toronto Guild of Spinners and Weavers http://spinnersandweavers-ivil.tripod.com/


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Re-signing Icarus © Tim Jocelyn: 1985 & Tim Jocelyn

Queen Street West 1979 the heart of a moment in time. The post punk, new wave music scene was: art school bands, was: upstairs at the Bev, the Cabana Room at the Spadina Hotel, Biff, the Drastic Measures, the Dishes, and Martha and the Muffins. Painting was back according to John Bentley Mayes and Gary Michael Dault, Carmen Lamana was the main stream Yorkville gallery showing the Queen street artist who actually had studios in the Queen and Spadina neighbourhood, John Brown, Sybil Goldstein, Oliver Girling, Ray Johnson and John Scott, YYZ was above an A&P west of Spadina. Leighton Barrette, Gerald Franklin and Lucas where putting on Fashion extravagances in alternative places. File, Impulse, Only Paper Today, Fuse, the Soho News, Village Voice and miraculously the Sunday New York Times available on Sunday were what you read. Sunday Brunch at the Parrot, or plain Breakfast at the Stem. The Peter Pan and newly opened Queen’s Mother Café were the eateries. All this before the Cameron became the centre for a generation. fSomewhere in all this with no one questioning his right to be there or was it fashion or was it art stood Tim Jocelyn seemingly standing alone and out standing. His combination of wearable and wall art and upholstered furnishing, made of silks satins and leather were referential of art history and contemporary life. They were dramatic, flippant, garish and subtle at the same time. His life was not long enough and was lost by complications due to AIDS in 1987. Ground breaking when working his work remains ahead of its time

fibre Quarterly reprinted/ posted “The Ascent of Icarus” by curator and art historian Stewart Reid from “The Art of Tim Jocelyn”. Published by McClelland and Stewart in 2002, and edited by Sybil Goldstein. It can be read on-line at www.velvethighway.com as in keeping with our copyright agreement with McClelland and Stewart

Images above: Re-Signing Icarus, © Tim Jocelyn, 1985, materials: silk, leather, dimensions: 41 x 165 x 10 cm, 16 x 65 x 4 in. collection of: MacDonald Stewart Art Centre, University of Guelph

Tim Jocelyn in front of Cities of the Red Night, 1984 photo: Tony Wilson, courtesy of the Artist Foundation


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Cities of the Red Night © Tim Jocelyn, 1984, materials: silk and leather, dimensions: 97 x 152 cm, 38 x 60 in. collection of: MacDonald Stewart Art Centre, University of Guelph, photo: Michael Rafelson

Tim Jocelyn in Front of Astrolabe, 1986, photo: Tony Wilson, courtesy of The Artist Foundation


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Joanna Rogers: elemental artist

Air. 2006. 12" x 24". Painted and dyed silk, beads, ribbon

I have know Joanna since the early 1980s while she was working on an Honours BA in Anthropology from Trent University and was involved in community radio, performance and theatre before becoming interested in visual arts.

When I first met her she was involved in the international audio/ radio art community editing an audio “zine” called “Earmeat” and a radio show about that community where sampling and rap were being born. She was on top of a very cutting edge art scene that used audio collage as basic building block.

As a visual artist she created and exhibited collages for seven years before moving to Vancouver and enrolling in the Textile Arts program at Capilano College. She has been working as a fibre artist since graduating 1994.

Her studies of Anthropology and Textile History along with her collage skill inform her art. Interestingly, the historical and cultural impact of fabric is to be found in the archaeological record, not in the realm of Art History . This neatly links two areas of study and brings added relevance to both.

Her work has been shown in public and artist-run galleries across Canada and in the United States. It is represented in private collections and public collections. Her work has also appeared in magazines such as Artichoke and Fiberarts.

-JL-


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Earth. 2006. 9" x 20". Painted and dyed silk, beads, ribbon


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This Mortal Coil; A Cure for Mortality. 2005. 12" x 20". Painted and printed silk and canvas, bottles, hair, bones, petals, ribbon, beads.


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Flight; A Cure for Vertigo. 2005. 12" x 20". Painted and printed organza, bottles, feathers, beads


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Enigmas # 4

An investigation into the potential and significance of codes, puzzles, signs, symbols and chance.

Enigmas # 1 & 7 will be on view at the Art Gallery of Alberta as part of the Focus on Fibre exhibit from April 21 until May 30, 2006

you can see more of Joanna Rodgers work at her website


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Finishing School: An Education in Textiles

There are many ways of getting a technical based textile education in Canada ; Universities and Colleges provide numerous courses and approaches in the material arts. With the recent elevation of some Art Colleges to University levels, you can do a diploma or Degree and continue through to achieve a Masters and Doctorate in Textiles. This is a relatively new and welcome phenomenon, giving Textile Arts the academic respect they have not always had. Formerly, specializing in art history with a focus on textile traditions, costume design, and history, or even chemistry, was one way of moving through the university system to achieve an acceptable degree. Painting or other "Studio Arts", without a focus on fibre based arts, has been the standard route. While Community Colleges, with a nodding acknowledgement to the Bauhaus adage "Form follows Function", taught industrial production and had oriented surface design towards fashion or interior design applications. Functional art, rather than art for art’s sake. The Community Colleges, developed almost forty years ago, were to act as job training centres, replacing the almost defunct apprenticeship tradition. The industrial jobs in textiles that people were being trained for, along with the industry itself, no longer exist in this country, except in rare cases. With employment no longer being the main focus / result of this training, there is more opportunity for an innovative, creative approach to fibre and textiles "Arts". Now all directions are supported from first year through post doc. This is the first article taking a look at the students coming out of the current educational process. A process that is changing: as computers that require little classroom space are taking the place of yardage screening tables. In May, at the Arta Gallery in Toronto’s historic “Distillery District”, I encountered the 2206 graduating class of Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning’s Textile Department, and offered them this space in which to introduce themselves and to participate in an ongoing series of ”Check Ups", in the tradition of the documentary film series "14 Up", but in web form.

The Textiles Studio, Crafts & Design Program, Sheridan College The Textiles Studio at Sheridan Institute offers one of the few training programs in Canada for those interested in pursuing a career as a professional craft practitioner. With an excellent technologist, faculty and facilities, the studio is focussed on developing each student to their full potential. During a student’s time in the studio, they engage in a broad range of textile techniques, including felt and paper making, heat-setting, dying, printing, stitching and constructing surfaces. They also learn both mixed media and digital surface design skills. Throughout their studies, students are encouraged to explore the possibilities inherent in materials and to experiment, observe and respond through their work. There are many options for students upon leaving the program; graduates may focus their practice on one-off or commissioned work, small batch production, textiles for theatre and film or design for large-scale production. The focus of the studio is to enable students to design and create richly imaginative and creative textile work. Class of 2006 When I saw their show at Arta Gallery I was intrigued by the diversity of the work given that over the years Sheridan's faculties provide the space and equipment for large scale repeat pattern screening of yardage. Printed cloth was to be expected and though the processing varied the over all quality was consistent and high. It was the individual approach and usage that made both the exhibition and allowed each artist to show unique work.


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Not all the students are presented here due to the time frame to pull this together and it is Amy Belanger I must thank for coordinating who is presented here. Amy is continuing her fibre education at NSCAD this fall, while two others Nora Deacon and Thea Hains are now in residence at the Harbourfront Centre's Craft Studio on Toronto lakefront . One other Ange Yake has taken up studio space at in Mississauga's Living Arts Centre. With short artist bios and six images six of the artist will speak for themselves below. Due to tree planting, getting married, preparing for the Toronto Out Door Show and other circumstances those who are not presented here will be added as they come in.

Amy Belanger

ILLUSTRATED FAMILY DOLLS IN CASE, Natural linen, found fabrics, pigment Case 8”x12”, Dolls 6”x3” Illustrations, silkscreen printing, machine sewing, Jan 2006


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3. ODE TO THE WILDERNESS - Minks Wool and found fabrics 15”x 3.5” Machine and hand sewing, layering, and construction May 2006 2. ODE TO THE WILDERNESS OUTFITS - Collection Reclaimed Fabrics (bed linens, used clothing), dye, Size 10, Hand dyeing and printing, draping, garment construction, machine sewing, and embellishing, Jan- June 2006

: Amy Belanger is a recent graduate of Sheridan College’s Craft and Design textile program. She will soon be based in Halifax at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design continuing her education in textiles and pursuing her interests in sustainable design. Her work integrates reclaimed and natural fabrics with handmade qualities, which emphasize the natural disintegration of materials. Amy has a background in environmental resource studies. She visited an eco-community in Costa Rica, worked on organic farms in New Zealand, and was involved with various outdoor education programs around the Toronto Area. These experiences along with her work in textiles have encouraged her interest in global sustainability. As part of her sustainable efforts, Amy has always enjoyed finding odd and interesting vintage objects and clothing. She incorporates these findings in her work, whether it is in choice of fabrics or in design. She uses scrap fabrics, old clothing, bedroom linens, and various silk screening, sewing or embellishing techniques to create each piece individually. It is important to Amy, while two pieces can be alike, that each one be one of a kind. She wants the wearer to feel as though they have stumbled across something highly unlikely. Amy recently completed a collection called Ode to the Wilderness, shown at Arta Gallery in May 2006. The work is a playful tale about personal heritage including two outfits, faux mink accessories, and a series of dolls. The garments are made with found fabrics. They are dyed, layered and sculpted with an organic sensibility. Each is silkscreen printed with images of old letters and postcards collected from storage spaces, vintage shops and family albums. The dolls are illustrated with family members representing different generations. The collection acts as an interpretation of family history, which references traditional garments, such as fur accessories and flannel plaids, and romanticizes about a culture that prevailed in a time of war and hardships


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IN MEMORY OF, Reclaimed Fabrics 14” x 10” Cutting out designs and drawing with thread Aug 2005

Kate Busby My passion for craft stems from my desire to create intimacy between people and their belongings. I believe that craft speaks a language; it expresses the beauty of touch and texture, the excitement of colour and design, and the ability of an object to take in memories. As a textile artist I strive to create well-crafted, functional objects. I feel that in our present culture quality and beauty are being overlooked as demand to follow changing trends mean that goods are quickly bought and discarded. I want to create textiles that will be cherished by their owners, and appreciated for their lasting aesthetic and durability. I studied fine art and art history at the University of Toronto. My love of collage, texture, and pattern led to an interest in textiles, and they became an integral part of my work. My interest turned from fine arts to craft, and I went on to study textiles in the Crafts and Design program at Sheridan College. This provided me with the skills to dye and print my own fabrics. As an artist I struggled with the physical barrier between my work and the viewer; my work’s emphasis on texture was lost due to the audience’s apprehension to touch artwork. As a craftsperson I am able to create functional objects, this means that I am able to connect with the user through both sight and touch. My recent work consists of large-scale pieced blankets that combine bold colour, varied texture, and a playful mixture of pattern. My blankets are designed through collage, and then embellished. I combine many fabrics, including wool, silk, felt, and velveteen, to create surfaces that can be explored and appreciated. The majority of the fabrics I use are hand dyed and hand printed; I also incorporate hand stitch and embroidery into my work. I believe that hand stitching speaks a language; its narrative references the maker, and alludes to the human element inherent to all craft.


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3 LAURA, Silk, wool, and cotton, glass beads, embroidery floss, 25” x 38”, Discharge and dye printing, machine pieced, embellished, February 2005

4. LAURA (detail) Discharge and dye on silk, wool, and cotton, glass beads, embroidery floss, 25” x 38”, 11” x 17” , Discharge and dye printing, machine pieced, embellished, February 2005

Norah Deacon Artist Biography I am interested in the relationships that people have with their belongings. I believe that craftspeople have the opportunity to make objects that people connect with, giving them reason to hold on to their possessions. My aim is to make work that is timeless and treasured, invoking a connection with the collector. I create both functional and sculptural work using a range of materials and processes. These include natural fibres such as linen, wool delaine, silk pongee, velveteen, yarns and handmade paper, in combination with silk-screening, devoré, stitch, needle lace and other handwork. Prior to my three years in the Craft and Design Textile Program at Sheridan College, I studied Studio Art and Art History at the University of Guelph. I focused on photography and printmaking for my studio classes and I completely immersed myself in Art History. These four years formed a strong foundation from which I have drawn many of my ideas of art as well as craft. My time at Sheridan has continued to expand my viewpoint. Through refining my technical skill, I have developed a visual language to better express myself. I have recently begun a three-year residency at the Harbourfront Centre’s Craft Studio. Harbourfront provides the support needed to continue my development as a craftsperson, while exposing me to and including me in the larger world of makers, exhibitions and workshops. My most recent body of work speaks of my fascination with the detail and care sewn into vintage garments, handkerchiefs, gloves, linens and antique lace. Working with handmade paper, linen and devoré in a sculptural manner, this work references vulnerability and the strength that can be found within it. There is an inherent fragility in delicate garments, while at the same time a tangible sense of security. The custom of heirlooms and passing objects from generation to generation is increasingly becoming less common. I aim to create garments that offer a level of attachment in a world of increasing disposability.


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3. Lace Patterned Slip (detail) Linen, stitch, polyester thread & devoré Size 6, November 2005

Image on left: 2. Lace Patterned Slip (detail) Linen, devoré & appliqué, Size 6 November 2005

4. Lace Linen Intimates, Linen, cotton & devoré, 6 in. x 18 in. & 8 in. x 13 in., February/March 2006

5. Lace Linen Undies, Linen, cotton & devoré, 8 in x 13 in. February/March 2006 ( above)


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Thea Haines

I have always been fascinated with the relationship that people have with their belongings – which are discarded, which are cherished? When I admire the everyday items that my grandmothers made, I see they are simply quilts and tablecloths, skilfully made, yet they are something more – beautiful objects. I am interested in clothing and its relationship its wearer as well as the viewer. With that in mind I create garments that tell stories or exhibit different personalities. Many of these garments are somewhat nostalgic in their temperament; aprons, circle skirts and cardigan sweaters are the clothing of yesteryear. I include interactive elements with these garments, such as brooches that are removable and can be worn with other clothes. I also create story-book-like illustrations using machine embroidery, cutwork, tufting and appliqué. I use only natural fibre fabrics– cotton velvet, linen, silk and wool, which allow for hand- dyeing and screen printing with transparent dyes. My most recent work, Dream House is series of ‘storybook’ aprons exploring domesticity, childhood, adulthood, love and nostalgia. In the past, women collected linens in hope chests, the contents of which reflected her desires for the future. While gathering her trousseau, a woman contemplated her future, and the cloth became permeated with her wishes and dreams. Each apron acts as a vehicle conveying different stories of future lives, speaking to each of our emotional needs and material desires that might compose our own Dream House, the vessel in which all our hopes and emotions are contained. Prior to graduating from the three-year course in Textiles at Sheridan College’s Craft and Design Program, I completed a combined Honours Degree in Studio Art and Comparative Literature at McMaster University. My studio thesis work consisted of primarily painting, printmaking and sewn construction exploring narratives of human relationships influenced by my studies in literature. Presently I have just begun a three-year residency in textiles at Harbourfront Centre’s Craft Studio. My love of literature and story-telling will continue to inform my work for years to come.

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1. Dream House Aprons, installation view, Aprons – Screen print with dyes on linen, Birds – Screen print with dyes on cotton velvet; wool, wool fleece. 183cm x 214cm 2006 (left) 2 . We’ll build a house in the clearing. Embroidery and cutwork on linen 31cm x 26cm 2006

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3. Black apples. Embroidery, appliqué, reverse appliqué and cutwork on linen, 24cm x 18.5cm 2006

6. Briar Patch, Polychromatic screen print with dyes on cotton velvet, 76cm x 128cm, 2005


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Bettina Lee

Bettina Lee is a recent graduate of the Craft and Design textile studio, at Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. She began her education in Sheridan’s Art Fundamentals Program, where she developed her skills in visual studies. Her interests in construction and illustration led her to continue on to Sheridan’s textile program. Raised in Peterborough, Bettina spent her childhood surrounded by nature. Memories of roaming hills, forests, creeks, and an abundance of plant life have instilled her with a love and appreciation for the natural world. Bettina draws on these memories to create images of nature, a recurring theme in her work. Through her designs, Bettina shows the fragility and deterioration of nature, expressed through her use of unfinished edges and the delicateness of her pieces. Bettina’s recent work includes capelets and scarves made with delicate silks, cottons, and wool. She creates beautiful surfaces through dying, silk-screening, appliqué, and stitch. Her use of multiple colours, placement prints, and varied embellishment techniques, allow for one of a kind pieces within a series. For her Capelet Series, Bettina took inspiration from the Victorian era, evoking its romantic qualities within her work. This series, along with her scarves, were displayed at her latest exhibition, She’s Crafty, at Arta Gallery in May 2006.

1. Capelet #1 Materials: cotton velvet, silk pongee, silk dupioni, remazol dyes and thread, Dimensions: 16in x w 28in, Process: winched dyed, pot dyed, ruffled, silk-screened and free motion machine stitched, February 2006 2. untitled, Materials: silk dupioni, remazol dyes, discharge print paste and thread, Dimensions: 6in x 42in, Process: Pot dyed, silk-screened, discharge, cut away and free motion machine embroidery, April 2006 3 Felt Leaf Scarf, Materials: merino wool, silk dupioni, remazol dye, and thread, Dimensions: 6in x 42in, Process: hand felted, pot dyed, silk-screened, cut away and free motion machine embroidery, April 2006

6. untitled, Materials: silk dupioni, remazol dyes, pigment and thread Dimensions: 6in x 24 in, Process: Pot dyed, silk-screened, cut away and free motion machine embroidery, April 2006


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Lee Maszaros "All personal relationships are complex and fragile. They can go from being blissfully harmonious, to bitterly disjointed in a few precious moments. It is these moments of intense feeling and emotion that are universal to all. My work revolves around these feelings of joy and sadness, of secrets and stories. I explore the art of storytelling and illustration through textiles and mixed media. I am inspired by things close to me, which also hold universal nostalgia in their own right. Books, bicycles, humans and hearts are all commonly explored images within my work. My textile procedures include screen printing pigment on cotton as well as on paper, digital printing, tea dyeing, machine embroidery, and fabric collage. My work is then strengthened by the addition of non-textile elements, such as paper collage, markers, and pens. I am also very interested in the important role which scale can play in my work. Very large and commanding elements, mixed with very precious and petite elements, have the ability to create tension and dialogue within a piece. In the future I plan to continue to explore the blending of traditional textile processes with other disciplines and materials. In the fall of 2006 I will begin the second phase of my textile education, attending the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. I think this opportunity will allow me the freedom to pursue my ideas in a new and fresh environment."

1: Page from the artists book Double Dutch. Materials: Craft paper, markers, silk-screened pigment, appliquéd fabric, marker transferred photocopy. April 2006, 2. Woven Sample, Materials: Digitally printed cotton, black cotton, and thread. December 2005

3. It’s a Pressing Matter. Materials: pen, marker, watercolour paper, pencil crayon. June 2006 4: Bicycle, Materials: pigment on unbleached cotton, fabric markers. October 2005.


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Ange Yake - Textile Artist I am a recent honours graduate from the 3 Year Craft and Design - Textile Program at Sheridan College, in Oakville. My keen interest in fabrics and textile design started in high school, where I was introduced to all of the different dying and tie dye techniques by my teacher from Africa. After learning these methods, I became fascinated with fabrics which ultimately led me to attend Sheridan’s Craft and Design Program. Designing textiles for interior applications is my passion. The inspiration for my work comes from objects in nature, textural qualities, and a desire to refresh old objects and reuse materials. My imagery incorporates free-hand sketches with digital design techniques to produce motifs and final concepts. The use of the polychromatic screen printing technique enables me to create hand painted elements in my work. The patterns that emerge have a textural quality and reflect depth through over-printing. Working with this method allows me the freedom to create surface texture and layering, leading to rich colours. I merge design techniques such as devoré printing and polychromatic screen printing to further enhance the look of textures and layers. The use of diverse fabrics such as cotton, linen and rayon further contributes to the creation of surface texture. I manipulate my fabrics through devoré printing, layering, cutting and machine stitching to create depth, surface texture, and patterns within my designs. I am currently a Textile Resident artist at the Living Arts Centre, in Mississauga, Ontario, which will provide me with an opportunity to further advance my hands-on creative expression with textiles. This exposure will provide the prospect of connecting and interacting with other artists, professionals and the public.

1. Classic Keepsake, Materials: Linen, Rayon, Thread, Dimensions: 17.5" Dia. Process: Pot Dyeing, Devoré, Machine Stitching. March 2006, 2. Classic Comfort, Materials: Antique Fabric, Linen, Dye, Thread. Dimensions: 28”h x 29”d x 28”w, Process: Pot Dyeing, Devoré, Machine Stitching. March 2006

The Sheridan Students here have gone of into the real world in various ways, some have gone on to do more schooling, and others are in residencies at Cultural studio facilities like Harbourfront in Toronto. A few have become involved with other artist to open a co-operative textile Print Studio at 401 Richmond Street. This space is going to be interesting to watch over the next few years as are these young artists at the beginning of careers that may prove interesting to both them and us. Watch the website as well as the Magazine for periodic updates from them.

Documents

VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4, 2006 ANTHOLOGY - Velvet Highway · fibreQuarterly VOLUME 2 ISSUE 4, 2006 ANTHOLOGY 6 cities today -- from migration and growth, The Sweater Lodge The Canadian Design