If Wishes Had Wings, Too Many Textile Things; April 2012

Me presenting "the magic of getting published while tracking textile arts in the wilderness":at the ETN 2009 Symposium at the Textile Centre Haslach Upper Austria 

FIBER Philadelphia, "Identity: Context and Reflection" National Conference: Surface Design Association and Studio Art Quilt Associates March 31- April 4

En avril.in Montreal and across Quebec,: an annual event that underscores the vitality and excellence of fiber arts and textile industry in Quebec.Opening on  a month of exhibitions, conferences http://www.enavril.com/programmation.html

Opening night Concordia University Friday, March 30, 2012, from 16 h 30

Pavilion EV - EV 6-730 (
6th Floor, Mackay Street entrance, corner Ste-Catherine),  
1515 St. Catherine Street West, Montreal 
16 h 30: Introduction to Programming by the founding members of  "in April" ... from  Jake Moore,  Director FoFA Gallery

17: 30 pm:  "Social Fabric (fabric)"  talk by Professor Janis Jefferies from Goldsmiths University,      

18: 30 pm: Reception

20 h 00: Opening - By Hook or By Crook Exhibition of undergraduate students Fibers
   Eastern Bloc, 7240 Clark Street, second floor
     Montreal (De Castelnau metro)

 Cross Without Seeing: Christine Peyret

April 4 to May 11

Montreal Centre For Contemporary Textiles

5800 St. Denis Street, studio 501

Montreal.
April 4 to 16 pm: Lecture by the artist, followed at 17 pm opening of the exhibition
Monday to Friday from 9 am to 16 pm 30

The French artist Christine Peyret presents an exhibition of paintings embroidered, noting the fiftieth anniversary of Algerian independence. The artist has created over 15 large format panels in embroidery, inspired by images from photographic backgrounds family, press photos and military records taken in Algeria between 1954 and 1962. The artist expresses the universal suffering of those who try to survive in a country at war.

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One of a Kind March 28-April 1 and City of Craft. Toronto,

SOFA New York, April 20 - 23, 2012
Stroud International Textile and PAIRINGS II – conversations & collaborations April 28 –May 27 2012, Museum in the Park GL5 4AF Stroud, United Kingdom

Wood meets metal; metal meets stitch.
Paper meets embroidery meets radical knitting. Ceramics meet textiles It is inspiring and innovative challenging and encouraging new directions.

 New work from Alice Kettle, Jane Webb, David Gates, Claire Curneen, Sharon Blakey, Ismini Samanidou, Rachel Kelly, Jilly Morris, Jane McKeating, Dawn Mason, Nigel Hurlstone, Janet Haigh, Vanessa Cutler, Helen Felcey, Kate Egan, Annie Shaw, Shelly Goldsmith.

Sharon Blakey & Ismini Samanidou Photo: Ben Blackall image provided by Alice Kettle

‘Pairings II – conversations & collaborations’. Pairings II is co-curated by Alice Kettle with Lizzi Walton (SIT artistic director) Alice Kettle is one of the UK’s leading textile artists with work exhibited widely and Senior Research Fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University. Pairs of artist/makers will come together to share new technologies, techniques and materials that may be unfamiliar to them and their usual creative practices. Some leading names in the world of contemporary crafts will link and pair with lesser known makers to engage and explore; inspire and innovate.

Mending + Art at Borowsky Gallery, Gershman Y 401 South Broad Street.
left to right: Wolfie E. Rawk, curator Diane Savona, Dorothy Caldwell, Libbie Soffer and Erin Endicott

in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania..photo by Joe Lewis taken with understood intentions to post.

To put it in a nutshell can you say "Beam me Up Scotty" it is a matter of "when it rains it pours". The opportunity to see textile work in galleries, trade/ craft shows, and museums to attend conferences about textile work  should always be taken advantage of if possible. Weekends like the last one of March where there is so much happening, granted they are happening in different cities that are reasonably near by can be amazingly distracting. Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal would make an interesting road trip if you had the time unfortunately attending a talk at 2 in the afternoon in Montreal and go to an opening in Philadelphia at 7:30 just isn't possible so I need to be depend on other people going to them and hopefully sharing the experience on facebook or in a blog posting (remember to ask permission to take photographs if you are going to post them and name the people and the work that you see).

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and now for some shopping 

ONE OF A KIND SHOW Toronto preview

Joanna Schleimer
True Sew Textiles
One of a Kind Show Toronto Booth: E-35 

"True Sew Textiles  aims to re-vitalize the tradition of preparing and collecting a trousseau through the making of hand printed and embroidered household linens. True Sew Textiles brings forth a fresh and wholesome re-invention of the trousseau for the modern woman, whether she is single, engaged or married"  from the website Joanna Schleimer

 

 transat chair a new product by Emanuelle Dion & Isabelle Bergeron
Foutu Tissu, One of A Kind Show, Booth: K-29 

"Within a few years, Foutu fabric, small manufacturing company and upholstery textiles, has developed a style all her own. She creates designs ranging from pop and modern to suit any decor. Emanuelle Dion Bergeron and Isabelle are true artisans." 

... Marie-France Léger La Presse February 20th 2012

Zipper Pouches from Jenna Fenwick & Kate Hunter
Jenna Rose at the One of a Kind Show Toronto
Booth: I-16 

"When I am not creating things in the studio, I spend the majority of my spare time creating things at home. Whether it is crocheting a blanket, refinishing an old cabinet, learning to play the ukulele, planting a garden or canning my own preserves, self-sufficiency and creating are a big part of my life — at least when I’m not tearing through the forest on a bike." 

The Etsy Blog: Featured Seller: Jenna Rose Handmade ,Jan 16, 2012

You can see what I saw on opening day in my facebook album 

A parliament of Owls? One of a Kind Show Toronto Spring 2012

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 This is a mock up of a concept to make buy hand made and local textile products easier, the products in this image are top left wise: "Great Out Doors" a picnic set by Kerry Croghan Images printed on Hemp, made of Hemp and cotton twill, and/ or wool fabrics available at MADE Design, Bag by "jenna rose", Felt Lampshade by Fiona Duthie of Barefoot Living Design, A selection or printed textile products from Arounna Khounnoraj of Bookhou Design, ottoman by Emanuelle Dion of Foutu Tissu, Hand tufted "Birch Tree" carpet by Andy Blanchette, baskets by Wendy Durfey Basketry, Black and white woven curtains by Armstrong Textiles centre Mohair Blanket by WILD HALIBURTON ELEPHANT WEAVERS.

the question is will the concept become a reality is there a need and desire for a directory of this sort in Canada for Canadian shoppers. I have created a facebook page to test the market so to speak

The question about shopping seems to have fallen out of the equation/ the discourse on contemporary craft practice. After being in Philadelphia for the opening weekend of Fiber Philadelphia  I found myself a few days later at "Craft and the New Economy" a one day symposium presented at OCAD University in Toronto presented by the Ontario Craft Council. While an interesting event with rather small quick presentations by a world class selection of presenters operating with in the contemporary design, craft and art worlds discussion of the market place and representatives of the market place seemed to be absence. That worries me. While I attend all categories of events and see the interconnectedness of hand and industrial produced objects (of desire perhaps) I see the approaches makers take to fit into specific curated categories and i see curators exploring functional. non functional and methods of making. Occasionally i see price tags and production work.

I get asked to make suggestions and questions about sources of local green and handmade. It seems there is a lot of curiosity and while trying to write I tend to ignore the buyers and encourage that at the same time. I think about this along with textile history and how textiles are used in contemporary art practice, and craft practice and then I look at more stuff, find out about more events and then Star Track technologies and then I lie down Can you say "Beam Me Up Scotty"

 

 Always more to come... the Spring issue of fibreQUARTERLY will cover these events and raise as many questions as it answers no doubt, see you some where soon.

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