Finishing School

The phrase "Finishing School" conjures up images of Chateaus in France or Switzerland where the daughters of the untitled upper class merchants are dumped, like rough stones into a rock tumbler, to acquire the polish and veneer required for marriage, ideally to the son of a titled European

Lindsay Joy, ACAD University, "Dread". appliqué and embroidered cotton and wool on linen. 2010. 38cm x 36cm.

Photo by Melinda Topilko

Not today. Finishing school is when you start racing the clock to a way to start paying off your student loan. It might be a time to look back at the 3, 4 or more years you have spent in school studying something that might gain you employment

Shanell B. Papp, B.F.A., M.F.A. University of Lethbridge, Bone book and Blood Pools, 2007-2009
Materials: Canvas, Velvet, Thread Techniques: Sewing, Embrodery, Pattern Making

Leanne Shea Rhem, OCAD University "Target" Suit weight silk, pleated silk organza, zipper, red permanent marker writing, thread
photo: Christine Lim
Model: Leanne Shea Rhem

The new Issue of fibreQUARTERLY is now on line. Volume 7 Issue 2 Summer 2011 is our Finishing School issue and that is what it is all about. Ten students representing 5 different school, ACAD University, Capilano University, University of Lethbridge, OCAD University and Sheridan College.

fibreQUARTERLY has since 2005 showcased the work of 30 young makers just as they have left school for the "real" world or the Harbourfront Centre Craft Studio in Toronto or which some may think delays entering real life but it doesn't make the stress of paying your student loans off any different then anybody else's. This is a moment for them to pause and reflect on where they were and where they see themselves going in terms of a future working with fibre.

Enjoy the enthusiasm and bravado and hopefully pride they are experiencing right now and the ways in which they are expressing it.

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Joe Lewis wearing Keiley Stewart 's Lion's Head
Size: 60cm x 40cm Medium: Felted; coopeworth, camel, 2011. Photo take at the opening of Shape of Things, Sheridan College 2011 Graduate exhibition

Textile Tourism . The Toronto (Subway )Route

As July begins it is about the annual out door art exhibition in Toronto's Nathan Phillip Square at Queen Street West and Bay corner.As I walking out of the 2010 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition through the Blue North section 3 hours after having entered through the same section I came across Zsuzsa Szoke and her work. Having studied at Sheridan she headed to NSCAD University to turn her diploma into a degree her work is entertaining, whimsical and care free,

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2010 ( facebook Album )

The weekend before Austrian knit designer Veronika Persché who had organized the pre- ETN conference tours of Vienna last summer, was visiting and I was giving her a tour of the textiles on public display in downtown Toronto. We had started at the Textile Museum at 55 Centre Street and had walked the two blocks down to Nathan Phillips Square. to visit with Kalyna Pidwerbesky who had a booth at the Downtown Jazz festival

Blue Spiral brooch by Kalyna Pidwerbesky

Then went into city hall to see “Stitch In Time” in the basement of the rotunda. “Stitch In Time” made in 1984, is a  6 ‘X 24’ embroidery designed by Barbara Gordon and executed by the Toronto Guild Of Stitchery in celebration of Toronto’s 150th Anniversary after that it was down to King and Bay to look at the tapestries hanging in the bank towers. It is at this point I start thinking, well wondering why actually there still isn't a printed guided tour map of these textile works. I have been compiling information about them, suggested to certain officials at city hall and the archives that such a pamphlet or map might be welcome and nothing really has come of it.

Laurie Swim's " Breaking Ground" at York Mills subway Station unveiled March 17 2010 commemorating the 50 anniversary of the lives lost in the Hogg's Hollow cave in during the construction of the extension of the north bound subway system 

With quilted textile works in the Subway system and Goblin Tapestries in the bank towers at King and Bay, an Aubusson tapestry at One Queen Street East not to mention the ROM at the top of University on Bloor, the Textile Museum at 55 Centre Ave and two historic House Museums off of Queen Street east and west of Young Street there is an abundance of Textiles to be seen in downtown Toronto.  

MacKenzie House  at 82 Bond Street just behind St Michaels Hospitable two blocks east of Young of off Queen  St E. and Campbell House Museum 160 Queen ST W on the north west corner of University and Queen West do have domestic textiles in situ, the authenticity to the era of the house, provenance or if they are considered an important part of the museum's  i don't really know yet.

The “potager” growing in the front flower bed of Campbell House in July 2010 is an edible, but also decorative, vegetable garden. Thank you to City of Toronto Parks for this urban agriculture initiative in the heart of downtown

Campbell House is the oldest remaining house from the original site of the Town of York. Built in 1822 by Judge William Campbell and his wife Hannah, the home was designed for entertaining and comfort, and constructed at a time when the Campbells were socially and economically established and their children had grown to adulthood.

Mackenzie House is a historic building and museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that was the last home of the city's first mayor William Lyon Mackenzie. Mackenzie was forced into exile in the United States after having led the Rebellion of 1837. He returned to the newly-created Province of Canada in 1850, and died in this house in 1861.

Barren Ground Caribou by Joyce Wieland at Spadina north Subway Station, and Laurie Swim's Breaking Ground at York Mills and six Goblin Tapestries by four tapestry weavers in the First Canadian Place at 100 King Street West and The Toronto-Dominion Centre  which has three Goblins, with two in the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower, and one in the Royal Trust Tower. 

Notes on and or websites for artist, architects and museums sites mentioned above 

Veronika Persché  http://www.persche.com/
Kalyna Pidwerbesky http://www.artofkaruna.com

Toronto City Hall was designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell http://www.didrichsenmuseum.html

Construction commenced on November 7, 1961, and the building was opened on September 13, 1965 by Governor General Georges Vanier. The final cost of the new City Hall was approximately $31 million.

Tragically, Viljo Revell died of a heart attack 10 months prior to the opening ceremonies. He was 54.

Nathan Phillips Square is home to two sculptures, British sculptor Henry Moore's masterpiece Three-Way Piece No. 2 (usually called The Archer) has been installed in a place of honour right in front of City Hall. and on the southwest corner, Oscar Nemon's statue of Sir Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of Great Britain is located.

Joyce Wieland “Barren Ground Caribou” 1978,  8’ X 30’ quilt. at Spadina north Subway Station, Collection: Toronto Transit Commission. There are several images of this piece on the internet this link will take you to the only copy righted one Barren Ground Caribou © Joyce Wieland this is found at the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art/ Canadian Art Data Base at York University
 
Laurie Swim " Breaking Ground" a quilt commemorating the "Hogg's Hollow Disaster" which happened on March 17 1960 when five immigrant Italian workers lost their lives while building a new water main in suburban North Toronto. The unavailing of this large community quilt marked the 50 anniversary

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When you explore your community take note of where you run into textiles, facebook them, blog them share them. But please make sure you ask permission to take photos and if you may post them. Obviously getting the artist permission is necessary,  and if you are posting an image of a museum artifact having the right information about is good.

Textile Tourism is an interesting way to look at the world. Find more "Routes" below

apirl Showers, I mean shows.

Toronto March 25 -April 9 2009


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Buenos Aires, Argentina. April1-25, 2009


5 th. International Biennial of Textile Art.
Palais de Glace - Buenos Aires, Argentina.

April 1st to 25th, 2009 Organized by the World Textile Art Organization http://www.wta-online.org/ING/index.php

WTA is a non-profit organization, founded in 1997, with headquarters in Miami, USA, that has already organized four Biennial Exhibitions in Contemporary Textile Art, both in the United States and in different countries in Latin America with the participation of international artists and juries.

This years Jury is

Beatrijs Sterk (Holanda)has since 1982 published the quarterly German – language magazine “Textilforum” which is published from 1994 also in English. She wrote many articles in her field. In 1990 set up the European Textile Network with annual conferences. ETN is established as an international association with seat in Strasbourg under auspices of the Council of Europe.

Gracia Cutuli (Argentina): She founded the El Sol, Gallery of Textile Art, in 1964, and ran its direction until 1970. She writes books and articles about textile art in Argentine and foreign publications. She is chair professor of Textile Design and research worker at the National University of Buenos Aires.

Lilian Llanes (Cuba): Doctor in Art at the University of La Habana, Cuba.
Founder of Wilfredo Lam Center and director in charge of the Habana Biennial from 1984 to 1999.
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Susanne Heindl

The Europenan Textile Network will be hosting The 15th ETN Conference, including the General Assembly Haslach/Upper Austria, from 21st to 24th of July 2009

An exhibition entitled Thinking different: Thinking JacquART, will be on during th conference feature artist from the world; July 23 until September 6, 2009

Organiser: ETN together with the association "Textile Kultur Haslach" http://www.textile.kultur.haslach.at) and the Department of Textile/Art & Design of the Linz Art University (http://www.ufg.ac.at)

There is still time to register for this conference which following the recent gathering of Jacquard weavers at the Inspired Design: Jacquard and Entrepreneurial Textiles, conference should been a great event
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Kerry Croghan, "Knit" Wallpaper, and Darryl Ferretti, Barstool

Human Forum: Sheridan Furniture and Textiles April 2 - May 2, 2009
Ontario Crafts Council 990 Queen St. W. Toronto, ON

Opening Reception, Thursday, April 2, 5:30 - 8:30 pm

The historical relationship between textiles and furniture has always been close, both being primary elements of domestic interiors for centuries. Clothing the body, and the interior, textiles are the original structure; crossed fibres support each other, stronger than the constituent parts and infinitely versatile. In its negative quotation of the human form, furniture evokes the user, just as textiles exhibit the imprint of the designer and the culture that contains them both.

This exhibition of selected works by graduating students from the Sheridan Craft and Design Textiles and Furniture studios demonstrates an enquiring spirit, an exceptional level of craft, and a desire on the part of the students to become part of the historical continuum relating the body to the interior, and the interior to the contemporary world around us

Ontario Crafts Council
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Montreal April 15 to May 22, 2009

Textile Art in Canada

April 15 to May 22, 2009,
Montreal Centre for Contemporary Textiles
5800 St-Denis Studio 501 Montréal, Québec

The MCCT will be presenting Textile Art in Canada, an important exhibition regrouping the art works of some of the best known artists on the Canadian textile art scene to coincide with the launch of Art Textiles of the World: Canada a new book from Telos Art Publishing, Telos Art Publishing, a British publisher specialized in contemporary textile art, has published a book entitled Art Textiles of the World: Canada edited by Matthew Koumis . This book is the tenth in Telos "Art Textiles of the World" series. The book will be devoted to the work of twenty important Canadian artists who have developed a very personal language through their mastery of one or more of the various techniques in the field of textiles.

Telos will officially launch the book during the preview viewing of the exhibition at the MCCT on April 15 2009.

Art Textiles of the World: Canada ISBN: 9781902015156 180 pages, over 200 colour photos essays by Alan Elder, Sandra Alfoldy, JR Carpenter, Lisa Vinebaum, foreword by the Editor

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The artists who are presented in the book Art Textiles of the World: Canada are listed below with links to their websites if they have one, several are on the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Arts Database http://www.ccca.ca/

Jennifer Angus,http://www.jenniferangus.com

Ingrid Bachmann,http://ingridbachmann.com

Sandra Brownlee, http://www.seniorartistsinitiative.org

Dorothy Caldwell, http://www.ccca.ca/artists

Lyn Carter, http://www.ccca.ca/artists/artist_info.

Kai Chan, http://www.ccca.ca/artists/artist_info.

Barb Hunt, http://www.barbhunt.com/index.htm

Barbara Layne, http://subtela.hexagram.ca/

Louise Lemieux Bérubé, http://www.lemieux-berube.com/

Marcel Marois, http://www.ccca.ca/artists/artist_info.html

Mindy Yan Miller,

Lesley Richmond, http://lesleyrichmond.com/

Ruth Scheuing, http://www.ruthscheuing.com/

Joanne Soroka, http://www.joannesoroka.co.uk/index.html

Joanna Staniszkis, http://www.joannastaniszkis.com/

Patrick Traer, http://www.arts.usask.ca/art/faculty/pages/p_traer.html

Barbara Todd,

Laura Vickerson, http://www.ccca.ca/artists/artist_info.html

Yvonne Wakabayashi http://www.surfacedesignbc.org/members/YvonneWakabayashi.htm

Susan Warner Keenehttp://susanwarnerkeene.com/ http://www.ccca.ca/artists/artist_info.html

left to right Joe Lewis, Marilyn Bernier, Mitsuko Akutsu, Louise Lemieux Bérubé and Ann Levy at Mitsuko Akutsu march 11, 2009 opening at MCCT

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Canadian Design on the Move,

"Stag" (Wall Hanging) by Grant Heaps, 2,200 1"square pieces of cloth part of Made presents Radiant Dark 09 Elegant Corruptions: an exhibition of modern Canadian Design, February 4 th to 8th, 2009.

On the IDS 2009 Krups stage from left to right, Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan CEO, Apartment Therapy Media, apartmenttherapy.com, Harry Wakefield is the founder MoCoLoco.com Grace Bonney – Founder and Editor of Design*Sponge and Mark Challen of House & Home Media hosting a panel on Blogging on Saturday February 7, 2009 [this Design Talk was entertaining enlightening and informative there will be more about it]

This year the Interior Design Show had the usual blend of product makers and retailers along with my two favourite sections, Design GEN next featuring the “design” departments from a number of schools and Studio North showcase new Canadian designers/ makers.

I will get to the schools right now. University of Alberta Industrial Design program was there on mass as they have been in years past, this year instructor, assistant Professor Tim Antoniuk along with 5 or 6 students where there to receive my year harangue about hard verses soft product designs, in other words chairs with pillows at least, I don’t need a fully upholstered object to satisfy me. I bring this up with this group because I know about the amazing Human Ecology department located in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences . This program once called “Home Economics” is home to the University of Alberta’s Clothing and Textiles Collection, a resource not to be ignored. With courses focusing on clothing, there are a number dealing with surface construction, design, finish and pattern drafting all of which are applicable to furniture. (hey why not a vacuum cleaner with a cloth canister and conductive fibre woven Tartan soft cell phone. Something that could easily come out of one of the labs in the Hexagram department at Concordia, and there are those disposable paper cell phones in Japan.) Tim Antoniuk told me he was thinking of a project, so I’ll wait and see.

But that would involve negotiating or creating interdisciplinary study programmes or cross discipline interaction which is not gently developed in Universities, but hey the furniture design and textile students at Sheridan and OCAD don’t mix it up that often until they are out of school

that is the end of my rant, and this is about what i did see, not about what wasn't there (it bothers me that it wasn't but that's another story)

DESIGNgenNEXT at the IDS 2009

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University of Alberta department of Art and Design http://www.ualberta.ca/ARTDESIGN/ Industrial Design

No Textiles to be seen, but this running shoe brought a smile to my face.

Plastic High Top Kleenex "box" by Collin Hnetka{U of A}

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OCAD http://www.ocad.ca/home.htm

Material Art and Design houses Fibre studies. The study of Fibre at OCAD incorporates both textiles and surface/design print and encourages you to experiment with fabric and fibre structures, on- and off-loom. It incorporates computer-aided design and surface embellishments such as stitching and beading.

Industrial Design Student, Arash Sadr sitting in his Scapula Chair

This year as in years past there were no work of the fibre students from OCAD on display, but as always amongst the "Seating” they always show is a chair bolding celebrating what textiles bring to furniture in its most basic form, a covering. Industrial Design student Arash Sadra "Scapula" chair of metal tubes “slip covered” in red polyester looks as much like a piece of Martha Graham choreography dress in a red Halston dance dress as a piece of furniture. It is a stop action photo of her signature primitive stomp. It is graceful, elegant and an extraordinarily simple gesture drawing of a chair in hiding. Like last years still unidentified metal tube bench with Felt "Tongues" and Erin McCutcheon wrapped Chair from 2006, cloth does more then “Hide” or accentuate the form, it is integral to its functions.

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SHERIDAN COLLEGE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED LEARNING: http://www1.sheridaninstitute.ca/

Sheridan’s Textile Studio's three-year program has a broad range of printing and dyeing techniques at the core of the curriculum that are supported by excellent studio facilities that feature: two 10-metre professional print tables, a dye lab, industrial standard dye equipment, a photo screen shooting room, and a large wash down area.

Felt-making, heat-setting, resist dye techniques, photo image transfers, three-dimensional construction, surface embellishment techniques and mixed media and digital design round out the studio experience, encouraging the student to develop innovative work that employs a variety of textile techniques and approaches

Kym Monaghan-Morton, " Loretta" Silk screened fibre- reactive dyes on Cotton

Alissa Kloet, "the rest of the Story" silk screen print of digitally manipulated image on Linen, appliquéd with fabrics
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HUMBER COLLEGE

Humber College interior design and interior decorating students, knowing they could not display “Boards” put together an energetic display using thermal transfers of related images on bed pillow cases along with a crazed collection of home and fashion DIY pillows and purses. Humber offers a number of design oriented degree and diploma programmes
http://www.humber.ca/

Bachelor of Applied Arts - Interior Design, Degree - CIDA Accredited
Interior Decorating, Co-op, Diploma, School of Applied Technology
Bachelor of Applied Technology - Industrial Design, Degree, School of Applied Technology
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Studio North

The artist designer/makers of Studio North always provide a counter balance to the Glitz and Glam of the Interior Design Show. These new Canadian Designers work at a small more hand made scale that is high in quality and individual in concept and thought out in design and function. This is not mass produced work and it’s not meant to be
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Manor 12: Julie Laschuk , home decor objects, http://www.manor12.com/

Chair seat and pillows, reverse appliqué wool with embroidery floss

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School Yard: Original prints and a small environmental footprint by Katy Chan and Hilary Dennis http://www.schoolyardstudio.com/about.html

Both are members of the Contemporary Textile Studio Co-op,( http://www.textilestudio.ca/ ) in Toronto’s 401 Richmond St. complex. A centre providing facilities for printing on textiles

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Ani+LUMIGrane by Frédéric Guibrunet hand made paper. folded, cut and cast paper lighting; http://www.ani-lumigrane.com/

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Judith Gueth Design, Carpets (made in Nepal) , pillows, wallpaper, printed in Canada http://www.juditgueth.com/

Pillows 100% silk fronts, 100% polyester backs

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the end for the now, more coming soon