Sofia's Fungus...new project

Hiking in Gatineau.....

I started my new tapestry, this time from a detil inside of a burned tree, with an interesting formation of lichens and fungus in yellows.

Las fall, after participating in the 13 Moons International Exhibit in Gatineau, we had the opportunity to spend some family time together with my kids and my husband camping in a wonderful site . There, not only the wilderness of the place was fascinating due to the exuberant and deep thick forest, but also for the many different creatures and living species growing around.

It was in one of those hikes that my daughter Sofia decided to make a stop and take a picture. She was amazed about these yellow fungus growing here and there.

She called us to show us the picture she took. The hike kept on going with random pictures from here and there.

On our return, I was really happy to see that she not only has a view for choosing interesting views and different things through the lens, but also to notice she has such an artistic sense of composition.

I am glad having to interpret in this project one of my daughters lens view... through her eyes I will capture the image through textures. The possibility of incorporating different interesting materials into it will be fun to do and I will get to have some feed back from my daughter in the process.

In the picture above you can see the full picture, then I decided to crop it a little bit and flip it over a bit. The colour and weight of the contrast was the main condition for the changes. I also cropped a bit of the yellow fungus. Not that i do not like the interesting shapes, but I thought that being so bright yellos I would just leave the option of playing around with the contrasts with the dark black and blues with just a bit of bright yellows and browns.

Keep up to follow the process. it is coming along really fun to weave! It will be part of the series of tapestries for the Burlington Art Centre.

Until next blog.

David Gallo shows underwater astonishments | Video on TED.com

I came across this fascinating video of deep transformations...just thought it was wonderful to share with all of you. Talking about Design, colour, composition,....and in my case, the explorations on TEXTURE.

These amazing creatures are so amazing, and to think we have only explored the 3 % of the deep see wonders.WOW!

David Gallo shows underwater astonishments | Video on TED.com

Birch tree almost done

Here I am, back in the Attic in Day 49 of the Woven Tapestry Journal. We are getting to this height that is just a bit uncomfortable. Sometimes i wonder why I just don't want to invest in one of those beautiful Leclerc Gobelin upright looms....where in the commodity of your chair you would just roll up or down your weaving... huh!

I remember in Poland, in the Strzeminski School of Fine Arts where I studied after I Graduated BA in Graphic Design, and under the guidance of great polish teachers, it was just normal to come to any of the textile Studios and admire these HUGE formats being woven for diploma projects. Great names like Antoni Starczewski, Aleksandra Manczak, Kazimiera Frymar-Blaszcyk, and of course my dear mentor and friend Ewa Latkowska-Zychska.

Professor in the Studio of textiles and of Papermaking, which she established in 1997 at the Faculty of Industrial Design Strzeminski Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Łódź.

She works in paper, textile, photography. She wrote numerous texts on art and a volume of poems "Unpainted Poems".
Works of Ewa Latkowska-Żychska in the collections of: Central Museum of Textiles in Łódz, Savaria Museum − Hungary, Centre of the Netherlandes Culture in Gent − Belgium, BWA in Warsaw, BWA in Skierniewice, BWA in Sandomierz, manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology in Kraków, Museum of Contemporary Art in Sarajevo, Collection of Raymond Berg in Geneva as well in private collections.
Artist participated in numerous exhibitions of art in Poland and abroad (ca. 200 shows - selection).


During my time in Poland, I was just able to produce 2 tapestries, which I value dearly for all the learning that they brought to my developing art.

I guess if I cannot have one of those fabulous looms, at least I will keep up my desire to produce large tapestries like this in the way of frame looms. Being able to get close to the polish textile art and its great formats, my vision of weaving just blew my mind and opened my projection towards tapestry and fibre art as a whole.

I better not complain about the uncomfortable sitting, the pain in the arms and shoulders, the insecure way we are getting up there in the skids, etc.

The only thing that is certain that where ever I weave, I have enjoyed each and every part of this process.


I guess working with other assistants and wonderful weavers, the pressure to keep everything safe is an issue at least for me, who has the responsibility of the whole project.

It is in this part, shown above, when we have a taste of gratitude to the process, when we get to the end on one side and we celebrate already!
This left side corner tells us: keep up, you are almost there!

Spring is here, and eventhough the weather hasnt been as warm the sun lets us know for sure that good days and bright sun is soon to come:




Talk to you soon. Greetings from the attic.

birch tree progress

To all the people who have been following our progress, this is a quick review of the tapestry weaving.
The Bark from the birch tree is coming to life. Hopefully we are a few weeks to finish, and gladly I must say that one peak of the iceberg is touching the top end!
Still need to do lots of work, not only the weaving part, but the finishing touches, the closing of the slits, the lining, the mounting, etc.....anyway, just thought you might like this. Have a good weekend!

Woven tapestry journal. Day 45!

DAY 45 AND STILL HERE...


Today is still Wednesday April 6, 2011.

As you know by now, for the past months we have been weaving at the Joshua Creek Attic. Like every Wednesday or Friday sometimes (or any other day of the week that we can sneak in), we come with our energies and batteries turned in weave-mode, or should I say: enjoy-mode, dance-mode, sing-mode, snack-mode, learn-mode, etc.

Everyday has a sparkle of something different. Today for example, Lorraine joined us, Stella and Yamile to weave.




Great opportunity to join us when she had a cancellation of one of her students.

Another interesting thing was the visit of Peter, my flamenco friend who dropped by to see the advances in the project and of course, to do a bit of Rock & Roll (which he is willing to learn).





Not that I am the best dancer, but my mom taught me a bit and why not, we need to stretch our legs from time to time after being sitting down for hours while weaving.

Dance, music, laughs... everything is a combination of great things that happen in this place and makes it magical.

And last, but not least, I have to say that I have enjoyed each and every visitor that until now has had the time to step up and look at what we are doing, cheering us up, sharing cookies, anecdotes or taking photographs. Need less to say about all the wonderful comments that have appeared in our registrants book. Our dear journal that is making me write and practice my terrible English.
And it is precisely about these comments that I want to stop and make a reference tonight.
Yamile, my friend and one of the weavers participating in the making of this tremendous and lovely woven tapestry took the time to share her thoughts.







I am always encouraging her to practice her English (for she comes from Colombia) and has been terrified to let her language flow. By being here in the attic, she has had a bit more exposure to express and chat with people coming in and out, and I can tell that by now she "dares" to share her inner thoughts, and this time in English. I would like to share with you her quote, for she made a tremendous effort in writing but I was soooo thrilled to know she made it!

Quote from Yamile Roa, assistant weaver at Joshua Creek, feb 2011-02-08

Last September when Ixchel told me about this project, I thought it would be wonderful to be able to participate in some way.

Not only because it is her project and her idea and creation, but also being a dedicated artist and passionate of her work who gives the best of her in everything she does. The possibility to be close to her learning and knowing more about this technique is a great opportunity for me.

This project is wonderful because of its colours, hues, different textures, shapes and size. In each and every piece we weave we let our creativity flow following the basic general parameters of the original photograph. Eventhoug it is a formal image, the essence becomes an abstract form that lets everyone imagine anything possible and admire its whole work being like a dream.

It is amazing how people from around the world with different languages, when it comes to ART we all speak the same language. Concepts like figure, texture, colour, design and composition, as well as feelings and sensations like wonderful, amazing, spectacular are just some of the words that are common to everyone that has seen this work in process.

The attic where the tapestry is being woven is a wonderful space for anyone to inspire and relax. It is a full artistic place which I love just being there. Not only the physical space, but also the people who attend this Heritage Centre. Sensitive and creative people gather here and are all in many ways lovers of the arts.

They all have shared with us their feelings and sensibilities about the tapestry as it comes along growing week after week. They are all the ones who encourage us all to keep up the weaving.

Sybil Rampen, the owner and creator of this fascinating space is a wonderful warm lady who has made our work in the attic feel like home. We are very grateful to her for opening this space for us during this project.

And most of all thanks to Ixchel who has invited me to participate , to learn and to be an inside creator of this beautiful project.

__________________________________

Thank you so much for taking the time to write such nice things. Be sure that by the time we finish our tapestry, your English will be gratefully rewarded.

Keep up! YAMI

When thirteen Moons Entwine Exhibition

A few months ago in the Fall, I had the opportunity to participate in the event When Thirteen Moons entwine, organized by a wonderful woman: Thoma Ewen at Moonrain Centre for the Textile Arts in Gatineau, Quebec.

Among several parallel exhibitions, this one was presented with the selected artists, both emerging and established artists that participated in the 13 installations.

Scroll below to know more about the participants in this beautiful and diverse fibre experience.

When 13 Moons Entwine

is an international textile arts event, inspired by the thirteen moons of the lunar calendar. It is an outdoor laboratory that brings together 26 professional, international and emerging artists in the creation of 13 textile art installations along a scenic walking path at Moon Rain Centre in the Gatineau Hills. A spectrum of textile arts exhibitions will be presented in collaboration with major exhibition centres in the region and throughout this festive event, workshops will be taught by international textile artists.

• On-Site
  Installations
• Exhibitions
  
• Workshops
  
• Calendar
  of Events
• Installations
  in situ
• Expositions
  
• Ateliers
  
• calendrier
  d'événement

On-Site Installations

Irene Anton • Deutschland

Carole Baillargeon • Québec

Baillargeon">

Ewa Bartosz-Mazus • Polska

Bartosz-Mazus">

Denise Coker • Québec

Coker">

Joanne De Nobriga • UK

Nobriga">

Nadine Dupex • France

Dupex">

Claire Gurette • Québec

Gurette">

Andie Haltrich • Québec

Haltrich">

Peter Harris • Canada

Jocelune Ladouceur • Québec

Jocelune Ladouceur">

Nathalie Levasseur • Quebec

Debieve Soazig">

Hope Maclean• Québec

Maclean">

Edith Meusnier • France

Meusnier">

Gael Morin • France

Johanna Nousiainen • Québec

Nousiainen">

Kathryn Pannepacker • USA

Pannepacker">

Ali Rabjohns • UK

Rabjohns">

Hannah Ranger • Québec

Nadine Richard • France

Krystyna Sadej • Canada

Jolanta Sprawka • Québec

Marie Pier St-George • Canada

Ixchel Suarez • Canada

Liane Thirty-Smith • Canada

Owen Tuf • Québec

Jeanne Vallancourt • Canada

• On-Site
  Installations
• Exhibitions
  
• Workshops
  
• Calendar
  of Events
• Installations
  in situ
• Expositions
  
• Ateliers
  
• calendrier
  d'événement

Day 41 in the Attic, new video

Here we are




Here we are, Day 41 in the Attic at Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, with blooms all over and a bright sunny day, and we are just willing to advance as much as possible in order to be able to finish, and then we remind ourselves that this technique is just not the best for rushing. We have to take our time to weave and explore possibilities of texture and fibre. Listening to great music, enjoying the visits and chatting trying to fix the world around us...
As you see in the video, the base is already high, and we are in the moment to ask for more palletes to support our high stools... we will soon be fetching for more to get even higher. Our arms are starting to resent the position.

Day 42 and 43 was lonely for I came to the attic alone over the weekend. It is also great to immerse yourself in the quiet space of this magical place!
Thank you, Sybil for allowing us to share this wonderful space here with you.

Until next blogging. Have a great week!