Ontario Arts Council Big Thanks

A year has passed and it is time to reflect upon all the wonderful projects accomplished. This year i had the opportunity to receive the Visual Arts Grant from the Ontario Arts Council as I have mentioned before in several occasions. I have to thank this organism that enables us, artists, to keep up our art by supporting economically.

The Mayor Rob Burton honoured us to do the cutting of the large tapestry woven at Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre who opened its wing in the attic for us to weave. We thank Sybil Rampen for her initiative to host the loom on her facility.

Thanks to the Grant I was able to produce different and new ideas in the fibre field such as these trees. Since it was destined the 2011 as the UN International Year for Trees and Forests, I created this installations with the assistance of Sophie Kudukis.

Textures from the Air, an interesting Installation woven in tapestry technique was selected to be displayed at the Museum Diego Rivera in Mexico City during the VI International Biennial of Contemporary Textiles May 2011

Scars From Nature was one of the 3 tapestries woven during this GRANT Year.

It is not only the money received. it is the possibility to destine time and all your effort into a creative passion. The art field is difficult if you intend to live on it. I teach painting and for other things in order to sustain my art. Weaving is not a very well know technique and it is very time consuming. The production of one sole tapestry woven by one person can take from 2 to8 months, depending on the size, the separation of the warp, the materials, or the design. Thanks to the support of the Ontario Arts Council I was able to:

- produce more artwork and leaving my painting classes a bit behind,

- buy new and interesting specialty yarns,

- create more installations different to what I was doing,

- explore new mediums (Multi and integrated media)

- Participate in more international forums,

- spend more time writing on tapestry and fibre art publications...

For this and more...thanks to:

I would like to encourage artists and all creators who depend on their art to approach these wonderful institutions for support. They are there for us!