ixchel-tapestryweaver

Exhibit at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

2012-01-27T19:50:00.000-08:00

Woven Bridges Slide Show

www.youtube.com

Polish pride weaves its tapestry spell in Almonte - Entertainment - By Desmond Devoy Almonte/Carleton Place Entertainment Arts

I would like to take this space to thank Krystyna sadej for inviting me and all the participant artists: Thoma Ewen. Thomas Chronenberg, Monique Lehman, Ewa Mazusz-Bartosz.

All together we presented a very eclectic yet interesting view of contemporary tapestries in Almonte, Ontario, at the Mississippi Valley textile Museum.

I appreciate the press review presented by Desmond Devoy. It is always important to show Public in general the presence of the fibre arts, especially tapestry. It is such a delicate, time-consuming technique that the awareness of such manufactures by the community is essential.

Ontario Arts Council Big Thanks

2011-12-26T17:45:00.001-08:00

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!

Scars from Nature

2011-12-07T21:08:00.000-08:00

Amazing camping . Scars from Nature

My Latest tapestry

Last 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 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 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.

The image of the fungus was really interesting. The intricate interior of a burned tree created some scars that only time and weather are able to create.

Thanks to the support of the Ontario Arts Council I was able to have assistance in the weaving of this tapestry. Here is Yamile Roa, member of the Canadian Tapestry Network, the Tapestry Studio, the HGA of America and the Oakville Handweavers and Spinners Guild.

Thank you for your help, especially now that I have been under cortisone in my right elbow due to tendinitis.

This tapestry was interesting to weave especially for the different materials used. Specialty yarns where carefully selected and the colours we obtained were so interesting.

Subversive Stitchers: Women Armed with Needles: John Marshall shares a wealth of knowledge

2011-12-02T21:41:00.000-08:00

Subversive Stitchers: Women Armed with Needles: John Marshall shares a wealth of knowledge

creating music inspired in textures

2011-11-25T20:46:00.001-08:00

How can fibres inspire a wonderful creation?

Today I would like to share this space to talk about Music, inspirations and proposals...
An inside view of a wonderful friend of mine: Victor Del Corral.

We met in 1976 in Mexico City while in Elementary School. We spent most of our elementary studies together. Not only he was a very intelligent fellow, he could play tennis and guitar in such a way everyone admired him since then.

Our paths took us else were in our lives. He lives in USA, I live in Canada, and for a long time we knew nothing about us.
For some reason, our paths had to cross again, and this time in such a fabulous way that we are now collaborating together into textile-multi-media projects.

Find below a bit of his work and share the spirit of a great musician and artist!

How did you start in music?

I started studying guitar when I was 7 years old, and continued taking classical guitar lessons when I was 11 years old. After a few years of learning classical guitar I started composing my first own songs
and I enjoyed very much the fact that I could create something new. By that time I also started playing
electric guitar and formed a hard rock band. That was the perfect outlet for me to continue writing songs
and creating new music. A few years later, I started experimenting with synthesizers and got immersed in
electronic music. The possibilities you have composing electronic music are almost endless, and that is
what I have been focusing on during the past years.

What is your favourite style or period in Music?

My favorite music style is 20th century classical music; I always wondered who the new Mozarts and
Beethovens were and got pleasantly surprised when I started digging into contemporary classical music,
finding composers such as Edgar Varese, Luciano Berio, Gyorgi Ligeti, Giacinto Scelsi and Morton
Feldman. Their music goes beyond traditional boundaries and fearlessly explores new sonic territories. I
also listen a lot to electronic ambient and minimalist composers, such as Brian Eno, Taylor Dupree and
Richard Chartier.

Who could you say is your inspiration?

I admire Brian Eno very much, and he is a big influence in my composing style. He is one of the most
creative musicians I know, and his work encompasses music, video production, photography and light
installations.

How do you start your music creations?Where do you get inspiration from?

My main source of inspiration to create music is through paintings. I am a very visual / sensorial
person and I enjoy very much looking at abstract paintings; colors and textures on paintings transmit
me different feelings and emotions, and I try to represent those with music. I often “draw” my pieces
first, as a raw score to be used as the foundation of the composing process. The basic structure of a
piece is represented there and I make notes about the quality and texture of sounds to be used. I love
sound as such, and can play with a sound for hours until I get it right. I think of sounds in terms of color,
temperature and texture, for example, I may want to use an “orange” bass line, a warm yellow string pad,
that can also be round, edged, smooth, rugged, etc.

What do you think about all the technology being incorporated in musical production versus acoustic instruments?

Using technology to compose music is a great advantage in my opinion. In the past, you could only
compose music for one instrument, and in current times, you are able to compose a full score including
many different instruments, and that allows you to be more creative. I have often heard people saying that
with current technology anyone can compose music, but I have a different opinion. Technology expedites
the process and increases the possibilities but it doesn’t make you a better composer. You still have to
have a clear idea of what you want and how you want it to sound to create something beautiful.
I use analog synthesizers to compose, with no predetermined sounds on them and similar in a way to old
manual cameras; you first “sculpt” a sound, choosing a wave types and applying filters to get the sound
you are looking for. Once you have those sounds available, then you start composing using them. It is a
very “hands on” approach although you are using advanced technology in the process.

What type of fusion is most appealing to you?

I love blending electronic and acoustic instruments, having the precision that computers give you

interweaving with the raw feeling and intensity you get playing acoustic instruments. Recording with
acoustic instruments is very interesting and challenging, as you have only one chance to get the piece
right while recording. The subtle imperfections and flaws of the acoustic elements, contrasting with the
structured and very precise electronic elements is what makes the fusion so incredible.

Could you tell us something about your Maquinaria and Prana Music?

I have two very different styles and compositions approaches I use to produce music, thus, the two artistic
names I use.

Maquinaria music can be classified as Ambient Techno. That music is very dynamic and always has a
beat; I use lots of electronic equipment and sound processing to create it, and it conveys ideas about
things that I enjoy in life, like feeling grateful, contrasting simple things vs complex things, feeling upbeat
and radiating, the beauty of created systems, etc. I normally play live instruments, such as guitar of
keyboards on those compositions, and I can think about that music as very colorful. I also experiment a
lot using “new” unusual / experimental sounds that I create for those pieces.

Prana pieces are the other side of the coin, very long pieces that subtly evolve and morph in time, having
no rhythm and no identifiable melodies. Those pieces are created with the purpose of “being” with you
while working on a task or activity on which you want to focus on, but demanding no attention from you
while playing it. I often refer to Prana music as putting a color or a mood into the room you are in. The
music floats around you and gently wraps around yourself.

Do you have any preference between these two, and if so what type of instruments do you like to incorporate?

Mi favorite Maquinaria album is “Higher Worlds” with all pieces having a specific sequence to create a
flow that starts with a slow rhythm, building up until exploding with energy on the 3rd track, then slowing
down on the4th track, starting to gain momentum until a second climax on the 6Th track, and then gently
fading away with the 7th track, which by the way ends with ocean wave sounds, leaving you at peace and
inviting you to listen to it again.

My favorite Prana album is Nada, which is a very quiet and introspective piece. Nada is the sound of the
universe, and our own inner sound is part of that universal Nada. I composed Nada playing 11th and 13Th
chords, and using numbers of the Fibonacci series for intervals and note lengths. I have always been
fascinated with the Golden Ratio and sacred geometry concepts.

Can you share with us what project are you working on now?

I am currently working on a new Maquinaria album entitled “Transformation” and a new Prana album
entitled “Oneness”. The Maquinaria album will be ready by the fall next year, and the Prana album by
Spring next year. I am also starting to work on a project called “A Woven Journal : Memories of a Birch
Tree”, working together with a group of textile and graphic artists and I am very excited about it. The exploration of music through textured inspired images is fascinating. I am so looking forward to creating interesting proposals with this groups of sensitive team.

Where can we listen/buy your music?

Maquinaria and Prana pieces are available on my website (web.me.com/victordelcorral) for people to
listen; I always enjoy sharing my work with people that like the kind of music I compose. All Maquinaria
and Prana music will be available to be purchased at Amazon by January next year.

What meant to you having worked with a group of textile artists?

Using a woven piece as source material to compose music was a great experience. It was the first time I
did it and it allowed me to focus on transmitting the colors, textures and shapes of the textile piece in the
music. I got a lot of input from the project team while composing the score and it was a very rewarding
collaborative effort. I am very pleased with the final result that came out from that project. (Air Project).Our project was selected among many international proposals and was exhibited at the Museum Diego Rivera last May in Mexico City.

What was your feeling about this success?

I feel fortunate for being able to collaborate with the artists involved in the Air Project, which are very
talented, and feel very proud to see our work being presented and shared with a large number of people
in another country.

Should you want to see Victor at his studio and listen to how he creates his wonderful music, enter this site:

https://filesme.com/victordelcorral/9gz95y

I thank Victor for taking some time to answer some questions for all of us. I am sure more than one will be woven into the textures of his music!

Enjoy the music!

Oakville Tapestry Studio

2011-11-19T20:48:00.000-08:00

Enjoying a quiet morning at the Tapestry Studio in Oakville. We are glad to welcome members of the Niagara Spinners and Weavers, the Burlington Handweavers and Spinners Guild, from Toronto, Oakville, Mississauga and visiting weavers from Vancouver and Nova Scotia. Great group and wonderful food at our weekly potluck!

Beautiful Fall inspirations 2011

2011-11-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Fall in Oakville.

This week my family and I decided to take a walk along one of the many trails in Oakville. It was such a pleasant ride that we had to stop ant take some wonderful pictures and videos. New inspirations for tapestry. Not only this circular video looked calm and peaceful, but also some of the details in the reflections in the water or just by looking at the textures produced by the over layered maple leaves.

This is one of the many things we enjoy living in Canada. The abrupt changes in the seasons. The explosion of greens during the Summer and the magnificent golden yellows and oranges during the Fall.....now, we will wait patiently to have it all covered with snow.

We can find inspiration everywhere......

My family and I

Gorgeous image of a piece of wood. Wouldn't this look fantastic just adding a bit of textural materials in tapestry?

This picture caught my attention due to the positioning of the leaves on each rock. They where like hugging each other to battle against the elements of nature: wind and water.

http://youtu.be/_bR0PGaeSD0

interesting views of a fungus....and look at the water! who wouldn't have some ideas for weaving?

Enjoy this video.......

Exhibit at the Mississippi Valley

2011-11-11T20:43:00.000-08:00

Woven Bridges

20 December, 2011 ~ 28 January, 2012Norah Rosamond Hughes Gallery

Woven Bridges demonstrates the very strong connection between Canadian, American and European artists who share the same interest and love of tapestry weaving. This exhibition comprehensively demonstrates the dynamic field of contemporary woven textile art, in which a rich variety of materials, diverse techniques and experimental forms can produce works of striking diversity and originality, combining humour and seriousness, recycling, and reflections on the nature of everyday life.

Participating artists:

Thoma Ewen,

Krystyna Sadej,

Ewa Bartosz,

Monique Lehman,

IxchelSuarez

& Thomas Cronenberg_

Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM) is located in the annex of the former Rosamond Woolen Company in Almonte, Ontario. Constructed in 1867 this National Historic Site of Canada now features a blend of the old and new, all related to the history of the Mississippi Valley and the textile industry.

Exhibitions range from early mill history and period mill equipment to cottage industry and eclectic modern fibre art exhibitions. Our museum combines traditional static and working displays of textile equipment and processes with activities and events focusing on the region’s heritage, culture and role of the textile industry in the development of Canada.

Location & Opening Hours

3, Rosamond St. E.
Almonte, Ontario
K0A 1A0

Tuesday through Saturday 10:00am to 4:00pm

Admission $5.00

Children under 12 are always free
Members admitted without charge

air: a texture of life

2011-10-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

Selected piece in juried Time Based Air Salon

VI International Biennial of Contemporary Textile Art

Presented at Museum Diego Rivera Anahuacalli

May - July 2011

Ixchel Suarez

Work Title: Air: A texture of life

Year made: 2011

Duration 5 minutes

Reproduction DVD Quicktime video

Production Team

The Elements

Victor Del Corral (USA) Composer & Performer
Michael Przysiezny (CAN) Multi Media
Sofia Powell (CAN) Video
Myriam Suarez (MEX) Poetry(Spanish-English-Nahuatl)
Ixchel Suarez (CAN) Concept, Textile Production, Photography, Video& voice

Concept of the work. AIR: A Texture of Life

The integration of images, poetry and music with a woven structure became a new entity in itself expanding the original dimension of the piece into a broader object in which these elements flow inside it, resembling air passing through textures.

Music flowing in a spiralling motion, moving swiftly through valleys and peaks absorbing colours from the woven structure and dancing in unison with it. From sketch to fabric, integrating cord by cord.

Inspired by the emotion of the music created especially for AIR, the film flows seamlessly between stills and video, and captures the spirit of the piece, bringing it to life.

Words became the common thread weaving cultures, ideas and diverse art forms. It was through them that this project came to life, uniting us, The Elements, and allowing us to creatively express our own sense of freedom.

Project Time Based Video: AIR: A Texture of Life

(Poem in English, Spanish and Nahuatl). Written by: Myriam Suarez (MEX)

Y si n o es de él…. De que está formado nuestra vida…Air blowing through the trees.

Si no fuera por el…..como viajarían nuestras ilusiones…Air playing in the leaves.

Air brushing against the sky… Los amores que vuelan lejos, libres….como existirían?

Air releasing my soul… donde los sueños reposarían

blooming flowers seem to shiver in a dance....AIR… donde la trama del corazón latente pulsaría?

as falling into a very special kind of trance....AIR… A I R E …….EJEKATL………regresa….. tlakuepa….abraza….napaloli

AIR eternal AIR… Mariposa, papalotl vuela libre, alto por el profundo mar de ….aire… brisa del mar: amixtli

AIR and ever lasting AIR… Amante, ama con locura desenfrenada en lo profundo del mar

KITE SURFS SPEEDING UP TO BE SAFE……..aire…….abraza mis locuras

AS YOU WHISPER A SECRET IN HER EAR.....AIR… Aire……. Desdobla mis ilusiones….eterno….. amotlamini

AND AIR CARRIES IT AROUND THE WORLD… Aire…… aleja mis temores mas profundos

AND DECIDES WHERE IT WILL TAKE IT… Aire….átame al amor

CLOSE YOUR EYES… Aire…..desata los prejuicios

LET YOUR HEART FLOAT THROUGH AIR… Cuando caigan las estrellas, no permitas que golpeen mi ser

LISTEN TO ALL THE SECRETS JUST LIKE A LULLABY… Llévame en tus brazos… papalotli….

COSMIC KARMA SURROUNDING MY SOUL… enséñame tu manera de siempre ir ligero

COMPLETING THE JOY… Y si caigo ayúdame a proteger mi caída….llévate los pensamientos de odio y rencor

LIFE...DEATH.....CREATION....LIBERATION........SOUND AND SORROW

LAUGHTER AND PAIN.......NOW AND THEN

AIR.....BEAUTIFUL LIGHT… Enséñame temachtia, a bailar como las hojas del maple en una tarde de otoño

AIR.....GRACEFUL SIGHT… Ven, ven, ven, ven a mi….aire.

AIR.... La paz, paxia que he encontrado en ti es la paz de una estrella que cayendo va

.A THOUGHT… Una estrella nunca cae….tú la invitas a viajar.

..AIR...AIRE... paraguas etéreo en tiempos de lluvia. Kiauitl...AIR...AIRE…

...ART, ETHAREAL LOVE. Air, Air, Air…

New tapestry released - video -

2011-10-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

I know it is such a short video but couldnt wait to share it with you all. Congratulations Judy for this wonderful tapestry!

New tapestry released today!

The charcoal fallen from their torches, their fires, a few objects, bones and flint tools left on the ground are the remains of meals or of sundry activities. They are also part of the documentation unwittingly left by prehistoric people in the caves. From their study, one can say that in most cases painted or engraved caves were not inhabited, at least for long periods. Fires were temporary and remains are relatively scarce. (1)

It is precisely what motivated Judy to work on such a beautiful tapestry.

Today she had the joy of seeing it take flight released from its loom.

The gradation of her wools was superb and the combination of her hues and tones made the desired effect in the full piece.

The majority of human history is a history about which we know almost nothing. But we do know that something as uniquely human as artistic activity began to emerge on a grand scale nearly forty thousand years ago (Lewis-Williams & Clottes 1998). Staggering finds have been made in Australia, Africa, parts of Asia, and in various parts of Europe. We are dealing then with a universal phenomenon. While the spectacular caves of Southwestern Europe typically get all the fanfare, impressive finds of prehistorical artistry come from all over the globe. (2)

Cave paintings is an art that even now, after millions of years it still surprises us as well as creates such a fascination.

Some anthropologists and art-historians also theorize that the paintings could be an account of past hunting success, or could represent a mystical ritual in order to improve future hunting endeavors. This latter theory is supported by the overlapping images of one group of animals in the same cave-location as another group of animals, suggesting that one area of the cave was more successful for predicting a plentiful hunting excursion.

Daniel Quinn, in The Story of B, hypothesizes that the paintings were instructional in nature, created in order to communicate successful hunting strategies.

The techniques, so Judy comments- is not only painting on the walls.

On behalf of the Oakville Tapestry Studio I would like to congratulate Judy for her wonderful work. This tapestry is not only an inspiration for the technique but also to encourage us to learn more about this fascinating period of Human developement. Yes, we have advanced in techniques, but what we need yet to learn from these artists is still to come. Colour & composition dialogue side by side in these wonderful caves.

Way to go Judy. Cant wait to see your next project on assure techniques. Surprise us all again!

(1) Paleolithic Cave Paintings and Rock Art in France : Extracted from the Adorant magazine 2002

by Dr Jean Clottes

(2) THE SACRED CAVE: TOWARDS AN ASSUMPTION OF RELIGION IN THE UPPER PALEOLITHIC

John J. McGraw, Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093 (jmcgraw@ucsd.edu)

Finally, back on track.

2011-10-19T19:04:00.001-07:00

INTERESTING SUMMER!
(better late than never)

After several months I decided to go back to writing in this space. Not that I did not want to, it is just so many thing happening in my life lately.

Interesting work projects, getting to know interesting people such as Nga from Virginia, USA. For me and my family it was so interesting to meet someone from Vietnam. From music, to traditions, to food, to even learning how to kiss...!

Sometimes it is only what you know about readings or movies that you have a rough idea, but sharing valuable time with Nga was one of those fascinating experiences ever. Sensitive lady with so many things to share.

She did a wonderful job not only in the plain weave but also in the exercises regarding spacial weaving or 3-D structure.

Kate Kitchen, from Toronto, was also another lovely encounter at the Studio. She shared with us her knowledge and skills in weaving, and of course her fascinating ideas for wonderful one-of-a-kind coloured scarves.

Kate developed a small tapestry during the course inspired in one of her pictures with sea theme. The composition of the picture was beautiful and we had the opportunity to explore different textures along the project. She did wonderful job, especially in terms of colour. The idea is not to copy, but to explore the essence of the image through texture.

This is a fragment of her picture and below is the piece in process.

All this happening through Summer, when suddenly my right elbow started having some problems in tendons, ligaments and muscles....

Great, just what i needed. I am in the process of creating a large body of works for for an exhibition in 2013, plus commitments and commissions and it is one of those things I just don't need right now.

Anyway. I prefer not to talk about that because weaving is what keeps me moving, breathing, loving....

Going back to creating, which is what keeps us alive, I can tell you that the progress of the tapestry inspired in one of my daughters pictures is coming really nice. Slow, v e r y
s
l
o
w....

but I really feel I am capturing the essence of the textures and the colour-composition.

The different materials I am using are amazing and even though is little by little, I am enjoying it so much!

Amazing encounter

2011-10-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

Memories.....memories....

Today I was so excited!
I am going to tell you a story from long time ago.
Due to my Dads professional commitments, back in 1973 my family and I moved to Thunder Bay, in northern Ontario. He was appointed to be the Director of the Faculty of Music at Lakehead University and to be Director of the Symphony Orchestra. The experience for my Dad was amazing, for my brother, my sister and me was awesome. Being kids who wouldn't love to be playing in the snow all the time. And I mean, year round! they even made jokes about how cold it was: this year, Summer falls on Thursday...ha ha ha!

I guess the only one who really had a hard time was my Mom, who doesn't like cold at all. Especially being far away from her parents and raising 3 small kids. What a change.

If I think today I live far away from my Country, where Oakville is just 20 minutes away from Toronto, well let me tell you that Thunder Bay is still 1,798 kms still north from here!

The thing is that in the time we lived in Thunder Bay (which by the way is a very very cold City), where my brother and I would be ice skating in an outdoor rink at 10 pm when -40 degrees where a common temperature.

This is me and my sister outside our front door enjoying the snow.

Well, why do I refer to this precise moment in time. Well, 40 years have passed and today I had a visit from Friedl Ballaban, a good friend and member of our Oakville Handweavers and Spinners Guild plus the Spinning Chair for the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners OHS.

She came with Diana Bockus, a wonderful lady from THUNDER BAY!!!! Yes, from Thunder Bay!

For many of you this does not represent any other than a random event. For me it brought back memories of my childhood, the memory of my Dad, the thought of so many great friends we left there.
My best friends, Kelly Piper and Leslie, the Cotton Family, the Sellicks....

Thanks to all those memories kept alive for so many years was precisely that now, with my husband and my kids we looked up to Canada to continue our lives. As some of you know, we moved back again to Canada 6 years ago. Now my kids, 13 and 15 are registering in their own way some of the memories they will share with their own kids.

Thunder Bay, I promise I will go back to you someday and I will bring my kids along.To show them my school, my house, my life where I grew up and had wonderful moments.
Take them to see the Sleeping Giant, and the kakabeka Falls or Centennial Park .

(Bye for now from this personal comment)

Suzanne Lee: Grow your own clothes | Video on TED.com

2011-07-26T11:38:00.000-07:00

Amy Dover from the Textile Museum of Canada just shared this link which I thought it was amazing. I just couldn't wait to share it with you all.

Suzanne Lee: Grow your own clothes | Video on TED.com

Explorations in colour and texture

2011-07-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

Explorations in texture and colour

Working in fibres is always interesting because the results of integrating different materials and textures are always different. Not only the incidence of light creating different shadow effects, but the materials itself tend to speak for themselves.

Excellent review created this exhibit in Mexico City.

Mexico is a country full of contrasts in colours, textures, tastes, ethnias...and for this reason the inspiration for some canadian artists when invited to participa

Participating in the Encounter Mexico-Canada 2 months ago, Canadian artist had the opportunity to share space with Mexican fibre artists creating a dialogue of diverse languages related to textures, colour and techniques.

Canadian Artist Stella Tang (Originally from Singapore)

had her piece inspired in a pre-Columbian image and reflected her tapestry in this theme. She has been an artist who has explored many varieties of textures, working in beadwork, painting, needleweaving, tapestry, quilting among others.

It was really interesting to see how the same technique can be translated in so many different ways, such as this interpretation of watermelons of Georgette with cotton, wool and silk as shown below:

Other examples shown in the exhibition at the Anahuac University in Mexico City, during the VI International Bienial of Textile Art where interesting because it showed textures from the heart of Mexico. Rough natural fibres that express themselves through natural colours such as this one from Carmen Tejada

or Claudia Gonzalez.

Other examples where from the Artist Thoma Ewen, who brought her Ribbons of Light diplaying all her wonderful colours woven in an exquisite tapestry:

There where displayed different formats and techn iques, like this one from Krystyna Sadej,

or others in other formats such as mini textiles from Lourdes Aspe or Stella Tang.

to large scalesuch as this one

: Nocturno, made by me, or

the largest tapestry displayed in this exhibition :Inspirations from a Birch Tree (4.5 meters W X 2.20 meters H )as shown here in the installation of the largest piece.

This is one of four tapestry series inspired in the Four seasons though fibre by Georgette Geddovious, former student of Textile Creativo almost 20 years ago. It was so nice to see old friends and peers and share works together again!

Of course, we could not have been complete without the pressence of Peter Harris, from Ayton, Ontario, who participated with this interesting and wonderfully woven tapestry: (above see detail)

Reflections on the Tapestry Course

2011-07-20T20:31:00.000-07:00

I have been very lucky to meet wonderful weavers along the road. Through teaching I have experienced not only getting to learn from the participants new tricks and suggestions, but to find in them great sensible persons.

I would like to share some words sent from Michelle who touched my heart. Not only we shared time through the workshop but also we where able to know each other more. I am so glad I found not only a weaver that became my friend, but a friend who happens to weave as well, and that is the best gift of all. Thank you Michelle for your kind words.

A Dream Come True!!

I had first seen Ixchel’s tapestries on her blog site and loved her work immediately.
Her designs, use of textures, blending of colors, everything about them. I saw
techniques in her pieces I thought amazing and said WOW, I would love to learn
how to do that. So I e-mailed Ixchel to see if she taught classes. I received a lovely
and quick reply back along with a description of the 2-week workshop. Having
already used my vacation time for the year, I would have to postpone taking the
workshop till the following summer.

At last June arrived and it was time to fly to Canada. I was so excited. I would have
to say this was a life changing experience for me. I learned so much, more than you
can ever imagine in a 2- week workshop, and more than I can describe right here.
We did design work and Ixchel taught me several weaving techniques, (All that I
hoped to learn from seeing her work online.) different tips and tricks. We viewed
inspiring slides and videos. Ixchel has a wonderful book collection. We even had
a bonus class of how to dye wool. Oh and a double bonus, I was thrilled to see an
exhibit of Ixchel’s tapestries. All the pieces I was only able to view online, were right
there in front of me, in person. How cool is that!!

Besides being a Master Weaver and fabulous teacher, Ixchel is a very special and
giving human being. Her family, Juan, Sofia and Esteban are truly wonderful. I was
lucky to meet and spend time also with her mamma, Sylvia, who was visiting from
Mexico. I was able to partake in the Tuesday “Pot Luck” luncheons with friends
and students, what fun we had. And it was great to talk and laugh with assistant
weavers, Stella and Yamile. See, I can go on and on about this experience. One last
thing though I would like to say is a warm thank you Ixchel, for sharing with me
your love of music, dance, food and culture. But most of all thank you for sharing
your friendship.

Advanced tapestry Workshop

2011-07-06T18:18:00.001-07:00

Amazing Experience.....

Traditional tapestry weaving is always fabulous. Selecting a design and then little by little letting the weave take shape. It is a slow but rewarding technique that alows us to have an internal communication with our souls.

No matter if you are weaving alone and you are well accompanied by great music, or you are with peers, students, friends or relatives. Weaving is an activity that can integrate us in a space transforming it into a special moment.

I wanted to share with you some results from our latest workshop at the Oakville Tapestry Studio.

I had the opportunity to meet a wonderful lady, Michelle, who came into the lets say "gears" of my constant moving family, especially at the end of the school year when everything seems to come together at once.

The location of the Tapestry Studio is a beautiful Town called Oakville, 25 km. outside the City of Toronto in Ontario. AAt the Oakville Museum at Erchless Estate you will discover 19th & 20th century history. It is situated in downtown Oakville in Old Oakville’s First Heritage District. Oakville, once a thriving port of entry for merchants and sailors, was well known for its majestic scene and welcome, featuring the Erchless Estate Family Home & Custom House.

Set on the eastern side of the Oakville Harbour and the shores of Lake Ontario, sailors & ship merchants would enter into the outpost of British North America in the early 1800's.

During this time Oakville was also a terminus for the Underground Railroad, and signified freedom for many African Americans who fled to Canada.

This is a plate of the founder of Oakville, Colonel William Chisholm.

Weather also helped us to walk around and get inspired. We visited the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre where I showed Michelle where the large tapestry was woven recently finished.

Wonderful place in North Oakville.

For 50 years Sybil Rampen has had a vision. Her lifelong goal has been to establish a cultural legacy on her family farm for the future generations of Halton to be inspired. Located on Burnhamthorpe Road, 1 km east of Trafalgar Road in Oakville, the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre serves the community as a place of gatherings—from creative media workshops, films, musical events, and lectures to weddings. The Centre serves as a place where individuals meet to learn, collaborate, and cultivate relationships with one another. This emerging cultural facility promotes local heritage, outreach and accessibility, with ecological integrity being central to the activities of the Centre.

Here we are together with Stella Tang, Sylvia my Mom, and Yamile Roa. Both assistant weavers of the Studio.

Not only we where able to have a wonderful outdoor lunch, but also to do some practices on natural dyes with cochineal, indigo and turmeric on our way back to the Studio.

Together we worked on tapestry techniques that allowed us to explore possibilities on different textures, volumes and shapes through weaving.

THE STUDIO

Michelle had the opportunity to meet some members of the Tapestry and Painting Studios.

It is important to work on exercises that are able to be put into practice, and what better example is to see tapestries on their locations. This one was a commission which Michelle happen to see on my website. She was happy to get to see the real one and to find all the different textures we where working on earlier in the first week.

On the weekend, we visited the Textile Museum of Canada and its interesting exhibition o Magic Squares from Muslim Africa.

Here is the link for the great review of "Magic Squares" which was in today's Toronto Star. I know some of you read the Star but it's easiest to just send the link to all of you.

Here's the link:

www.toronto.com/article/685940--magic-squares-at-the-textile-museum-god-is-also-in-the-details

Later on we went to the Toronto Music Garden. It is a wonderful place to enjoy great music while being in front of the harbor front.

The Toronto Music Garden can be appreciated on many levels - as a garden infused with the spirit of music, dance and artistic genius, as a public place for young and old alike to enjoy and learn, and as a meditative space to sit and quietly ponder nature. It is a symbol of Toronto's participation in the international community, and a place for everyone to enjoy.

The Toronto Music Garden: Inspired by Bach by Julie Moir Messervy

A beloved public garden celebrates a milestone: The award-winning Toronto Music Garden turns 10. To commemorate this momentous occasion, author and landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy has released The Toronto Music Garden: Inspired by Bach. The book is an in-depth guide to the creation and completion of the three-acre public garden with a design based on the “First Suite for the Unaccompanied Cello” by J.S. Bach. Readers will enjoy the books’ comprehensive tour of the garden’s six “rooms” – each an interpretation of the traditional dance forms featured in the cello suite’s six movements. Gorgeous color photographs and sketch renderings transport readers to the many paths and gathering places along the musical journey.

The annual Summer Music in the Garden series produced by Harbourfront Centre in partnership with City of Toronto Parks Forestry and Recreation, with the generous support of Toronto Culture, and Margaret and Jim Fleck. Summer Music in the Garden is curated for Harbourfront Centre by artistic director Tamara Bernstein.

Concerts are Thursdays at 7pm and Sundays at 4pm (weather-permitting) and are approximately one hour in length. Bench seating is available, but limited, so please feel free to bring a lawn chair. We also advise bringing a hat or umbrella and sunscreen as shade is limited.

The Project

Italian background, Michelle was born in California, and after living quite number of years close to the dessert, she thought the idea of translating some images of cactus into tapestry projects would be interesting.

This is one image processed from one of her photographs.

2 weeks is not enough to finish a medium tapestry, especially when introducing different exercises and weaving parallel samples in the woven notebooks. However, I am so glad she is following up for she wanted to finish her project and took it back home to finish it.

Thank you Steve for the picture and for the loom you prepared for Michelle!!!

You have made her a very happy person, especially in this moment of her life.

Who wouldn't be inspired and happy with that fabulous garden you have back there?

Thank you Michelle for sharing part of your world with us. Hope to meet with you some other time. We where all happy to have you as our guest. Enjoy the rest of the Summer.

__________________________________

ADVANCED TAPESTRY WORKSHOP

NEW IN LATE FALL

For those interested in participating in the next Advanced Tapestry Workshop at the Oakville Tapestry Studio there is another opening in the Fall:

Space still available!

Dates: November 7 - 18, 2011

Advanced Tapestry Workshop

Welcome to the Oakville Tapestry Studio.

Founded in 2007 by Ixchel Suarez, the Studio has been educating Art Groups and General public about the traditional techniques of Tapestry weaving and its role in the Contemporary presence in the arts.

For those who are staying at the Studio, arrival arrivals for the Summer course may be Sunday July 10th and leaving Saturday July 23rd.

I strongly suggest bringing any sample of previous work (or images) and if you want to bring ideas of ongoing projects in order to review interests.

Tapestry

** Please note that all materials are provided. However I highly recommend to bring different kinds of "bits and Pieces" of yarns (i.e. fabrics, textured acrylics, raffia, paper, etc.) to make more interesting the class. The techniques are developed to demonstrate diverse textures in contemporary weaving.

Workshop week 1:

Morning session from 9:00 am. until 12:00...lunch break... 1:00 pm. until 3:00 pm. (full program) Tutor/student

Evening session 6:00 pm. until 7:30 pm. (required to advance on exercises and/or to watch support videos) individual work.

Total hours: 30 Hours

Tapestry:

Introduction and principles of Design and composition.

Cartooning and project design.

Selecting materials.

Project description and analysis.

Work on woven notebook through samples of textures.

Analyze different materials with similar techniques. An overall view of

tapestry's historical background, as well as contemporary tapestry, will be presented to you. Upon successful completion of this course, you will have learned the basic design and technical skills necessary to design, weave, and finish a tapestry

Select videos, slides and images to support project.

Handouts will be provided with supported bibliography

* Suggest bringing sketch notebook and scissors.

Workshop week 2:

Morning session from 9:00 am. until 12:00...lunch break... 1:00 pm. until 3:00 pm. (full program) Tutor/student

Evening session 6:00 pm. until 7:30 pm. (required to advance on exercises and/or to watch support videos) individual work

Total hours: 30 Hours

Applied diverse techniques on defined project.

Presentation of related exhibits on Contemporary textile Art.

Prepare samplers for cutting.

Certificate of participation.

Meals: (please advice in advance on dietary restrictions and/or preferences)

Breakfast: from 8:00 am. until 9:00 am. (Please advise any food instruction or restriction)

Coffee or Tea

Yogurt

Cereals (granola bars or advice on preferences)

Mixed Fruits

Toasted bread

Lunch: from 12:00 until 1:00 pm

Dinner: between 5:00 pm. until 6:00 pm.

____________________________________________________

Weekend lodging is provided if necessary. (Included in the cost of the workshop)

Saturday & Sunday (free).

Suggested Tours for visitors from outside Toronto Area not included in the fee: (ROM, BATA Shoe Museum, Niagara Falls, etc.)

For more information regarding the Workshop, fees, lodging and programme details please do not hesitate to contact the

Oakville Tapestry Studio

Instructor Ixchel Suarez

ixchelsuarez@gmail.com

ixchelsuarez.com

1121 kestell Blvd,

Oakville ON. L6H 1A1

905 845 3357

289 242 8685

The "Mancini" tapestry Project

2011-07-04T20:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the Mancini project for a future tapestry.

Thank you Michelle for the inspiration. Even though the colours where really fantastic in the bright reds, the hues of blues, greys and purples just captivated my spirit.

Cant wait to start weaving.

Last week I visited for the first time Romney Wools, and guess what, I brought this image to get crazy with the yarns for the tapestry.

Michelles Flower inspirations

2011-07-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

Make your own free digital collage

Encounter Mexico-Canada: Contemporary Textile Art

2011-06-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

Anahuac University North hosted the exhibition Mexico-Canada: Contemporary Textile Art during the VI International Biennial of Contemporary textile Art taken place in Mexico City.
An Interesting round table took place with Ana Paula Fuestes, Director of the Textile Museum of Oaxaca, Martha Turok, anthropologyst; Thoma Ewen, Director of Moon Rain Centre for the textile Arts, Miguel peraza, Sculptor, Sergio Rasgado, Former Museum director and Ixchel Suarez, Director of the Oakville arts Studio.

Participating Artists:

Thoma Ewen

Krystyna Sadej

Lourdes Aspe

Carmen Tejada

Georgette Gedovious

Stella Tang

Ixchel Suarez

Peter Harris

Claudia Gonzalez

Mike Przesiezny

Victor del corral

Myriam Suarez

Textures from the Forest Textile art exhibition 2011

2011-06-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

Hi to all.
Sharing with you my latest video from the exhibit recently opened. The show will run until the 28 of June.

I have been exploring some installation ideas, especially because the exhibit was suggested to be part of the UN International year of forests. It has been interesting working outside the loom for a while in a 3-D space.Some have inside tapestry weaving with exposed warps....anyway. I will keep up my own explorations and findings.

The Installations where made possible to the Grant from the Ontario Arts council Mid-Career Visual Arts Recognition 2011.

It is really exciting to have support for us, artists, in creative moments of our careers.

Cutting Day at Joshua Creek

2011-05-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

Oakville, ON. Monday May 16 2011

Hon. Mayor Burton, Sybil Rampen, Members of Oakville Arts council and Community Arts Space art lovers.

June 2010 I was approached by the Burlington Art Centre to produce a collection of large scale tapestries .These are mainly based in images of nature, transcribed and interpreted though textures in tapestry weaving techniques.

One of these images, a vertical one, was precisely ideal for a large scale tapestry. A piece of interesting proportions to be displayed in a way that the community would relate to. An important image of our Canadian Landscapes of the region: a birch tree.

But how big is BIG? May things crossed my mind: where could I set a loom of these proportions? Wonderful things started to happen. I approached Sybil Rampen who immediately got hooked, or should I say, woven) into the project, offering us this wonderful and inspiring attic.

Little by little, this fascinating project took on form—helped by great Music, snacks, short lunches, more music, and wonderful moments together with friends and art lovers that wonder around The view from the attic in Sybil’s studio provided us inspiration from late summer until blooming colours of spring.

Along the way this project had the fortune to be woven not only by me, but converting itself in a community project. Mainly by Stella Tang and Yamile Roa, who are both members of the tapestry studio and the Handweavers and Spinners Guild. Some other days by Lorraine Gard, member of the Tapestry Studio and some other friends and visitors who were encouraged to participate in some way in this project.

Today we are happy to make this official cutting written in the woven tapestry journal which started in September 19. More than 1400 hours of work and used more than 60 different kinds of yarns

I would like to acknowledge the support of the Ontario Arts Council through the Visual Arts Grant for allowing this project to come to fruition.

Tapestry is an ancient technique yet full of vast possibilities. Integrating groups, creating warm environments for our public and private spaces. Through this project we encourage new generations to visualize this medium as an art offer. Opening tapestry technique to the community, I would like to stimulate the critical writing and thoughts about this medium.

The Oakville Tapestry Studio, The Oakville Handweavers and Spinners Guild and the Fibre Arts Shared Space would like to offer this wonderful community new possibilities in the Fibre Arts. The new QEP soon to be opened will be a wonderful place for people to explore techniques such as this one. Thank you for being part of this birth of the “birch memories”.

http://www.insidehalton.com/what's%20on/article/1012864--art-is-born-after-nine-months-of-weaving

Dominik Kurek, OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF
|
May 20, 2011 - 1:41 PM
|

Art is born after nine months of weaving

Art is born after nine months of weaving. THE BIRTH: The Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre hosted the Memories of a Birch Tree event, with the cutting of a large tapestry piece by Oakville artist Ixchel Suarez. Pictured (l-r) are: Stella Tang, art centre chair Sybil Rampen, Mayor Rob Burton, Ward 6 Councillor Tom Adams, Rampen's dog Sam, Suarez, Lorraine Gard and Tamilet Roa. Riziero Vertolli / Oakville Beaver

“It's a unique art piece. It was really a community project. It was interesting to be there with Sybil.” - Ixchel Suarez, textile artist

Oakville textile artist Ixchel Suarez just gave 'birth' to a more than nine-month long tapestry weaving project.

She unveiled the large-scale tapestry, titled Memories of a Birch Tree, on Monday, morning at the Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, where she had worked on it for that time.

Just like cutting an umbilical cord at an actual birth, Suarez cut the threads of the 4.5m by 2.5m tapestry off the loom at the event.

“Cutting the threads from the loom is releasing the tapestry. It’s giving it birth,” she said. “It took us over nine months to weave it.”

When the new QEP community centre opens, Suarez plans to offer education on tapestry as an artwork.

“It’s a fibre art but it’s not as common, that’s why we were going to make a little bit of noise about it,” she said of her unveiling.

Other members of the community,Stella Tang and Yamile Roa helped complete the project with the support from the Ontario Arts Council Grant in the Visual Arts section for mid-Career artist.

Some other members of the community collaborated such as Debbie Stephenson and Lorraine Gard, among others from the Joshua Creek arts studios.

“It’s a unique art piece,” she said. “It was really a community project. It was interesting to be there with Sybil (Rampen, chair of the Joshua Creek centre).”

The tapestry was cut and it is being taken to the International Textile Show in Mexico City this Sunday.

The artist plans to display it in Burlington next year in September 2012 along with a collection of large scale tapestries.

Encounter Mexico-Canada

2011-05-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

Encounter Mexico-Canada: Contemporary Textile Art

Anahuac University North through the The School of Design invites you to the Encounter Mexico-Canada, Contemporary Textile Art.

May 25, 2011. CAD Auditorium

Round table at 12:30

Panelists: Thoma Ewen

Ana Paula Fuentes

Miguel Peraza

Sergio Rasgado

Ixchel Suarez

Martha Turok

La Escuela de Diseño de la Universidad Anáhuac, de la que tú eres pieza clave, semestre a semestre dirige sus esfuerzos hacia la formación integral de sus estudiantes y la vinculación con lo mejor del gremio profesional.

Clara muestra de ello se dará el próximo 25 de mayo, en cada uno de nuestros magnos eventos:

9:00 hrs. Entrega de Medalla Liderazgo Anáhuac en Diseño / Mtro. Ricardo Rosas / Auditorio de Rectoría

11:00 hrs. Inauguración de Expo Diseño / Hacia la sustentabilidad y el ecodiseño / Hall del CAD

11.00 Opening Expo-Design / towards a sustainability and eco-design/ CAD Hall

12:00 hrs. Inauguración de la Exposición / Arte Textil Contemporáneo: Encuentro México Canadá / Salón del Diseño

12:00 Hrs. Opening Exhibition/ Contemporary textile Art: encounter mexico-Canada/ Design hall

12:30 hrs. Mesa redonda / Arte Textil Contemporáneo: Encuentro México Canadá / Auditorio del CAD

12:30 hrs Round Table / Contemporary textile Art: Encounter mexico, Canada / CAD Auditorium

Tu asistencia es fundamental para llevar a buen término nuestros objetivos formativos y será un ejemplo de compromiso y entusiasmo para los estudiantes.

Your attendance is fundamental to bring all the formative objectives and will be an example of enthusiasm for all the students.

Consulta con tu Coordinador los detalles del programa.

Please contact your Coordinator for detailed programming.

woven tapestry journal Day 55...labour begins!

2011-05-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

Today was a wonderful day.

May 7 will be in our journal with bold letters! Not only because the weather finally is having a bit of consideration and is letting the flowers bloom, but because we got on the day 55 of the woven tapestry journal and we got to the last line of the inside of the weaving of our wonderful birch tree!

It has paid off all the time spent on it. Every weft, every yarn, every lunch and every song we had the opportunity to share.

All the wonderful people who has taken the time to drop by and share their feelings, their comments and thoughts in our book, sharing cookies, or donating material...everything has just been a wonderful experience. We will sure miss being here. It has filled our soul with such positive energy.

Of course it is just the starting of the labor...the birth will take place as soon as we finish ALL the ends, sewing the slits, cutting the loose back ends, edges, etc. It will be the moment to cut the umbilical cord to release this wonderful project and bring it to life.

No wonder all the ancient communities refer to the process of weaving as a pregnancy, and this one starting in September will be an almost 9 months baby!

THE NAME:_____________________?????????

For me it is always difficult to name my pieces. First of all, because many times I interpret through textures images or photographs i have taken, not with the idea of copying, but as i say, just to feel it and read through fibres, regardless the final result.

On the left is the tapestry, on the right the image.

In this case, of course the image is taken from a picture i took from a bark from a birch tree. We have been struggling to find a proper name for it. Some people have shared that all they see is a landscape, or an underwater scene...

suggestions are welcome and we would like to hear what you, weavers from the world, have to say regarding the name for this tapestry.

Option 1: Essence of life

Option 2: Wonders of Nature: the Birch Tree

Option 3: Mysterious Bark

Option 4:_________________

Suggestions are welcome!

The cutting ceremony will take place on Monday May the 16, just in time to prepare it to travel to Mexico City, where a tapestry exhibit awaits us.

Encounter Mexico-Canada: Contemporary Fibre Art, where there will be an interesting round table and a collaborative exhibit, including the participation from Canada of Thoma Ewen from Quebec, Peter Harris from Ayton Ontario, Mike Prysiezny and Stella Tang from Oakville.

Mexico will participate with some fibre artists: Claudia Gonzalez, Georgette Hernandez, Lourdes Aspe, Carmen Tejada, Guadalupe de Aguero, Myriam Suarez,Victor del Corral (USA).

This exhibits runs parallel to the World Textile Art VI International Biennial - AIR -, where I had the opportunity to have some of my pieces selected by the jury to enter the large format and the Time Based format. This exhibit will take place in the Museo Diego Rivera in Mexico City.

Artist Talk with Peter Harris

2011-05-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

An afternoon with Peter Harris at the Oakville Art Society.

Display of technique and skills in the art of Tapestry weaving!

Members of the Guild and guests from Cambridge, Mississauga, Burlington and Georgetown enjoyed the visit and the interesting lecture:

A tapestry is like a unicorn… nobody has actually seen one,

but everybody knows what one looks like. by Peter Harris

Friday April 29 the Guild had the opportunity to challenge all our definitions of tapestry though the insight view and research of Peter Harris, wonderful tapestry weaver from Ayton, Ontario, who kindly accepted our invitation to share a bitof his expertise in tapestry.

Peter Harris has been interested in the weaving of Kashmir for a long time. The relation of techniques like embroidered, patched, or woven into one same garment. He also offers workshops for those interested in this fascinating technique of historical importance.

Quote from Peter from the beginning, when we started to get immerse in the theme"I don’t remember having any particular awareness or understanding of the word “tapestry” until I learned how to weave tapestry in the early 1980’s. Then when I’d begun to make tapestry my own, I noticed how frequently this word for a rare and arcane practice appeared in all kinds of commentaries about all kinds of non-textile things, and often with some additional reference to weaving thrown in as a bonus. The word “tapestry” has a currency and commonly-understood meaning far out of proportion to its actual production in the present era. Now for me it’s always accompanied by a flash of recognition, like a familiar face in a subway-train window. One of my favourite sightings is in an interview by Studs Terkel with Bob Dylan: “There’s one song, the only way I can describe it is as a great tapestry – ‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’.” All true, but how does the word for an anachronistic craft come to be used today with such confidence and respect?".

Peter is a fantastic tapestry weaver who started in this art and craft almost 30 years ago. His backgroud though is in philosophy and literature, so we could understand his interest in the readings of visual images through different mediums, and it was through tapestry that he developed his main interest.

This tapestry, Enchanted Forest is full of weaving challenges, symbolisms, colour changes and blends and intricate design that alltogther creat a piece of Art.

Peter analyzes the medium and quotes:

"Tapestry has come under modernist critique for being a derivative art form, because of the historical specialization between artists and weavers, and the extent to which a modern artist-weaver’s design is pre-planned before the weaving begins, so that it resembles a process of translation or adaptation. But in fact, seldom is the weaver’s work so subservient to the designer’s that the weaving does not transform it in some way expressive of both. Tapestry weaving has a repertoire of effects that eloquently bespeak textile, as well as limitations for mimicking some sorts of mark-making in other media.

Peter finishes his talk with an interesting reflection:

"So much for the most commonly asked question, “How long did it take you to do this?” to which the answer should be, “It was over too soon”. The perennial issue among weavers – the internalized version of the second question we hear most often, “Can you make a living at this?” – is, how can we gain the critical acceptance for tapestry as work-of-art that would offer the possibility of professional success? In my view, that is to chase a receding, capricious, increasingly irrelevant prize. Historically, tapestry participated in cultural expression in ways that don’t necessarily conform to the occasion of modern gallery-going, where people expect to find certain kinds of objects enshrined. These same people, if they went to view stained-glass church windows, whether as tourists or as part of their religious observance, would have very different expectations. Everyone who seeks to give cultural expression through their skills, needn’t try to beat their way into the art world, but should try to situate their contribution as naturally and easily as they can in their personal and community lives. We should not be trying to alter our coat of many colours into a skimpy but fashionable accessory. The fact that tapestry has its own rich and widely recognized meaning is a tremendous advantage. "

Thank you Peter. We sure can take many reflections reading "between the warps".

We wish you luck with your piece which will be presented in Mexico during the events from the VI International Bienial of Textile Art hosted in Mexico.

The exhibition Encounter Mexico-Canada: Contemporary Textile Art will be presented in the Anahuac University, School of Design.

Come back soon and share with us your wonderful tapestries.

Sofia's Fungus...new project

2011-04-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2011-04-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-08T20:27:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-04-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

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

2011-04-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

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

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

Day 41 in the Attic, new video

2011-04-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

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!

Day 40 woven tapestry journal

2011-03-28T04:27:00.000-07:00

Day 40 of the Woven Tapestry Journal

has come and even though the weather has still been really cold, with snow storms and freezing rain, March has been a very good month for the tapestry. The storm we had

just left us with the idea that Spring will have to wait a bit more, and we will still need to focus in the winter scenes for a while. Anyway, we are still here. Once we walk through the storm, the reward is to get into the Attic and start the day with a cup of coffee, put some great music and weave, weave, weave and weave!

Visit this link and you will see the 80 % of the tapestry at Joshua Creek.

http://youtu.be/tb0SJmAU0Dc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb0SJmAU0Dc

In the stage we are in right now, we are in need of using more bases for our high chairs and it is getting really uncomfortable to weave. I really hope to finish it soon in order to be able to take it for the exhibition in Mexico in May.....don't know for sure if we will be able to, but will make our very best to do it.

Very special thank you to all the people who have been showing up to cheer and support our project: My Husband and son,

who helped carry the bases, Alice and Pauline, together with Stella and Yamile.

All great friends who have introduced us into different Chinese food options, and Phillip,

who is visiting us from Singapore. To all a great thank you! Keep visiting us and cheering us. In a project like this it is wonderful to have peoples input.

Finally displayed

2011-03-24T21:17:00.001-07:00

It is always nice to finish a piece, especially after so many months of weaving. I decided to share a bit of my home with you. As you see, tapestries are a very important part of my life and my living space.

I believe that tapestry is one of those techniques that allow more senses to explore new possibilities. Not making sculpture or painting aside,but it is true that not only they create comfort in sight but in the touch.

Mission accomplished!

2011-03-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

maple bark tapestry

Finally, and after a couple of delays in the process, I struggled to finish my maple bark tapestry; one of the of series tapestries for the Burlington Arts Centre Exhibition.
The idea of interpreting the details of the maple tree bark through textures happened one day when walking along the trails in Crawford Lake.
One tree after the other, some birches and some maples....yet this one caught my attention because not only had intricate patterned lines, fractals of colour...yes. Colour!

Be it fungus, loss or just shadows from an autumn afternoon, but it looked just beautiful. I decided to take some pictures from this particular tree, and this was the image I decided it would be interesting to weave.

The next step was to select the yarns that would talk though it... and there you go. A combination of wool, cotton, silk, linen and of course synthetic and metallic yarns!

I have to confess that the delay not only was because I moved to another house in December which took a lot of my energy and time, but also the fact that this project was tremendously demanding in the detail! Each and every piece of the woven structure had certain combinations and gradation of hues, which made it time consuming. But what can i say, I loved the way colour blend in and I enjoyed even the stress of it all.

Weaving has to be a calming experience, and mostly it is, but when you are running behind a deadline you tend to have the stress factor. I guess in the end, it definitely paid off the extra time.

I appreciate all the followers who have encouraged me to keep up...see you next blog. Want a hint??? the next project is a picture of a fungus with a burnt tree that my daughter took in Gatineau... keep up following the blog and see all the process...again! Here I go. Have a happy weave.

Family Art at Town Hall

2011-03-07T15:37:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago The Town of Oakville organized the first exhibition showing what us, newcomers to Canada, have to share in the Arts. I was happy to participate along with my kids Esteban and Sofia Powell. They both submitted acrylics and for the first time we had our shared space in a Gallery.
We moved to Canada in 2005 and we have been really happy watching the kids explore a new Country, new Culture and making new friends.

It is wonderful that this time we share the same scenario with something as great as Art.

We are really greatful with this Town (City) that has opened its wings to our family and letting us explore our artistic souls. Through the OAC-Oakville Arts Council, Art Works Oakville ,CUAS- Community Arts Space and the Town of Oakville. All supportive the organisms dedicated to enhance the Culture of this place.

I do not know if my kids will actually pursue an artistic career, but for now they are doing great, along with their instruments: piano and Guitar

Maple bark on the go

2011-03-05T20:27:00.001-08:00

The most challenging tapestry.....at least for me!

Maple Bark has been one of my most challenging projects.

Each and every part of it, even the tiniest one, has a blending. Fading away hues.....and of course the changes of different yarns and calibres. I have decided to start another one just to give me a little breat every now and then from this one.
This kind of imagery reminds me one polish artist which I admire a lot, Stefan Poplawski, who weaves flat tapestries with images in 3-D images with photographic projects in high contrast.

The year 1972 was the time when Stefan Popławski’s (a graduate of Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań) piece was created. His simple Self-portrait is a very important interpretation, made in tapestry (162 x 90 cm), of a photograph from a family album. The artist frequently used famous documentary and historical pictures, as well as stills from the movies made by distinguished directors, and press photos. He transformed these selected “films of reality” into cycles: a series of photography reconstructions, movie “pictures,” old performances (Polish banners) and contemporary events. Two-coloured, woven with sisal or wool, or sometimes made with the use of needle work, these overscaled tapestries displayed silhouette outlines of people, emerging from a plain, contrasting background. With a photo-recorded image, constructed in accordance with the way the lens “sees the world,” and the phenomena typically accompanying photography, these works got the impact force of a monumentalized poster.

http://fotofestiwal.com/2009/photography-and-tapestry/#

I am already behind my schedule to weave the other tapestries. I really have to catch up and hurry, or else I really wont be able to finish for the 2012 exhibit!.....I will try to weave the most I can tomorrow Sunday which it is promissed to be a rainny day. So, perfect dfor weaving!!!Yeeeey! I will let my kisd and husband prepare meals.....Yes, already sounds great. A weaving day.

See you later. Good night.

Day 31 of the Woven Tapestry Project

2011-02-23T20:58:00.001-08:00

Day 31 was a gorgeous sunny bright day. Full of light and melting almost all the snow. Energetic from the beginning!
It started early. My daughter was sick so, since I did not have to take her to school, I decided to arrive to the Attic around 8.30 a.m. This was great because I definitely took advantage of the time, and a lot of progress was done. Stella arrived later, as well as Lorraine for a while. Yamile was in Ottawa, so the weavers for the day enjoyed Brazilian Lounge music, Spanish guitar and much more inspiring music.

It is amazing how once you get used to the image, it is very difficult to imagine it other way, but flipping the image sideways, the way it is supposed it will be displayed, creates a completely connotation and reading.

Some have asked me about the details of the soumaks and/or jerseys. Here you can appreciate a bit of the details going on for the vertical tiny lines.

Enjoy the week and the images...it is coming....it is coming...

Woven journal project day # 29

2011-02-21T18:39:00.000-08:00

Day 29 of the Woven Tapestry Journal

Day 29 was particularly cold..-23 C, windy and really dark. Yet here we were weaving because the project is coming along and if we finish it by end of May we might be able to bring it for the exhibition in Mexico City. Visit the link http://www.wta-online.org/ and take a look at all the wonderful exhibitions to come during the VI Biennial of World Textile Art, hosted in this occasion by Mexico!

I will write more next time. It has been a very busy week and I really have no energy to write as I should. Enjoy the images which I believe speak for themselves. Nice blending of different materials.

Until next chat!

Woven Tapestry Journal Day 27

2011-02-05T15:50:00.000-08:00

You would think that because of one of the worst snow storms to hit Ontario last wednesday we would sit back and stay at home just waiting for the weather to get better, but of course that was not our case.

The winter landscapes, the snowing storm, the ice pellets and the covered parking lot where just fine for our weekly drive to the attic. Being there was just what we needed to have a wonderful time inside, hot coffee and great music inspired our weaving.

The advances of the project can be seen week after week.

Visitors are anxious to see it finished as well as we do.

The weaving has become in some parts a real winter scene!!! what will it be in the Spring?

Will the landscapes, the weather and the emotions determine our weaving???

Keep up with the blog and let's see what what happens after this tremendous storm.

Have a cup of tea or coffee and relax. Weave and be happy. Great weaving to all.

New advances on the barks

2011-02-05T15:29:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to share with you these images of the advances of the Series of tapestries for Burlington Art Centre exhibit.
This tapestry started a couple of blogs away. Now I would like to share a bit about my process for producing a tapestry.

FRirst I select the image, which in this case is a picture I took from a detail of a bark from a maple tree walking along a train near Oakville, in one of the trails that lead to Crawford Lake in Ontario. I do not use any kind of photoshop or arrangements for the photography, yet in this case I just pushed a little bit higher the contrast and look how the colours ended up to be!

Then I decide the format of the warp, which in this case I set half of my frame loom, because the other half I started already an image of the Gatineau hills you will get to see later in the blog.

The image then I draw lines to divide it and to make it easier to follow up in the cartoon I usually set at the back of the warp.

Here you can see an image of the sketched photograph, and the divided secttion I am showing already woven into the warp.

The fascinating thing about these kinds of projects is that you can play around with the dozens of combinations of different coloured yarns. Visually, just like in the impressionist paintings, the eye tends to fill the concept and the idea to blend in the colours and fuse them into many different hues.

Eventhough I am a bit behind my schedule, I am almost half way through the full tapestry.

Enjoy weaving!

Until next blogging!