Exhibit at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

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.

Finally, back on track.

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

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)