You're Invited to Join the Conversation!

That was the "fall-out" from the First Ever SAQA WC Regional "Zoom" Meeting on Sunday, August 18th.  There were six of your SAQA WC colleagues in attendance -- and two of them were your Co-Reps, Jennie Johnston of B.C. and Susan Selby for MB/SK.  Three more were former Co-Reps -- Valerie Wilson, Dawn Piasta and yours truly (Margaret Blank).  Brigitte Red from B.C. rounded out the group.  Perhaps more of you might have been there but were out of town; nonetheless...we missed you!

It's hoped that there'll be another such online gathering in a few months, so please stay tuned for date and time - because you missed an interesting and inspiring hour of getting-to-know-you-better conversation.

One of the topics that took up a great deal of our time together was the subject of Entering Juried Shows: the themes, the size requirements, the costs, the benefits, the nerves (Rejection?!  Aaaargh!)  

Each one of us has experienced the highs and lows that come from Putting Our Work Out There in public -- whether in a group show, a solo exhibit, in a gallery or Show-and-Sale, or as an Artist in Residence.

Most recently, Susan's been celebrating the acceptance of a piece to the SAQA Juried Global Exhibit, Upcycle! which opens at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX, this fall.  I mentioned this in the post introducing her to our Region -- but now she's been able to share with us a photo of her piece entitled Riparian Autumn:

Riparian Autumn - Susan Selby

Specific to this discussion was the Call for Entry for the up-coming All-Canadian exhibit, Colour with a 'U'.   More than one of us expressed reservations about the theme -- mainly because, well, we just couldn't seem to "get it"!

But Susan?  She was excited!  She urged us to read the Prospectus at least a dozen times, slowly, carefully and thoughtfully.

After the Zoom call ended, I did just that...and got an idea for a piece that is now in the "research-and-sample" stage.  Clearly Susan's enthusiasm was catching...and so I'm sharing it with you now -- in her own words:

Colour with a U: You Should Read it Once More

...and then once more again.

I have been encouraging fellow fibre artists to enter “Colour with a 'U’", the upcoming SAQA Canadian exhibit opening in March 2020.  A few artists have told me they are having difficulty finding their creative inspiration for this show.  I have encouraged them to read theCall for Entry several times, focusing on one section at a time.  The theme is very broad, the size has very few restrictions and many interpretations are possible, making the choice challenging.

So, I encourage you to read the call again, find a phrase that speaks to you, let it simmer in your artistic brain and then be inspired to create. Some of the words I like are unusual, unexpected, unbound (you mean we don’t have to finish the edges?) and uncanny; all words to describe fibre art and fibre artists.  The theme is Canadian values of diversity and inclusion; our art is certainly diverse and includes anything and everything we can dream of. There are questions asked such as ‘How do you colour yourself into our Canadian culture?’ Your art can answer one of these questions.  

One discouraged member just wrote to say she has found her creative spark with a further reading of the prospectus and is off and running with enthusiasm.  We still have four months before the deadline of January 3, 2020, which gives us plenty of time to work.

And while you are visiting the SAQA site, watch out for more news about the SAQA 2020 Conference in Toronto.  I hope to see you there.

Now to find my own inspiration,

Susan Selby, 

SAQA Western Canada co-Representative (MB/SK)

Meanwhile, Valerie Wilson can help -- if you have an idea for the Call for Entry but...

• You want to know how to blend values;
• You want to be able to determine value in fabrics;
• You want to be able to select fabrics in the right values for a portrait; and/or
• You want to be able to to use shading to create dimension.

She asks you to imagine for a moment what it would be like to: 

• Easily identify value and choose fabrics effortlessly;
• Know how to blend values; and
• Create depth and shading in a portrait.

And she assures you this can happen!

Valerie has mounted a FREE Five-Day Values Challenge that offers to help you develop these skills -- which just might give you the confidence to answer that Call.  Check out her website HERE for more information.

ON NOW in the Gulf Islands

It opened on July 25, but this exhibit by the members of Island Textile Artists (ITA) will be up through August 30 -- in the front lobby gallery of Artspring, Salt Spring Island.  SAQA WC member Karen Selk has a piece in the exhibit, so if you're travelling 'round the Islands in the next few weeks, do try to stop in!

Artspring is located at 100 Jackson Avenue, Salt Spring Island, B.C.

Karen tells us she also has a piece in an exhibit entitled Connections coming up in Arizona in October, so stay tuned for more about her work. 

"All Things Must Pass"...

A reminder from Co-Rep Susan Selby:  Grand National 2019 is currently on exhibit in Portage la Prairie, MB.  The Exhibit closes August 10 so if you're in the area and want to see it, now's the time!

Still in Manitoba?  Articulation's current exhibit, Connected Heritage, including work from SAQA WC members Lesley Turner and Wendy Klotz, is on in Gimli through September 2.


But if you are in central Alberta, and want a road trip up to Camrose, you can visit a variety of locations there for their 2019 Art Walk.  SAQA WC members Mary Wilton and Margaret Blank have pieces in Section 1 of this two-part event -- currently showing at the Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre through August 11.  Section 2 of this event opens on August 15.