Show-outs in Calgary, Edmonton -- and Taiwan!

SAQA Western Canada members continue to do us proud in exhibits at home and overseas -- whether as part of SAQA, as soloists, or in other groups.

The Calgary POD has been busy with its own local exhibit, which has just closed at the Crowfoot Public Library in Calgary and opens again tomorrow (August 2) at the Art Gallery of the High River Public Library, 909 - 1st Street S.W. in that city -- and runs through the end of this month.

POD member Alison Dean Cowitz -- one of the artists in this exhibit -- visited it at the Crowfoot Library venue to capture these photographs:

And three Calgary-area SAQA members entered -- and took prizes -- at this year's Calgary Stampede.   "Roving Reporter", Alison Dean Cowitz, writes thus:

A big mention to Marie McEachern in entering for the first time at this years Calgary Stampede Creative Arts and Crafts Competition. A wonderful accomplishment for Marie. Her piece depicting her artistic interpretation of Calgary's downtown Bow building was turned down by the SAQA juried show for My Corner of the World [Canada]*, but was well received by the Stampede judges and awarded first prize ribbon in the Art quilt category and went on to be in the money prize for 2nd in [the entire Quilting] Section. A great shout out to art quilting too! This has shown me once again that art quilts are receiving more recognition in a typically traditional quilt judged show. Here's the link to the Western showcase Calgary Stampede :: Western Showcase.

The Bow Building
Marie McEachern, 2015

Other SAQA members also entered. Alison Dean Cowitz also received 2nd place ribbon in the Art Quilt category for "Rebirth of a Forest" which was a tribute to the recent forest fires in Fort McMurry.

Rebirth of a Forest
Alison Dean Cowitz, 2016.

Deborah Bray entered 2 pieces, one of them receiving a 3rd place ribbon in the Hand Quilted category, just beautiful!

Orange
Deborah Bray, 2015*

Deborah Bray, Calgary, 2016

 *Editor's Notes: 

1. Marie's piece, "Downtown" was successfully juried into My Corner of the World: Canada and is currently touring with that exhibit, at the Stratford-Perth Museum, Stratford, Ontario, until September 5.
2. Deborah's piece, "Orange" was featured in the March 20 e-mail newsletter produced by Janine Vangool, publisher of UPPERCASE magazine.  You can read more about that feature on the SAQA WC blog post HERE.

Meanwhile in Edmonton...

Member Mary Wilton of Camrose had her piece, "Generations of Gardeners", juried into the 2016 Biennial exhibit of the Edmonton-based Focus on Fibre Arts Association.  This year, the theme was "My Heritage"...and Mary's piece beautifully illustrates hers...

Generations of Gardeners
Mary Wilton, 2015

My Heritage  will be on exhibit at the 2nd floor Gallery, Enterprise Square, 10230 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, through August 31.  For additional venues, please check the "Networking" page at the top of the blog.


And in Taiwan...

The Taiwan International Quilt Exhibition 2016 was held in Tainan City, Taiwan, from April 30 through May 29, the theme of which was "Save the Environment". Following the Exhibition, beautiful catalogues and tote bags were sent to the artists who participated.

By chance...yours truly was able to find out which SAQA WC members had pieces in this prestigious exhibition...and there were at least three:

Alberta member and Co-Rep, Margaret Blank, participated in two group exhibits -- with the Fifteen by Fifteen International Quilting Group and in Trunk C of the 25th Anniversary SAQA Trunk Show.

Back to the Garden - 2013
One of three pieces by Margaret
included in the 15 x 15 Group exhibit at TIQE

Saskatchewan member, Paula Jolly of Mossbank, participated in Trunk H of the 25th Anniversary SAQA Trunk Show.

Painting Rocks - 2014
Paula M. Jolly

And Alberta member Patricia Scott of Edmonton participated in a group exhibit mounted by The Canadian Group, founded by Brenda Miller of the Huron Perth Quilters Guild in Ontario, after she was inspired by a meeting with SAQA Rep Hsin-Chen Lin while on a trip to Taiwan in 2014.  Brenda tells the story of how the group came about on her blog HERE.

Here's the photo of Pat's piece, straight from the TIQE catalogue...

Waterlily - 2015
Patricia Scott

Congratulations to all these artists!  Best wishes for continued success -- and continued exhibiting of your work -- and thanks to Alison for the Road Trip and Stampede photos and the story behind them.

(Apologies to anyone we missed!  If you were excluded -- through ignorance on our part -- please contact Margaret with your story and photos so that your work can be celebrated too.)

Ongoing and Upcoming!

July is perfect for picnics...and Terry Aske and Judy Villet have the perfect one for you if you're going to be out and about in the Lower Mainland of B.C. this week...an adventure Into the Heart of the Forest.  NOTE: this exhibit is now open and runs through July 24.

Going to the Stampede in Calgary?  You might stop by the Crowfoot Library  (8665 Nose Hill Drive N.W.) to see the Calgary SAQA POD's locally-produced exhibit, Road Trip.

If you missed this one when it showed at Fish Creek Library in April, do try to make it up to the Crowfoot venue.  It will be there through July 24.  From there it goes to the High River Library (909 - 1st Street S.W., High River, AB) from Aug. 2 - 31.

Fancy art on the hoof?  There's an Artwalk going on in Camrose, Alberta this summer which includes work by Mary Wilton, another one of our Alberta members.  From July 20 through September 6, you can see her work at the Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, 4901 46 Avenue, Camrose, as part of that city's 21st Annual Artwalk, sponsored by the Camrose Art Society.

Through the Barn Door - Mary Wilton, 2015

Planning ahead for the fall... 

Calgary Area POD is hosting a workshop in High River.  Presented not long ago in B.C. by the Lower Mainland POD, here's an opportunity for members all over the Region -- but particularly east of the Rockies! -- to find the answer to that eternal question, "What Were the Judges Thinking?" 

The workshop is described as "Module 1 of the CQA quilt judge certification program" and is designed for anyone who is considering becoming a judge, scribe, juror or aide, or for those interested in organizing a judged show, or simply expanding their knowledge about judged competitions.

• Date: Saturday, September 10, 2016.
• Location: High River Library, 901 - 1st Street S.W., High River, AB.
• Time:  9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Cost: $50.00 per person, including kit fee.

Registration: the registration fee may be mailed, paid in person or by e-transfer.  Payment must be in full; it will be non-refundable unless the workshop is cancelled.  Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis -- and there is a class limit of 20. For a registration form, please contact Marie McEachern or Nan Williams.

A Calgary Road Trip

The Calgary-area POD opened it's first local exhibit, "Road Trip", at the Fish Creek Library on Sunday, April 18.  It was a gloriously sunny and warm day -- perfect for the 2 1/2 hour drive down the QE II to meet and greet the artists, and to take in this excellent show.

The atmosphere in the space was electric -- full of artistic energy, conversation and questions from the curious public.  Three long-time friends I'd not seen in years came by to view the exhibit -- and to see me, which was a sweet gesture on their part.  As I mentioned earlier this week on my personal blog, like an art show and sale, often an art opening is as much attended for the connections -- and re-connections -- one makes with the viewers and potential purchasers, as it is for the art itself.  Art-making and art-viewing bring people together.

It was wonderful to meet all the members I'd not yet met, to talk about SAQA with them, their friends, family and members of the general public who came by -- some who were just visiting the library and paused to take in this beautiful, unique artwork.  I managed to get a photo of several of the artists with their pieces, so...

Without further ado..."Road Trip"

Back Roads: 766 Calgary to Bergen, Alberta
(C) Lynda Williamson, 2016

Tree Tunnels 2 - Provence
(C) Nan Williams, 2016

Nan with Tree Tunnels

Road Trip Home
(C) Christina Thomas, 2016

Take Me for a Ride
(C) Lorraine Ross, 2016

Arizona Petroglyphs
(C) Janet Scruggs, 2016

Janet with ...Petroglyphs

Sedona
(C) Marie McEachern, 2016

Marie with Sedona

Heart of the Rockies
(C) Margaret Jessop, 2016

Margaret with ...Rockies

Side View
(C) Terri Illingworth, 2016

Terri with Side View

Cabot Trail
(C) Theresa Duncan, 2016

Theresa with Cabot Trail

Grand Tour - Fading Memories
(C) Diane Duncan, 2016

Diane and 'Assistant' with
Grand Tour

Ride Like the Wind
(C) Alison Dean Cowitz, 2016

Alison with Ride...

Wind Hound
(C) Joyce Brown, 2016

How I Spent My Summer Vacations
(C) Leslie Barnes, 2016

For those in the area, this exhibit runs until April 30 at the Fish Creek Public Library in Calgary.  Free parking is available in the South Centre Mall parking lot right next door -- no busy streets to cross -- and there is easy access to the Library by Light Rail Transit (LRT).

Several of the pieces are available for purchase; interested parties will have to contact the artist in question.

Please note as well that two of the above artists -- Marie McEachern and Janet Scruggs -- have pieces in the up-coming touring exhibit, My Corner of the World: Canada, which opens at the Stratford Perth Museum, Stratford, Ontario, on May 21.

Several others have pieces in Edge of the Forest, produced by the Surface Design Association, which is currently touring in British Columbia, and/or have work touring with the Fibre Art Network, an organization of fibre artists from across Western Canada.

Posted by Margaret Blank, Co-Rep (AB), SAQA Western Canada

Road Trip!

Really!

I'm so thrilled with this first event created by the Calgary-area SAQA POD, that I'm bustin' my buttons!  I'm planning to travel straight down the QE II Highway to Calgary to attend the opening.  It's time for a Road Trip!