Braggin' on Terry...

Once again the blog has found out about a Quilt Canada 2016 National Juried Show achievement...surreptitiously...through the back door, as it were. (GRIN)

Thanks to B.C. member Brigitte Red, I was put onto the fact that B.C. member Terry Aske -- creator of "Inside the Tipi", currently on exhibit in My Corner of the World: Canada -- took not one but two awards at the NJS!

Stealing from her blog (with apologies for being behind in my blog reading/snooping)... here she is with her pieces:

Terry with Circular Thinking - Quilt Canada  NJS 2016
First place - "Art -- Abstract" category

Terry with Swoop - Quilt Canada NJS 2016
Third Place - Art - Naturscapes, Pictorial

She's lookin' pretty happy -- and so she should be!  Congratulations, Terry!

P.S. If you've had a major achievement you want to share with your SAQA Colleagues (remember, this blog is read by SAQA members around the world, not just in the Region), PLEASE contact your Co-Rep.  If she can't post it directly to the blog, she will forward it to someone who can.  :-)  And beware...If we can't get you to 'brag on yourselves' directly, we will find a way...

This Just In...

Congratulations are in order...

...for SAQA WC member, Cathie Ugrin of Winnipeg, MB, whose quilt, "Listen Softly", won second place in it's category (Art: Naturescapes or Pictorial) at the Quilt Canada 2016 National Juried Show!

Listen Softly
(C) Cathie Ugrin

Her prize was what appears to be a lifetime supply of Wonderfil thread -- from the sponsors of this award.  Whoa!  Well done, Cathie!


And...an Invitation from SAQA Washington State Region - a Regional Conference!

SAQA Western Canada member, Terry Aske of B.C., has asked that the following message from WA State be shared with our WC region, as there may be those who are interested in attending (emphasis mine):

This quick bulletin is to let you know that we now have a link on the SAQA website to register for our first-ever regional conference: "Trajectory: Washington's Exciting Path Ahead". This one-day conference will take place on Sunday, September 11 in La Conner (at the La Conner Civic Garden Club), and it needs you to make it as fruitful and fulfilling as possible.

The highlights of the day will include:

• Mixer and opportunities to get to know SAQA members from all over the state
• A panel discussion with Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry and other artists/experts about furthering your career as an artist
• Jane Dunnewold's lecture "Creative Strength Training" and sale of her new book
• A fabulous box lunch with the filling of your choice from Calico Cupboard (gluten-free available)
• A tour of our exhibit space at the La Conner Quilt Museum (Our first regional exhibit is coming up in August of 2017). This is your chance to help plan for this exhibit.

And those are just the highlights! At $65 for admission, we feel that this is a great value (made possible by a grant - also our first - from SAQA). 

Travelling from out of town? We are beginning to compile lists of hosts and people needing space. We know that for some people, both Saturday and Sunday night accommodations may be necessary. Please contact me if you have a room to offer for one or two nights, or if you need help finding a new friend to host you so that you can attend the conference.

Also, we're fortunate in our great planning committee: Mary Berden, Kate Grieshaber, and Paula Murakami. We can always use more help. Please let me know if you can pitch in. We have jobs of all sizes - big and small.

Our "real" newsletter will be out soon. For now, please put September 11th on your calendar. 

See you in La Conner!

Best,

Carolyn & Lisa

Margaret Jessop: Celebrating Distinction -- and Distinctive -- Quilting Art

Quilts hanging on the Wainright Hotel,
Heritage Park, Calgary, Alberta - May 28-29, 2016

This year marked the twenty-first annual Festival of Quilts at Heritage Park in Calgary, AB, held at the Park on May 28-29.

Part of the Festival's history and tradition is the selection of a Quilter of Distinction, often in keeping with the theme of the given year.

This year's theme was "Hearth, Home and Community"...and the Quilter of Distinction was SAQA member Margaret Jessop of Calgary.

Introducing Quilter of Distinction 2016,
Margaret Jessop

The piece to Margaret's immediate right in the photo is, in her words, "...a self-portrait of me in 1990 - I'm holding the baby and there's silhouettes of the other 3, ages 2, 4 & 6."

When I spoke with Margaret about the award on my visit to Calgary in early April, she told me she was very nervous about the event, and wasn't sure the visitors to the Quilt Festival "would like it"...because, as far as one can tell, Margaret is the first QoD who has so few bed quilts in her repertoire.


From the look on her face, though, I think she and her work were well received by all in attendance!

In this year's brochure, the Quilt Festival wrote this about selecting Margaret for this honour:

"It is with great excitement that the 2016 Festival of Quilts welcomes Margaret Jessop as the Quilter of Distinction. Margaret is an acclaimed quilter, winning awards from International, National, Provincial and Municipal quilt groups. Some of these awards have been presented by the Canadian Quilt Association and International Quilt Festival.

"Along with her amazing talent, Margaret also gives so much of her time and talent to charities. Her quilts have been auctioned off for charitable causes and she has volunteered with the Heritage Park Festival of Quilts and Quilt Canada. With this year’s theme of Hearth, Home and Community, there is no one better than Margaret to showcase the importance of all three. Margaret has had to overcome obstacles such as losing her studio to the 2013 floods and the losses of her daughter and mother in 2014.

"Through all of that, her artistic self remained steadfast and she has continued to create beautiful pieces of art. Margaret’s journey into the fabric art/quilting world began over 30 years ago. Her first quilt was for her four year-old daughter. Margaret took a course from Dianne Sutton and made the quilt. From there she was hooked. Now she has close to 250 quilts to her credit, most of which are art quilts.

"It is evident when looking at her work that she is inspired by personal experience, and she leans toward familiar subject, people and surroundings. Some of her most memorable pieces include portraits of her children, and the landscapes of her favourite places.

"Moving forward, Margaret says her challenges are to create original fabric work influenced by fine art and craft knowledge, and to continue working full time in her home studio.

"Margaret has successfully been the student, teacher, wife, mother and inspirational artist to those in the quilting community. She has fully committed herself to her art form, which is evident with her involvement with four different guilds, becoming an ACAD* graduate, quilting in her own studio and still finding time to quilt for charity. In her own words, 'My work makes me happy and I’m sure I will spend the rest of my life exploring new techniques and ideas.' The Festival of Quilts hopes this honour gives credit to her body of work thus far and we will continue to watch for what is new in the future of her quilting legacy."

*Alberta College of Art and Design

And now, a retrospective of some of her work, for your enjoyment:

A Carolina Patchwork pattern

Moving more into her own creations...

Margaret talks about her work

Behind her (clockwise from left, above): "Dream Tree", "Ode to Emily Carr", "Caste Mountain" and "Heart of the Rockies".

"Mirror Lake" - inspired by Group of Seven
painter, Frank Carmichael

A series of family and other portraits

Dale the Woodworker -- with his portrait

Anna -- with her portrait

It's clear that in addition to the inspiration of her family and her Alberta home -- in the Foothills of the Canadian Rockies, Margaret enjoys working with colour, and has a real sense of whimsy...such as is found in her "Catfish" series:

"Sparky"

Congratulations on your award, Margaret!  I'm sure your SAQA colleagues will join me in wishing you many more years of creativity and enjoyment -- and we thank you for sharing your work with us.

Margaret with her award

Photo credits -- with thanks -- Marie McEachern and the artist herself.

"Meeting" SAQA Members at "The Edge of the Forest" -- Online

Thanks to a lovely blog post from SAQA member Lesley Turner (B.C.), you can see her and several of her colleagues with their pieces from the exhibit, The Edge of the Forest, currently touring in British Columbia.  For those of us in the hinterland of the Western Canada Region (grin), it's an opportunity to put faces to names we've heard or seen on mailing lists.

SAQA members included with Lesley in the blog post: Donna-Fay Digance and Terry Phillips.  Click HERE to view the blog post.

The Edge of the Forest is an exhibit created by Canadian members of the Surface Design Association; as of this writing it's last planned stop will be at the Fibreworks Gallery on the Sunshine Coast, opening July 9 and running through August 21, 2016.

Thanks, Lesley!

Braggin' on the West!

This past weekend -- the Opening of the twin exhibits for My Corner of the World -- far exceeded my expectations...dreams...I kept wondering if I'd wake up and find it was all in my imagination.

The dual exhibit is wonderful.  Beautiful.  Well laid out.  Creative.  Colourful.  Touching.  Stunning.  Excellent.

And SAQA WC, you did us proud!

While I will post on my personal blog about pieces from other corners of Canada and the world...here are some photos of  the Western contributions to "MCOTW: Canada" taken in situ, "up close and personal"...

First, my travelling companion, Jaynie Himsl of Weyburn, SK, with her piece:

Jaynie with Poplar Point
MCOTW: Canada
Stratford Perth Museum, May 21, 2016

Now the individual pieces which, once these begin to tour, you need to see to fully appreciate them:

Inside the Tipi - Terry Aske, B.C.
32" W x 42" L

It's Still About the Sky - Margaret Blank, AB
27.25" W x 23.5" L

Poplar Point - Jaynie Himsl, SK
23" W x 34" L

The Road Home - Paula Jolly, SK
29.5" W x 24.5" L

Downtown - Marie McEachern, AB
36.5" W x 30" L

Beaches #1 - Mardell Rampton, B.C.
27.5" W x 22.5" L

Looking Down - Janet Scruggs, AB
27.5" W x 21" L

The Museum had some challenges hanging so many pieces (81 in all)...and there were optical illusions along the wall with the ramp that allowed access from one level to another.  My piece and Jaynie's are along that wall; the way the brain works, there was some sense they were crooked, but Micaela assured us they'd been hung with a level...

And don't you just love the effect created by hanging a blue piece on a red wall versus one painted in a neutral colour?

Thank you to everyone who contributed...thank you to Bethany Garner (SAQA Central Canada, curator of MCOTW: Canada), thank you to Micaela Fitzsimmons (SAQA member, museum liaison, juror, and curator of MCOTW), thank you to Lisa Ellis, SAQA's new President...

I think it's been shown that SAQA can open an International Exhibit in any corner of the world...and it will intrigue, entertain and inspire any and all viewers. 

Stay tuned for it's eventual arrival in this corner of the world!

Make Art, Buy Art, Do Good!

It's the Mennonite Central Committee's Springfest 2016 in Winnipeg, MB!

Included in the three-day festival, which runs from May 27 to 29 this year is the Annual Quilt Show and Sale.  Manitoba member Cathie Ugrin will be displaying her Table Art at the show, which is being held at Ten Thousand Villages.  All proceeds from the show will go to support the work of MCC with the ECS Mother's Union Development Project in Sudan.

Here's a taste of what Cathie will have on offer:

Iris Musings

Heirloom

To see the beauty that's on the other side of each piece, you'll just have to go to the exhibit!  ;-)

For details, admission fees, times, and links to the full range of SpringFest activities, click HERE.

If You're Going to Stratford This Weekend...

An invitation to Exhibiting Artists for the concurrent

SAQA Exhibitions: 

My Corner of the World and My Corner of the World - Canada.

Stratford Perth Museum

The Exhibition Opening is May 21st, 2016 at the Stratford Perth Museum, 1-3 pm.

Exhibiting Artists Reception 

5-6:30 pm

THE Stratford Perth Museum and SAQA'S Representatives are excited to welcome the many exhibiting artists who are planning to attend the OPENING of MY CORNER OF THE WORLD and MY CORNER OF THE WORLD - CANADA Exhibitions - some traveling from as far away as Calgary and Texas.

The Invitation is open to our exhibiting artists, SAQA members, guests and friends.

Please join us for an evening reception after the museum closes to the public at 5pm. It will be an opportunity for artists and guests to spend more time together discussing their work and getting to know each other better.

Please note that this evening reception is in addition to the formal 'Opening' of the exhibition on Saturday afternoon from 1-3 pm at the Museum. Refreshments will be served. 

The reception will finish by 6:30 pm to accommodate visitors who have engagements in the evening, but of course you are welcome to stay longer and visit.

Please RSVP so that we can plan for this exciting event! 

Please contact spmuseumreception@gmail.com or for information, Micaela Fitzsimmons, SPM Collections and Exhibits Manager, at micaela@stratfordperthmuseum.ca.

Stratford Perth Museum

Time to Make Bed Quilts

If you haven't made a bed quilt (or even a throw or a lap blanket) in a while, the time is now.  And if you have, it's time for more.  Dig into your stashes, recruit your long-arm buddies, and let's dig deep folks.

For more information and to donate tops, batting, time, pick-up locations, etc.:

Facebook Community: Quilts for Fort McMurray.

On and Off Our Walls: Cathie Ugrin

It's been over a year since I posted under this banner, and I'm delighted to do so again!

Cathie Ugrin, a SAQA member from Manitoba, recently reported that her piece, Listen Softly, has been accepted into the Canadian Quilters' Association 2016 National Juried Show.  When I congratulated her, I asked her to share with us a bit about the piece, and here's what she wrote:

Thanks for asking me to send you info on 'Listen Softly'. 

It was created as a bit of respite after a very busy time for me; CRAFTED show at the Winnipeg Art Gallery in November and participation in one of our local studio boutique's December/ January show of 12 Small Pieces by 12 Artists for which I made 20 pieces just in case. 

I love the feeling of being sheltered and alone in our local forest in the middle of winter on a snowy still day so that is what inspired me. I am also always aware that the frozen ground I am walking on is just a blanket covering all that rich organic life lying dormant underneath. Basically, these concepts are what make the two parts of the piece. Then I added hundreds of small snowflakes throughout the light section of the 'phantom wood' and a glittering starry presence at the top. As I was making Listen Softly, I realized it met the criteria for SAQA's Tranquility and Turmoil exhibit so I did enter their Call for Entry as well as Quilt Canada's. Unfortunately, it was not accepted by SAQA but I am so pleased it is going to Quilt Canada.

Here's a photo of the piece plus a couple of detail shots:

Listen Softly

Back detail

Front detail

Cathie's Artists' Statement for her piece reads as follows:

Tranquility lives within the quiet still spaces of nature. Here among the trees of a phantom winter wood, a wondrous and mysterious presence glimmers down from above whilst the dormant layers of a vibrant, living earth lay below, sleeping under a dense, snowy blanket. Inspiration flutters down like countless luminescent snowflakes as imagination stirs. There is room here to shift the tensions and turmoil of life and breathe fully. A place to rediscover the innocence of peace. Freedom to pause and listen softly.

Congratulations on answering more than one Call for Entry with this lovely piece, Cathie, and for your acceptance at the NJS.  Best wishes for continued success!

What's happening On and Off Your Walls?  If you're working on a special project, or have exciting exhibit news to share, please contact Margaret (see sidebar), who's the current Blog Editor.  Thank you!

Introducing Tracie Maryne

Tracie Maryne is a new SAQA member living in Anmore, B.C.   She surprised me recently by writing to introduce herself and make sure that her name was on the Members' List in the blog's sidebar.  That's a first for this blog admin! (grin)

In return, I asked if she would share a bit about herself and her work with her SAQA Western Canada colleagues...so may I introduce Tracie, in her own words:

Like many my love affair with fabric started when I young.  My grandmother taught me how to sew on her old Singer foot pedal sewing machine making rag dolls and Barbie clothes.  Years later with the help of summer sewing jobs, I obtained a degree in Fine Arts, majoring in ceramic sculpture.  Twenty years later, with the passing of my grandmother, I found expression through making a memory quilt to honour her and what she had taught me.  One thing lead to another and I found my way back to fabric and a new creative medium...art quilts.   The move from creating ceramic tile wall pieces to fabric art quilts seemed like a natural transition: both are piecing together of parts to make a whole.  

Most of what I have learned about art quilting has been self-taught.   My main techniques are piecing, fused appliqué, thread sketching/painting and fabric painting.   I also like to take fabric to a 3-dimensional realm in making fabric vessels.  I often use photos I have taken in my travels through life, incorporate drawings I have done or just let my imagination run and play.  I always remain open to learn new techniques and use whatever works in order for the piece to say what I want it to say.   More often then not, my work incorporates a mixture of all of the above.    

My motivation comes from a need and love to create things.  My inspiration comes from mother nature, human nature and the world around me.  I try to express a symbolic narrative of the effect these have on my inner being and reflect it to other to see and hopefully feel something of what I felt.

My work has been shown in local galleries in the Vancouver Lower Mainland area, published in art quilt magazines and has been shown and won awards in national juried competitions.

And some examples of Tracie's work...

Clematis 

Blue Moon

Blog posts come and go...but for future reference, you can find this information about Tracie on our "Featured Members" page as well.

Thanks for sharing, Tracie!