Getting to Know Susan

In her June Newsletter, our B.C. Co-Rep, Jennie, introduced a new Co-Rep for our SAQA WC Region -- Susan Selby (MB/CA).  At last!  😊  Jennie's been working hard, flying solo for several years now, so it's great news for the Region that for at least the next ten or eleven months, she'll have a "partner in crime", so to speak.

You can see Susan's smiling face in the left-hand side-bar of the blog (scroll down).  To go along with her photo, I asked her to share a bit about herself for blog readers.

She reports that "[she's] lived most of her life on the Canadian Prairies and draws inspiration from the prairie landscape – the local skies, fields, valleys and forests provide the scenes she photographs and interprets in fabric."  She grew up in Thunder Bay, ON, where she still has family, but she's currently residing in Springfield, MB -- just east of Winnipeg.  Susan says she believes this makes her the Eastern-most member of SAQA WC.

Like many of us, Susan began working with fabric by sewing garments and home decor items, moving first into traditional quilting and then into art quilting.

Inspired by the landscape around her home, much of her work features the trees and forested areas of the prairies.  She uses a wide range of fibre materials and techniques to achieve the effects of her work -- preferring to create her own fabric surfaces and colours with dye, paint, stamps and stencils, and incorporating cottons, silk, cheesecloth and assorted found textiles.  Her current favourite?  "...well-used damask tablecloths and used napkins"!

Susan reports that she makes work almost every day -- though it's harder to manage in the summer, when, as for so many of us, the outdoors beckons.  Still, she says she "...feels a little lost" if there's nothing on her design wall or under her needle.  Ah...Susan!  We hear you on that score!  

Her goals include learning techniques that will "...give [her] work more depth", and, although she has work in private collections in Canada, the U.S. and overseas, she'd like to  "...[have] more of [her] work out in the world so more people can see it."  

To that end, she's thrilled to share that she's just had one of her pieces accepted into SAQA's Global Exhibit, Upcycle!, which premieres at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, TX this fall.  She is one of just three Canadians whose work was selected for this exhibit, and joins SAQA WC member, Paula Jolly, as part of that trio.  Congratulations, Susan!

Here are two pieces Susan has shared to show examples of her work:

Drifted Snow

Springtime in a Prairie Forest

You can see more of Susan's work in the photo gallery on her Facebook page.  And you can contact her via Facebook or by e-mail.

AND if you're able to attend, you'll be able to 'meet' Susan through the wonders of technology at our online SAQA Western Canada first-ever Zoom meeting on Sunday, August 18th!  Remember, the meeting starts at 1 p.m. in B.C., which is 2 p.m. in Alberta and Saskatchewan and 3 p.m. in Susan's home province, Manitoba.  And again, details of how to set up Zoom on your computer can be found here. You can also call in by phone if you’d prefer not to use the computer. Jennie will send out a reminder closer to the date and please email her if you need help with the technical details of how this works.

And Now He-e-e-ere's...Jennie!

In my last post I briefly introduced you to our new SAQA Co-Rep for B.C., Jennie Johnston.

Jennie at LaConner, 2016
with her piece, Beryl

This past week Jennie sent me some information about herself and a few photos of her work.  When she wrote, she'd just returned from a holiday to visit family in Quebec.  Although we hail from different parts of that Province, I felt an immediate connection, and am delighted to report that at last here she is -- Jennie, in her own words:

Hello, everyone.  Margaret kindly asked me to prepare a small introduction about myself for the blog.

Currently I live in Burnaby, British Columbia, a suburb of Vancouver.  I have lived here for the last 16 years and have fully converted to the west coast life style.  I live with my husband and two sons, ages 9 and 6. I was at home with my boys full time until I started working part time this spring at a House Museum called Mackin House in Coquitlam BC.

I grew up in rural Quebec, in a small English language pocket called the Eastern Townships. My family has a dairy and maple syrup farm. Growing up there was idyllic and I am very drawn to nature and have a strong current of ancestral lines running through my work.

My grandmother is a quilter and both my mother and aunt are avid crafters/makers. Growing up around creativity was imperative to my development as an artist.  Along with the wanderlust that continues to compel me travel, I attended university in New Brunswick at Mount Allison University where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. In my last year of school, I finally realized that I wanted to sew more than paint and that greatly influenced the arc of my work. 

I was a member of the Vancouver Quilt Guild for several years but found getting to meetings very hard once my first son was born.  It was through the transformation of motherhood that I began developing my quilt work and found the layering of techniques that I use today including photo transfer, painting, embroidery and quilting.  Most of my work is done by hand because I prefer the level of intimacy that hand stitch offers.  Finding SAQA was a great boost to my sense of community.  I think the struggle between the art/craft dichotomy is important to break down in the art community.  I see that happening slowly and SAQA is working to make quilts receive their due as objects capable of bridging art and craft perfectly.

I wish to thank Margaret very much for taking on the editing of our SAQA Western Canada blog. And I will be sending out the newsletter each month. You can make sure that you are opted in to receive those emails through your SAQA membership account. To find out more about me, my work, and connect on social media please visit my website www.jenniejohnston.com and I look forward to hearing from each of you about how we can make our region more enriching for everyone. 

Jennie in the Yellow Dining Room
at the home of Claude Monet, Giverny, France, 2016

Jennie and company at the Round House
Community Centre, featuring her installation,
Lifelines, in the Window Gallery - 2013

As  you know, it seems that most Reps/Co-Reps have a vision to accomplish something during their tenure.  For Patti Morris (Alberta) and Jill Sullivan (B.C.), it was collaborating to create exhibits of members' work that toured the Region, ending with the Burgess Shale Project that now lives at the Burgess Shale Interpretive Centre in B.C.  For Katie Stein Sather in B.C., it was bringing a 25th Anniversary Trunk Show tour to the Region.  For yours truly in Alberta, it was helping tour that Trunk, educating traditional quilters about art quilts at Quilt Canada in Lethbridge (2015) and expanding communication through the blog and regular newsletters.  For Val Wilson (MB/SK) and Coleen Adderley (B.C.) it was bringing us our first Regional Retreat.

Jennie has already embraced the idea of having another Trunk Tour -- as part of a Canada-wide initiative that will be starting Down East and heading West.  In addition, the West Coast Regions of the U.S. want to include Western Canada in a multi-Regional Exhibit.  Be sure to read Jennie's future newsletters all the way to the bottom 😉 to be sure you don't miss out on any details of these projects, and whatever else she has up her sleeve.

Desi Vaughn,
SAQA Reps Co-ordinator 

Valerie Wilson,
SAQA Co-Rep, MB/SK

And please -- if you live in Alberta or Manitoba/Saskatchewan -- those parts of the Regions need closer representation with SAQA -- and Jennie will soon need help!

If you are interested in taking on a two-year term as a Co-Rep for SAQA based in Alberta or MB/SK, please contact Valerie Wilson (outgoing, MB/SK) or Jennie (B.C.) -- or the main SAQA Reps Co-ordinator, Desi Vaughn -- sooner rather than later!

And thank you for your support!

May I Introduce You?

In less than 3 weeks, SAQA Western Canada has acquired two new Co-Reps!  Briefly mentioned in my last post, please welcome the Newest 'Kid' On Our Block:

Valerie (Val) Wilson
posing next to her creation, French Wonder
(Click on Val's name to find her website)

Like Coleen, Val is a seasoned artist.  She is a member of both the Fibre Art Network (FAN) and SAQA, and has contributed to exhibits for both organizations.  I asked her to tell us a bit about herself, so without further ado...

I have been quilting since 2000. I had always wanted to make quilts, like my grandmother had made – all scrappy and soft colours. My friend talked me in to making a couple of block of the month, and mystery, quilts. These were fun and a great learning experience. I learned, especially, that what I really wanted to do was make pictures with fabric.

My passion is to capture unique moments in time in my quilts. Although I occasionally dabble in abstracts, I find that I am drawn back to realism. I love using colour, and the tactile qualities of fabric and thread, to create original art.  I find my inspiration in the world that surrounds me, but I am particularly drawn to subjects in history, and nature.

Always seeking knowledge, and wanting to develop my expertise further, I have trained with fibre artists from around the world. With a love for being involved in any organization of which I am a member, I became the Fibre Art Network (FAN) Membership Co-ordinator in 2004, when I joined this co-operative of professional, Western Canadian fibre artists. And now a SAQA co-rep!

My award-winning work has been exhibited from British Columbia to St. John’s, Newfoundland in Canada, and internationally from New Zealand to Houston, Texas. I have a solo exhibition coming up in 2016 at the Portage Arts Centre Art Gallery, in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba.

I teach courses on a regular basis both here in Winnipeg and across Canada.

I was born in Carberry, Manitoba, among the rolling sand hills. Craving change, I sampled life in the university town of Kitchener-Waterloo for a few years, but then decided that I could no longer resist the pull of the sunny climes of Manitoba, and now reside in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

With a full complement of Co-Reps once again, SAQA Western Canada is ready to take on a retreat, "pod" activities, and the up-coming All-Canada/All-SAQA combined exhibits, "My Corner of the World" and "My Corner of the World: Canada".  I don't know about you, but for me, it feels like the start of a new year!  ;-)

P.S. For Facebook fans, you can find each of us there:

• Coleen:  https://www.facebook.com/coleen.adderley?fref=ts;
• Val: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Valerie-Wilson-Fibre-artist/206565396056492?fref=ts; and
• Yours truly (Margaret): https://www.facebook.com/MarginMirror

Watch This Space...

For another new face!

SAQA member, Valerie Wilson of Winnipeg, MB, is our newest Regional Co-Rep for SAQA Western Canada (focusing on SK/MB area).  We had the pleasure of meeting her recently at Quilt Canada in Lethbridge, and then I was able to speak with her at length by telephone just prior to her accepting this volunteer post.  Coleen and I are looking forward to working with her over the next year or two.

I've asked Val to give us a bit of personal info about herself, and about her artistic journey...and a photo for posting in the right side-bar of this blog.  Currently...that's Val's lovely contribution to the 2015 SAQA Benefit Auction: "Bliss".  She is known for her portraiture and her depictions of the natural world.

Please welcome Val -- and stay tuned for an update so you can get to know her better!

New Kid on the Block

As the newest SAQA Western Canada (WC) Co-Rep, I thought I'd stop by the blog to say "Hi!" to all our members, but especially those in Alberta.

It seems to be that when new Co-Reps arrive, the weather lets loose!  Just as Dawn was fighting the March Lion in Dauphin earlier this year, I've been spending a great deal of time shovelling out from under three -- count 'em! -- three snow-blows since November 2.

My back yard - Nov. 3, 2013

I shouldn't complain, though, as this is great weather for spending time in my studio -- and for dipping into some of the resources SAQA provides for Regional Reps.

 Not the least of these are the resources SAQA makes available to all of its members.  How about that spiffy new website, eh?  I'll brag (just a bit) and tell you that I was on the first wee 'focus group'-type sub-committee that worked on what could/should/might go into the re-designed site.  What a great job the final committee did to make our early vision possible!

If you haven't visited yet, I urge you to drop over; there's lots to see!  You might take a particular look at these areas:

• Your SAQA Region -- for all that's happening on a regional level;
• Art Quilt Resources -- a wealth of information on where to find teachers, appraisers, photographers; on business development; on educational programs and collectors...and much, much more; and
• The Blog -- news and notes from the SAQA-sphere.

Taking over the Alberta Co-Rep position from Patti Morris means I have some pretty big shoes to fill.  Living only an hour or so from Patti has given me an opportunity to get to know her a bit, and to help her out when our travelling exhibits were on display nearby -- such as "Meet the Best of the West" when it opened in Red Deer, and when it returns there at the end of next month.

When I was asked if I would consider being a WC Co-Rep, I'll admit I was terrified.  Our Region -- B.C. through Manitoba -- comprises over 1.1 million square miles and is equivalent to approximately 29% of Canada's entire land mass!  Alberta alone is about 211,000 square miles in area.  No matter that most of our members are clustered in or around Calgary -- it's no surprise that, with our geography, we've never even attempted to get together in one place!  And with weather like ours, travelling to far-flung communities is best reserved for the latter part of April through mid-September.

Nonetheless, I am hopeful that we'll be able to have at least one in-person Parlour Meeting in each of the next two years, and perhaps have some online conferences (webinars) in between.  These possibilities have yet to be explored, but in this introduction, I am also throwing down a gauntlet!

To date our Alberta meetings have been fairly small and held (except for one) in Patti's home in Red Deer.

My home in Mirror is even smaller...and besides, it's still in Central Alberta.

So!  I'm calling on the members in the larger centres of the province -- Calgary and Edmonton in particular but Lethbridge, Camrose, Canmore,  and/or Medicine Hat are not exempt! -- to come up with potential venues for a May or June 2014 Parlour Meeting. 

• It could be a one-day event, or a two-day event that includes some sort of learning experience -- which ideally would be provided by one (or more) of our own talented members...
• Perhaps the meeting could be tied in with the location of the Burgess Shale Project exhibit at that time (St. Albert the Great School, Calgary, April 9 - May 14; Millarville Community Library, May 21 - June 18; Beiseker Station Museum, June 25-July 23).  It would be an opportunity to welcome people in those communities to meet some of the artists, perhaps in a mutually creative way...
• Logistics might include not only the venue but food and...perhaps some of us travelling from out of town will need to sleep over...
• It might mean a small committee (say 2-3 people) to put their heads together and organize it.

Anyone willing to step forward is welcome to e-mail me: margblank@xplornet.ca.  Going into the holiday season (Hanukkah starts next week, and before long it will be Christmas), I don't expect to hear from (m)any of you right away.  We'll revisit it in January...

On that note I'll close for now, with an invitation for you to get to know me better through my bio on the SAQA site -- and/or through a visit to my blog.  I look forward to hearing from any and all members across this vast region, but especially from the Alberta cohort.  This is your organization!  Jill, Dawn and I are here to help you...but you'll get more out of your SAQA experience -- at every level -- if you're able to step forward and help us too.