Colour with a U Too Update & Artist Features

Both of these wonderful regional exhibits are continuing their journeys across Canada over the next two years. Artists Michele Craigen and Rosalind Sims have their work in Colour with a U Too now on display at the Signal Hill Arts Centre in Weyburn Saskatchewan until October 31st.

Michele writes about her piece:

How did Through My Eyes  develop? It’s based on views from the car while on the road travelling from southeast Saskatchewan where it’s quite flat to areas where it’s more rolling hills. 

One day in my studio I needed something to do so I gathered fabric, commercial and hand-dyed. I got so far with it and got stuck, so I put it away.The Colour With a U exhibit call was a perfect theme to go back and try to finish. I went back to my photos for inspiration. Techniques used were machine and hand stitching, and free motion quilting. The dead trees were created with free motion on dissolvable Solvey and tacked in place.

Through My Eyes - Michele Craigen

Rosalind Sims writes about her piece:

This winter scene with a silhouetted Polar Bear & the bright Colours of the Aurora Borealis speaks of ‘Colour with a ‘U” in Canada’s skies. After living in the Northwest Territories for 20 years I am still infatuated with Northern Lights!  Can’t you just imagine a polar bear standing in awe of such beauty?
Materials:  Carded merino mix sheep wool, fine merino sheep roving; wool cloth;
wool/polyester cloth; cotton threads and beads.
Techniques:  Wet felting;  needle felting; applique; thread painting; raw edge stitching, free motion quilting with a variety of stiches to give texture; beading and finished with a facing to add structure.

Oh, What a Night - Rosalind Sims
More artist features from Colour with a U & Colour with a U Too are forthcoming. Please contact the blog editor if you have SAQA Western Canada news to share!

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!