The K's Have It!

Karen Cummings and Karlie McChesney, that is.  Both have exhibits on now and in the near future that came to my attention this week.

Karen Cummings shows and sells her work at the Okanagan Art Gallery in Osoyoos, B.C.  It's a co-operative gallery that features the work of twenty-five artists, including Karen.  She says that she tries to change out the works every two months, and that she creates an e-mail invitation each time she has a new showing.  When she posted the photo of this single piece on Facebook, she reported that is was only her third 'statement' piece -- and a powerful statement it is too!

Someone Knows - (C) Karen Cummings

Someone Knows - Detail

This is Karen's statement about this particular work:

The above piece will be at the Okanagan Art Gallery through October and November.  There will be a reception at the Gallery on Friday, October 4, 2019 -- in the tradition of their First Friday events, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.  Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at 8302 Main Street, Osoyoos, B.C.  (Call 778-437-2238 or e-mail office@okanaganartgallery.ca for more information.)

Meanwhile, Karen is now working on three large pieces featuring the hand-printed fabric with which she enjoys working.  We look forward to seeing more of your work, Karen!

*****    *****    *****

Another B.C. member, Karlie Norris McChesney is known for her work featuring complex and colourful geometric shapes that appear three-dimensional.  Last June her work was included in the Fraser Valley Biennale at the O'Connor Group Gallery in Chilliwack. B.C. 

Karlie explains, "The 2019 Fraser Valley Regional Biennale is a dynamic, collective representation of exceptional artwork produced by artists in the Fraser Valley region over the past two years. Small, tailored iterations of the exhibition will be presented at multiple venues throughout 2019, culminating in a full showing at The Reach from October to December.  The exhibition is planned by The Reach Gallery Museum Abbotsford in partnership with the Abbotsford Arts Council, the Mission Arts Council, the Kent Harrison Arts Council, and the Chilliwack Visual Artist Association."

In her statement about the work showing in the Biennale, Karlie writes:

All things mathematical inspire me.  I love to solve puzzles especially those with 3-D form; like origami modulars.  I am drawn to the accurate meticulousness required to make origami. It has a simple complexity; simple because it is paper folded and creased, and complexity because intricate shapes are constructed. I became even more intrigued with origami after watching the documentary 'Between the Folds' by PBS's Independent Lens. It demonstrated how mathematics and physics have informed origami structure.

My work explores how 3-D models can be represented in a 2-D format. 'Box Patterns' depicts 7 of my favourite origami boxes accompanied by the unfolded paper pattern to assemble the box.  The colour on the 'pattern' piece shows the placements of the inside, outside, and hidden parts of the folded paper used to construct the box.  The plastic embellishments tell the number of papers used and folds needed to make each box.

Karlie is also pleased to announce that she's returning to the O'Connor Group Gallery for a solo exhibit  that runs from early October through mid-November...

About her work for "Crossroads", Karlie shared this information:

Karlie's art making frequently explores her love of perspective and structural form.  Her art practice requires much measuring, calculating and arranging of colour, so much so that her work is a form of puzzle solving. Her preferred medium is fibre in the form of stitched textiles with an element of mixed media applied to the surface or standing as an installation accompanying the 2D work; these materials include paint, paper, plastic, metal, clay, and/or wood.

This body of work is her response to a time of great change in her life, where many decisions were required. All the pieces of work contain a path representing the choices a person has available to them and a container representing the restrictions or parameters that influence the decision making process.

Karlie is a retired art teacher from the Chilliwack School District.  She is an active member in SAQA (Studio Art Quilts Association), FAN (Fibre Art Network) and in the CVAA (Chilliwack Visual Artists Association).

This is Karlie's first solo exhibition and she is very excited to share it with you. She invites everyone to join her at the Opening Reception on October 12, 2019 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in the O'Connor Group Art Gallery, 9201 Corbould Street, Chilliwack, B.C.  

The exhibition runs from October 10 to November 16. Gallery hours are 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm, Wednesday to Saturday, as well as 6:30 – 7:00 pm preceding evening theatre performances.  Admission is free.

(C) Karle Norris McChesney

If you are able to view one or both of these exhibits, we're certain they won't disappoint!

Thanks to Karen and Karlie for sharing this news with their colleagues 

through the SAQA WC blog.

Catching Up with Our Members

It's a busy time for members all over our Western Canada Region!

First, several of our contributions to the 2018 SAQA Benefit Auction have sold, including those from Terry Aske, Margaret Blank, Jaynie Himsl, Karen Johnson, Judy Leslie, Karlie Norris McChesney and Marie McEachern  Approximately 50% of the donated pieces have been sold to date, raising over $55,000 USD for SAQA, enabling the organization to continue to fund its exhibitions (at least 15 touring, excluding the Trunk Shows!), publications and ongoing education -- of artists (SAQA Seminar being a key component here) and the public re: art quilts.

In other news, B.C. member Karen Cummings, as mentioned in an earlier post, is currently exhibiting at the Okanagan Art Gallery in Osoyoos.  Recently, she was given larger wall space in which to show her work.  Way to go, Karen!

Do you have your SAQA Journal for Quarter 3 of 2018 yet?  If so, be sure to look for Katie Stein Sather's Mondrian Paddlers on page 23 -- part of the collection for the SAQA Member Gallery this issue.  Congratulations, Katie! 

And here's a shout out to Wendy Klotz of Calgary, and her colleagues with the group Articulation.  The group has a new exhibit opening later this month and running through November at the Sidney Museum, Sidney, B.C.  Quite a change of pace from their focus on landscapes, this exhibit's theme pays tribute to war -- in time for the marking of the Centenary of the Armistice that ended World War I:

Undoubtedly this will be a compelling and heart-felt exhibition, worth seeing if you are in the area.  Wendy writes about the piece she's created for this show on her blog HERE.

Meanwhile, in Manitoba, member Val Wilson will be teaching her 'Portrait Fibre Art' class -- a two-day affair -- October 20 and 21 -- at Keystone Quilts in Winnipeg.  If you've ever wanted to learn how to render portraits in fabric, now's your opportunity to learn from a master at the process!

For full details and registration, click HERE!




Happy Thanksgiving to all our Canadian readers.  I know yours truly is thankful for this SAQA Region and the organization as a whole, which has brought us so many friendships, and so many opportunities for ongoing education, exhibiting and artistic development.  Have a great weekend!

August Update -- Part III: Lots to see in B.C.!

Who'dda thunk it?!  August is steam-rolling ahead to the end of it's tenure for 2018 -- and soon it will be September.  In some places, it's already "back to school". 

Sigh.  When did that happen?!

Happily, art lovers still have some "lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer" to enjoy perusing exhibits and galleries.

Included in what's ON this coming weekend (August 24-26) is THIS:

B.C. member Terry Aske highlighted this in a recent blog post (for those of you who don't -- yet -- follow her), as it is showing in the same location as the VMQG (Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild) exhibit was shown in 2016.

And two of Terry's quilts will be on display:

Sailing at Sunset
(c) 2018 - Terry Aske

and

Shades of Grey
(c) 2013 - Terry Aske

Meanwhile, another SAQA WC member from B.C., Karen Cummings, reports:

I have been invited to showcase my textile work at the Okanagan Art Gallery, Osoyoos, British Columbia -- a co-op art gallery featuring the work of 25 artists.

My plan is to change the work out every two months, creating an email invitation to each new showing. I am currently working on three large pieces featuring the hand printed fabric I like to work with.

 Here's Karen, posing with some of her lovely work at the OAG!

So...if you'd like to spend the last lingering weeks of Summer...(or even if you'd just like to get out of the smoke from the tragic wildfires all over the province)...take some time to introduce beauty into your life with one or both of these exhibits!