I'm back! and what a summer journey so far.

I do find my blogging is rather stop : start.  But this time I do have a valid excuse.  Last blog entry was June 22 2011.  Since that time I have:-
Hosted a workshop at ACAD for the residency participants on Sewing Machine Abuse.  We worked from 9 - 4 and stopped only for a quick pannini.  It was intense.  A few photos....

I challenged participants to make detailed and accurate note taking as screws were adjusted to throw the machines out of balanced tension... Siri followed through beautifully - was that her scientific training showing through?

Living dangerously... no needle guard as we made cords.

Then it was pack-up time for me as I left ACAD for another year... and swapped my work bags for travel bags and our summer holidays in BC.

Spent time in Victoria for Canada Day and got ourselves on the Living flag and on the same front page as Wills and Kate!  We also visited the Royal BC Museum... and at last I found some wonderful quill-work...  Many galleries do display excellent First Nation bead-work but quill-work is harder to find...  John got this lovely shot for me.

Then on to Sooke and Port Renfrew for a week of painting, reading botany and photography.

These curious Mollusca on the beach

We were lucky enough to spot a Giant Octopus locked in a rock pool poor thing.... they are magnificent creatures and we were assured later at the Sidney Marine Science Centre that it would have got back to the sea on the next tide... here it is if you want to see it...

After that a week (nearly) on Salt Spring Island (heavenly) where I was fortunate enough to work with 10 wonderful textile artists as Stitches hosted me as I presented a workshop on Disperse Dye and Beyond.  Spacious workspace too... and a spectacular pot luck lunch - those ladies know how to host!

I was kept so busy that I didn't manage to take any photos but Karen of Stitches has allowed me to use hers.

Spent lazy days exploring the island with the 3 of us holding digital cameras we were never going to be mistaken for locals.

One of the oldest buildings on the Island - and the jointing all cut with an axe.

On our return to Vancouver Island we later visited the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre (thanks for the recommendation ladies) and although lighting was difficult I got some lovely inspirational material.  They even have two nudibranchs there, one was elusive, the other preferred shade (so no photographs of my own, though I did pick up a twitcher devoted entirely to Nudibranchs of the Pacific North-West, Amazing).  I now know I must call them sea slugs to differentiate them from shallow marine worms (who are of course from a different family entirely).

After that back to Calgary and the rain... Friends arrived from England via their coach tour of BC and AB for a week of Millson hospitality.   A highlight being the day spent at Sunshine Meandows and more botany.
All too soon friends departed and I got stuck in to my loose ends:-
Still chasing a mystery guest for ACAD, and it is now 26th July and it still isn't firmed up... dealing with institutions... nightmare....  But all seems to be going ahead-awaiting confirmation from the artist himself... then you will hear all about it.
Looking into getting my work critiqued by ACC (but will I be able to take the comments?) and hopefully the go ahead to improve things and/or supply scarfs to their gallery shop???***????
Making sure I have everything I need for an application that needs to be IN by end of August.
Creating a display method for "Five Creatures" ready for critique by Arlee this Thursday (yikes).  These are for the upcoming Epcor/Contextural show.  I hope they are ready to go to the exhibition (my deadline is Thursday 4th July when I hand them over to Anne as I will be away for the actual deadline) and the write up is written.
Something like this perhaps... I know it isn't exactly a studio shot but you get the idea..

As well as all of that I have been working on a way to display a bit of work from the residency... so that I can take part in their end of residency show.  Just learnt that it isn't going to be in the Marion Nicoll gallery... that is a shame.
Here are 4 pieces, very water-colour-ish with minimalist stiching:-

There are 4 more that form a quadryptic if there is such a word...  but all I have done for them is cover the boards that they will be mounted on.  I still  need to stitch stitch stitch and be happy.

Up to date now?  I guess so....