ACAD show and sale now on - scroll posts to check details but...

Last night I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Pre-Sale at ACAD and now I can insist you go over there and take a look at all the wonderful work by the students and learn - because they are a great crowd who are very keen to talk, share their passion, and teach us about their techniques and inspirations.  Seems like there are excellent tutors in that place bringing out the character of the students and adding a little spice of technique as these, our future artists, mature.

The star of the show for me was Geoff Genge who is registered as a Jewellery Major (I believe you call it here in Canada) He told me he loves looking into the way things are constructed and he clearly has an interest in de-construction too.  He studied weaving with Mackenzie Frere from the Fibre Dept. and learnt the basics and then he told me cheekily with a grin, how he then decided to (in my words) take the kid gloves off and do something  a little more complicated.... I got him to take a mirror-wise selfie... scan down to see more details of the piece.

Photo credit  and Artist Geoff Genge

Earthen Shroud

Artist Geoffrey Genge

His piece is in predominantly wonderfully aged and rusted metal.  Check out the components...with natural fibre as warp and he has re-used things like a fire screen which he painstakingly took apart.  It supplies the tension in the work.  You weavers will understand this far better than I.

See if you can get a sense of his humorous character as you inspect the images below.
(Forgive non-editing of the images... but I think they do the job - please click to enlarge - and sorry I didn't get the right angle to view the piece in its entirety.)

Earthen Shroud

Artist Geoffrey Genge

Photo: karin millson
The top of the piece (not shown) is a large scale metal pipe - giving perfect balance to the entire work.

Earthen Shroud

Artist Geoffrey Genge

Photo: karin millson
 Look at the way the warp has been affected by the springs

Earthen Shroud

Artist Geoffrey Genge

Photo: karin millson
The lower portion is certainly dramatic

Need I say more?

This is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in blue (though some of the participating artists have interpreted the title in other less blue ways....
Contextural is a group of like-minded and supportive fibre and mixed media artists. Check out their website for more information, they are also taking applications for their summer residency programme at ACAD this summer.  Put your mouse over the scribble pattern to see the links.  It is a snip of a price for free access to  lots of wonderful upscale studio space.

But, back to the Epcor windows,  not 1 but 4 windows are filled with Indigo inspired works.  I am proud to be a part of it.

April is a great month for fibre art in and around Calgary.  Check out the SDA exhibition (previously mentioned here -  too.

Your pocket square is coming along nicely

Karin Millson         2014

Mi #3

I have just said goodbye to Judith Dios after a richly enhanced ride though Nuno felting which took her from Saltspring Island to Alberta, Calgary and Lethbridge  (thanks to Cheryl for all your help)  and into the hearts of some 40 felters.

Well-done Judith, you worked and played very hard.  We all thank you for it. You have excited the imagination and creative experiences of so many and set them on a road that isn't familiar but holds great promise.

You were an easy house guest, an inspiring teacher and everything one could want in a friend.

And now, I get back to stitching and completing commissions, writing and planning for April, a fast fire lecture for "This is my City" - if I can get the images together, completing the necessary samples for a future 4-day workshop, Exhibition hanging for the SDA show "What's on the Surface?" and also  the Indigo show with Contextural at Epcor, more preparations for the SDA Skype Speaker Series - -   It promises to be a wonderful month.

If you have time and would like to be part of the crowd at a soft opening of the Skype Speaker Series on 3rd April at about 12:15pm please get in touch with me via email.

I need a few helpers.

Thanks.

So much success it is all too much for one small person

Klick on the above to see more details!

I am very pleased to report that I now have 10 registrants for Lisa Klakulak's workshop in Calgary
 I am taking names for the waiting list.

There are still two places left on the course running at the Galt Museum and Archives, see here for more details

Here is a link to our website http://www.galtmuseum.com/programs-heritagearts.htm

and Facebook event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1411962522393553/

Sorry nothing fancy in this blog entry .... just too much to do right now.