I just love that there is a Manhattan in Calgary, close to Manchester.

Do pop in, I have a few pieces in the show.
Thanks to Ken for supporting fibre artists.

Now for the rest of November

Second week of November
Oh - made a mistake... this was when I did the paper piecing.

River Valley school kids did a Jackson Pollock.  Brilliant kids.  Terrible worry that it would all get out of hand but they (and I)  kept calm (just) and they produced a truly stunning piece of work that now adorns the entrance hall to the school.  Photo to come I guess.

Went back to Salt Spring Island to clear cupboards,  enjoy ourselves and plan for future visits.  It lived up to expectations.

Third week of November -
Two day workshop with Kreative Momentum. Working on shape and Omani embroidery.
Did I show you the hands? No?  Well here they are... so far.  This is just a sample of the technique of Italian quilting, a technique that is used on Omani Kumma embroidery and I have put my own flavour to... by using different hand stitches rather than the 9 million eyelets found on Omani Kumma.

Two pairs of hands - Karin Millson

The final River Valley School workshop for this term.
The students created a long piece of felt following inspiration provided by Janice Arnold for felting technique for large scale installation work, Jackson Pollock for art design technique and the book Zoe and George - Island Of Colour  by Veronique Arendt, 1987 for content.

Here the piece is shown with an end on view - rolled up - Artists Grade 6 & 7 Students River Valley School.

Photo of piece on location to follow, I hope... I was at the school today helping to hang it.

Forth week of November - 

Two x one-day workshops Kreative Momentum, based on Shape.

Enjoyed a lovely day with Lyn.  Talked art and design nearly the whole day as well as partook of her tasty lunch.  Thanks Lyn for showing me your samples and studies in gouache and for lending me the brilliant books.  I intend spending time revisiting colour exercises in gouache during December.

Visit to Canmore Crafts sale. Met up with friends not seen for quite a while.  Such a pleasure.

Also learnt that painting gouache onto a medium to dark board, rather than the normal white surface used for other paint mediums, produces a gouache surface with more life to it.

The idea of doing all my exercises twice to check out the difference, fills me with dread - but I will get hold of some dark mount-board and try a few and see what a difference it makes for myself....

Such wonderful plans.... then came a Calgary Cold!! Knocked me out for a week.

Ongoing discussions with the Lisas - and next posting ought to clarify things a bit, at least concerning one of them!

After a gap (let's do October and first week of November)

It is amazing to me that I haven't posted in over a month.
A lot has probably happened in your lives and mine has been moving along niceley.
As I take a look at my calendar I see what has happened and it feels so good.  Yes, life can be good.

 I believe these images will work very well with fabric and stitch... all in good time.

Second week in October -
One day workshop with Kreative Momentum participants
Began teaching felting at River Valley School, with 12 eager grade 5/6-ers... tremendous opportunity and great kids.

Third week in October -
2 day workshop with Kreative Momentum participants
Second week at River Valley School.

This is a trial created by my daughter's friend at home the week before the actual class. 

Nice to have little guinea pigs on hand.

Students made felt squares, on their own to their own design - 10gm for 6" square.  Skills-ville.

Forth week in October -
Great week spent kicking about with J.  And we had snow.

Snow Ripple

Trip to a few a sewing shops, meeting with the DaDe guys, also day working with Arlee.   and experimentation with the Cricut again... and screen printing.  No outcome though... miserable about that but it will come.

Fifth week in October, yes there was one.... Trip to Saltspring and attended workshop with Jason Pollen. Bit of a struggle with myself over my work there.  But outcome was satisfying and well-recieved.  Made a new friend on-island.  That place really is something special.

Piece by Nikky Menard - I enjoy the colour combination and the energy in this piece.

First week November -
Met up with art friend,
Contacted the Lisas regarding workshops in Calgary next year.
Attended a workshop with Paula and learnt that even I can make a pretty accurate representation of a design by using paper piecing... not my thing, but certainly I will tick it off in my list of "1000 sewing tricks one should do before one dyes" (intentional pun).

Jump for Joy - By Karin

Thanks to generous folks at Piece by Number for posting design online for personal use only.

If you would like to add to this list please email me....

1000 Sewing Tricks One Should Do Before One Dyes

• Try your hand at paper piecing if you are accuracy inept (like me).
• Colour a piece of fabric using Jackson Pollack's drip technique (at a large scale).
• Travel to Calgary to do snow dyeing.
• Learn what Tunisian Crochet is and make a pair of slippers.
• Plan and execute a yarn bombing event with 4 other conspirators.
• Wear a piece of extreme art to wear to go shopping in your local supermarket.
• Sit on the train and sketch - using a twig and Cool Aid.
• Visit St Betrand de Cominges and see stand in awe in front of some Opus Anglicum.
• Recreate a bit of the Bayeux Tapestry (in underside couching, it isn't a tapestry remember!)  you wont be the first to do so.
• Make a tie dye T-shirt and donate it to charity.
• Take a pair of wooden cocktail sticks on a British Airways flight and knit a scarf for a peg doll, using ordinary sewing thread (those needles will probably not be confiscated or considered dangerous items).
• Collect all the end snips from your sewing machine work for a year and stuff it into a silk organza pouch to make a cushion... give this to a like-minded friend.
• In a similar vein, sew a strip of fabric onto a calico square every time you stand by the kettle waiting for it to boil- most of us have work in progress in every room of the house... why not beside the kettle?
• Put random items from your stash into an envelope and send them to someone you do not know - address selected from "Contact" notes on websites, include a note to that says "Stash exchange - Enjoy using these items.  Reciprocation unnecessary.  The stitcher's version of leaving a book on a park bench for the next person to read.

In the words of Jean Gomeshi "To be continued...."

A follow on piece

In my worriment about finding a parking space near Art Central, I found myself in possession of a simple sketched map by Susan.
I worked into this later with pen and paint, lettering and  shapes that I noticed had been sprayed on the pavement (=Canadian sidewalk) around Art Central, as well as oil company jargon/phrases that I heard as I commuted with others in the morning light.  I feel rather self-satisfied with this ?quadryptic and it is nice for the memory.

De-briefing Worked Up

Thank you to all the artists and everyone who helped make this happen.  A nod to you, Jason, at this point.

We showed for 5 days.  And 87 people saw the show in total. Even though first Thursday was just before Thanksgiving we still  had almost 60 people visit that night.    So congratulations to everyone for bringing your work to so many.  Not bad for the little show that could.  

For those contributing artists who do not live locally and couldn't attend the show, here are the notes from the comments book and a few photos of our studious audience.  For privacy I have reduced the names of authors to initials or first names, if you need to know more please get in touch with me.

"This is a lovely exhibit (L.R.)
So inspiring. Would love to see more by these people.  Interested in info about SDA (Sharon)
Such a diverse collection so individual and inspiring!  Thank you! (L.B.)
Beautiful pieces... So inspiring (K.W.)
The variation from/point of inspiration is fascinating.  Love the medium and v. glad that traditional women's tools are part of it. (G.T.)
Really inspiring work - makes me want to rush home and start working - (W.K.)
Nature : Not Nature reflects it all. Well Done All, Groetjes ! (J & C)
Hey Judy, Great work as always! Also loved the Poppies and other artists (Jude)
Hi Judy, Love your pieces! Missed seeing you, looks like you are having loads of fun! (Caroline)
What a lovely show!  The space looks great and the works are beautiful - congrats!
Keep me posted on your next fibre adventures- (Sarah)
This is great.  I love the fibre showcase and the different use of canvas. (J.F.)
Sorry I didn't get my act together to take part Great Show (T.I.)
Really enjoyed the exhibit.  Thank you so much (C. J.)
Such inspiration Thank you so much for sharing your amazing work (Sharon)
Thank you for such unique works! Very imaginative (Diane)"

Images of all the works are shown clearly on my dear friend Arlee's blog. No point reinventing the wheel is there.

And finally, thanks to everyone who visited the show.
I was thrilled to be a part of it and meet such interesting and clearly interested people.
Thanks again to everyone who made it possible.

If you live in Alberta and are interested in having your work shown please get in touch with me and, in my capacity as representative of the Surface Design Association, I may be able to help.

Day 1 at Worked Up

Very pleased to say we did have visitors today, even though it is very quiet at Art Central mid-week.  First Thursday should be a lot busier.
For those participants who can't get here (Calgary) to see the show themselves, I have put up some images showing general views of the gallery space (they are not supposed to show you the pieces for critique).   More images will follow as folks come in to take photos of the works.  I am hoping Arlee will post about the show on her blog, she takes great shots....

Going around the gallery in a clockwise sense... Looking towards the back wall you see almost one half of the gallery space ie.,  the left hand wall and one plinth.

 Left back wall, lighting is a bit severe on your upper piece Michelle, I will attempt to change that.

Right back wall

Looking towards back wall: Plinth and right hand wall (part of)

What's on the right wall (entire)

Into the L-shaped alcove... It is better lit than this image shows, Anne, don't worry.  Saaraliisa, those are your pieces on the right behind the plinth.  They have plenty of space and work well with Michelle's opposite.

We should all be tremendously thankful to Linda Hawke who hung the show and worked long and hard yesterday after I had abandoned her for my family duties.  I think it looks stunning.  It is amazing what time, energy and filler can do with a tired looking space.  Not to mention 4 spot lights!

One more for the show tomorrow

Nature : Not nature

Karin Millson 2012

hand made papers, potassium premanganate dye, rust dye, found fabric, stitch, ink
on acid free board

Price $160