Enjoy the photos from the Crawl!

Come by and see my new works at my NEW studio location for the Culture Crawl.  #810 Hawks Ave south of Union St in the heart of the scenic Strathcona neighborhood.  I’m looking forward to seeing you!  eastsideculturecrawl.com

Green Corner
15″ x 18″
Judy Villett

ROOM is a space where women can speak, connect, and showcase their creativity. Each quarter ROOM publishes original, thought-provoking works that reflect women’s strength, sensuality, vulnerability, and wit.

Room Magazine’s Clélie Rich and Melissa Edwards were interviewed on CBC Radio’s North by Northwest. Listen to the Podcast here.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost four weeks since Culture Days. The artists and studio visitors had a terrific and energized weekend discussing fibre art and seeing fibre technique demonstrations. It was a fantastic opportunity to be a part of a nation wide arts and culture event and we were thrilled to be a part of it.  Visitors to our studios saw demonstrations, art quilts, rug hooking, a graphic novel in progress, digital photography, natural dyes, and knitting.

Studio guest artist Jeannette Sirois talks with visitors about the computer technology she uses to create her graphic novel.

Studio guest artist Janet Armstrong demonstrates how to machine stitch men’s ties to create a sunset.

Studio visitors talk with the artists.

Comments from our guest books:

“Beautiful! I’m so glad my friend led me here!”

“Thank you for sharing your work. It’s so clever and so interesting!”

“Congratulations for a beautiful display and expression of fine art.”

“Beautiful work. Thank you for sharing it.”

Thank you to our guest artists and the visitors who joined us during the studio tour.  Please feel free to drop by our studios anytime (call ahead).  We’re already looking forward to seeing you next year at Culture Days – September 30 – October 2, 2011!

Photos: Andrea Sirois, Judy Villett, Gwen Gnazdowsky.

piecing Shady Corner - Judy

Judy- I will be “plating” some more sushi…arranging and hand stitching rows of fabric sushi on black quilted fabric plates to look like take-out trays or servng plates.  I will add some folded fabric wasabi and attach real chopsticks.  The finished pieces are then attached to frames for wall hanging.

I am also working on the “Going Green” series.  An all-green ”Shady Corner” garden is designed and ready to be pieced and quilted.  A dramatic small piece with hanging greenery caught in night light is ready to have some painted detail added before quilting, and a new green Canadian flag will be taking shape on the design wall.

hand knitted face, Janet

Janet will be sorting men’s ties to use in a commissioned liturgical stole. She pieces curves taking advantage of the bias cut in the ties. She is also machine stitching and quilting a series of small vibrant sunset wall hangings using a variety of unusual fabrics. As an added bonus, Janet is knitting a sculptural life-size face!

In the studio with Michelle Sirois-Silver, Andrea Sirois and Jeannette Sirois

digital motion photography - Andrea

Jeannette Sirois is working on her Zombie graphic novel and will discuss some of the processes involved in the creation and marketing of the work.    Andrea Sirois will talk about her macro photography technique and some of the techniques she uses to create her digital motion images.

hand dyed, hand hooked - Michelle

Michelle is away from the studio on Saturday but will be there on Sunday working on a new piece for the “Love, Decay, and Repair” series.   Visitors are encouraged to try their hand at rug hooking and make their own miniature hand hooked pieces.

In the studio with Julie Pongrac

mushroom dyed, hand spun, knitted - Julie

Julie is working with natural dyes and preparing for her upcoming mushroom dye workshop at FibreWorks on the Sunshine Coast.  Visitors will have an opportunity to see how to spin natural dyed fleece on the drop spindle and the spinning wheel, and some of the processes used in free form knitting.

Janet Armstrong (art quilts, knitting, instructor)  joins Judy Villett in her studio September 25-26

The statement by William Morris, “Art should be a joy to the maker and the user”, strikes a responsive chord with me. My mission is to create fibre art that gives as much pleasure to the recipients as I had in its creation.
I have been passionate about all things fibre since my early teens. Several years ago I started experimenting with various quilting techniques to create garments that stood out in a crowd. The fabrics I use are diverse, from new cottons to vintage Japanese kimono, silk clothing and neckties. I am fascinated by the possibilities inherent in men’s ties-those little bits of gorgeous fabric that serve no real purpose! I feel I put them to much better use, taking advantage of their bias cut to create organic fluid curves in my work.

“At Day’s End” Triptych
Neckties, organza, thread
16½” x 7½”
Accepted into the Grand National Reflections of Canada at the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery 2003
Janet Armstrong

Andrea Sirois joins Michelle Sirois-Silver in her studio September 25-26

Andrea Sirois is a fine art and commercial photographer who specializes in botanical images.  Her passion for nature began while nurturing her first cactus garden at the age of 14.  Two years later she bought her first 35mm camera.  Today, she combines her two passions with the goal of creating unique ways of seeing the natural world.  Her work has been exhibited in local galleries, and featured in both regional and national publications.  She teaches landscape, macro, and botanical photography.  And her images have been commissioned by City Art Planners for two public art installations.

Osoyoos & Oliver
South Okanagan Valley Series
Digital Image
Andrea Sirois

Throughout the Okanagan Valley orchards and vineyards border the roadways in perfectly arranged rows.  The scenery is irresistible, giving one a sense that people are living on and off the of the land. This series of photographs grew from the discovery of a camera panning technique used while riding in a moving vehicle.  Within the span of a few days I had captured thousands of images, each one producing spontaneous and painterly results.
BTW – Andrea is teaching two courses at Langara College this fall.  Macro Photography – Sept 25-26 and Botanical Photography – Oct 2-3.

Jeannette Sirois joins Michelle Sirois-Silver in the studio. September 25-26

Jeannette Sirois is a visual artist who works with chalk, pastel, and graphite.  She is currently working on two graphic novels.

Orchid
Chalk, pastel, graphite
Jeannette Sirois

My work combines many techniques, beginning with commercial or hand dyed fabrics that may be stenciled, painted, embellished, pieced, appliqued and then finally machine quilted. My inspirations are the play of light and dark, the power of colour, and the textures of the world that I walk in. My wall-hangings have been shown in juried and solo exhibitions in England, Japan, USA, and Canada. Teaching and lecturing have been a big part of my life. I love the energy, enthusiasm and knowledge that my eager adult students bring to the classroom. I conducted a teaching program in my commercial studio in Edmonton, and then amalgamated my classes with Earthly Goods quilt shop, where I became Program Coordinator and developed an innovative program recognized across North America. Now that I am settled in Vancouver, I am developing new classes to present in my studio. In addition, I continue to travel across Canada and the USA teaching, lecturing, and judging. The beautiful city of Vancouver and west coast landscapes are inspiring. I am connecting with the vibrant arts community, establishing a textile studio walking tour, and participating in the yearly East Side Culture Crawl.  I continue to enjoy the magical cloth connection that binds me to colleagues, art lovers, and students, who all respond so positively to the fabric medium that I love. For more information or to register contact me at www.judyvillett.com

COLOUR WHEEL BASICS

Sept 30 – Nov 4 (6 Thurs) 9am to 4pm
Fee: $360
Registration deadline: September 23

Add power and vitality to your work whether it is original design or making the most of patterns and books. Concepts and vocabulary of colour and design will improve skills, confidence, appreciation and enjoyment. Hands-on exercises with paper and cloth on worksheets create a greater undemanding of the collection and use of materials, whether it is for quilting, weaving, knitting, home decor, rug hooking or surface design.

Sequential Workshops:

1. The Three Dimensions of Colour
Hue, value and intensity are explored. Learn colour names, positions on the wheel and how tints, tones and shades are used to create value and intensity.

2. A Spin On the Colour Wheel
Use the colour wheel as a tool for making harmonious colour choices based on scientific principles. Eighteen colour schemes are studied, as well as colour strength and temperature.

3. Colour in Context
Colours change depending on what is around them. Learn to shift hue, value, intensity and temperature. Instantly expand your fabric collection as you use one fabric in different ways. Add the concept of contrast, the opposite of harmony.

4. The Language of Print
Understanding how print design is created and the vocabulary of visual texture gives control of theme and mood. Learn to read your fabric collection and plan for future projects.

5. Magical Illusions

Illusions of light add dramatic impact to all kinds of quilt designs. Learn many different ways to create these effects, from three dimensions to iridescence.

6. Dream a Theme
Inspiration is all around us. Use accumulated knowledge to emphasize a theme based on a photograph or actual object. Colour symbolism and mood are stepping stones to powerful themes.

FIRST QUILT

October 5, 12, 19 & 26 (4 Tues), 7pm-10pm
Fee: $120
Registration deadline: September 28

Make your debut with expert help! Guidance, suggestions, instructions and demonstrations will help you realize your vision.

Session 1: Plan, bring:

• thoughts on who/what it is for
• design ideas: patterns, clippings, sketches
• fabrics you have collected
• instruction manual for your sewing machine
• notebook, pen, pencil
• an open mind

Take home:

• a plan, tailored for you
• shopping list
• step-by-step preparations/homework

Session 2: Start, bring:

• all necessary tools, materials and sewing machine
• cut/prepare design unit
• set up sewing machine
• sew/piece/applique

Take home:

• quilt top well-started, to be finished at home

Session 3: Baste and Quilt Design Plan, bring:

• completed quilt top, batting and backing
• necessary tools to baste and mark quilting design

Take home:

• either a basted quilt or the skills to do so at home

Session 4: Quilt and Finish. Bring:

• sewing machine with necessary quilting feet
• basted quilt
• notebook and extra materials to make a binding/finishing sample

Take home:

• finished quilt/samples to finish on your own
• confidence and new skills and knowledge
• ideas and inspiration for your next quilt project

FABRIC POSTCARDS & ART TRADING CARDS

Tues, Nov 2, 7-10pm and Sat, Nov 6, 9am-4pm
Fee: $80
Registration deadline: October 26

These small works of art may be mailed or matted and framed for great Christmas gifts. Collge and layer using heat-set fusible web and a heavy stabilizer.  Designs will be created in a 12″x 24″ unit which can be fused, stitched/quilted, then cut up into the desired size.  You provide the theme, using whimsical or dramatic fabrics and realistic or abstract design. Inspiration/design might be: ocean, beach, rain forest, mountains, night sky, flowers, food … follow your heart!

Imagined Dialogue

Imagined Dialogue
34x52inches
Wool, linen
Hand dyed, hand hooked
2010
Michelle Sirois-Silver