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| The classmates with DIANNE GIBSON at end of Day Two -, tired, packing up and happy! |
We welcomed Dianne to Kingston as she shared a wonderful talk and trunk show of her beautiful textile art on Friday evening May 22nd at St. Lawrence College. For the thirty or so who attended the talk and presentation, it was a treat to see the pieces we know and love in her collection that are available for sharing. Hearing from Dianne about the processes and inspiration that are the impetus for her new work made the pieces on her display table much more important and familiar as we toured the table and asked questions. She shared her experience and stories of the reality and ups and downs of being a Studio Artist, including being faced with a hugely successful commission project that would have scared off any artist other than Dianne. A great evening for all in attendance.
Knowing how important careful planning is to a class of students before beginning with the basics of making sure you have materials that work and that inspire creativity, Dianne made sure that there were beautifully presented samples of her technique work to introduce to the students over the two days of workshop fun. Her students enjoyed a truly BUSY and exciting design/stitch focused weekend of assembling small works that will be developed into a focal point for perhaps a much larger piece after the workshop. While many had come to the workshop with some similar experience, there was Dianne's 'artists viewpoint' that meant so much to each of us.
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| glorious line study.... |
Design boards and walls filled quickly as the students developed a feel for layering the many various textures and colours of fabrics and bits of yarns, paper, grids of crisscrossed textures and more into small works of art. The pieces amassed quickly as the process fell into place and the piles and piles of inspirational fabric, sheers, yarns, beads and other embellishments brought into the classroom by the students poured out onto tables. Here are a few pieces that inspired us so much MORE....
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| if I remember correctly, this is Mary Andrews Minigan's work |
New friends often gathered at each others tables to network and chat about possibilities, and at the end of the second day, the 'show and share' table filled with results that WERE art, and evoked a feeling of accomplishment and awe as the assembly process explored and thoughts about next steps for each piece was discussed among the students.
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| the work of Margaret Morris |
More and more pieces came to the review table at the end of day two, while others remained at the students' tables for further embellishment and stitch. Discussions around exploring assembly options, the amount of stitch to be added, and the possible taking of a piece into a totally new composition were enjoyed by the new friends from across Ontario. One of the great things about FIBREWORKS has always been the sharing, the new friendships and the links created as students introduce themselves and their own individual talents throughout the weekend.
Surely some of the best options came out of just playful "trial and error" and the addition of small bits shared among the women working around the room. There is never too much to bring, but there is often not just the right bit to take a design to the finish line... so friends sharing with friends solves that problem with ease. I saw pieces at one table in the morning that had moved into a lovely artful creation hallway across the room by afternoon!
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Dianne with Robynne Cole - art pals from Niagara Region
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Dianne was so busy circulating the room and sharing her expertise and advise with students that it was hard to catch her for a great photo, but knowing that she was there was a solace when a dilemma emerged. Great quotes she shared on the front white board inspired and reminded us that art comes from within, and that determination and a commitment to finish ensure great results! We saw those yellow posts all through the weekend! Again, thanks Dianne.....
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| created by Garrie Joyce |
Beautifully executed designs emerged all weekend, with so many variations and individual artists special touches. Collaboration, and the fun of sharing their comments like 'maybe move this' and 'oh, add a bit of that' helped along the way as the pieces grew and morphed into a final design. That in itself was a huge treat to witness.
One dilemma was just where to lay the stitch to ensure that all of the threads were at least temporarily held in place. Using the
Pellon 551 Sol-U-Film water soluble stabilizer, introduced to the group by Dianne, both under and over the collage of threads and fabric bits meant there could be some measure of control during the stitching stage, which resulted in a web of pieces that could be applied to a background for further development. Sharing tips and resources was a highlight of the weekend.....
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| Nelly Kamphuis created a stunning design.. |
Several of the artists got right to work and before day two had ended had design boards literally filled with inspired designs. Sometime a series emerges that might result in a collage in a whole cloth, large size piece, or a selection of smaller framed works for display.
We enjoyed hearing from class student, Diane Eastham, author and art quilter... who shared her 10 year journey of discovering the foundations of connecting to your creative genius..."exploring, developing and expressing creative capacity". Diane is an award winning internationally recognized artist in her own right, and shares her many suggested resources that may be of value to you...
And here is a link to her new book
'BLAZE OF COLOUR, Embracing Creativity" .
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| a beautiful series of work by Dianne Eastham |
As I look back, if day one was a suggestion of what was to come, I found at end of day that my photos captured innovative, and design focused small works that can stand alone or be a foundation for larger work. Just circling the room over the two days and stopping to contemplate where the idea may have come from, how the layering and stitch enhanced the design play was certainly inspiring to me.
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| Design board of Ann Armstrong |
Was it a picture of something seen in a garden while on vacation in Costa Rica this past winter??? Certainly the visions of those gardens might have influenced the designs evolving at Hilary Scanlon's table... the colours and line frame that vision, but could be many different things to each individual viewer... and isn't that what art is all about. Interpretation, contemplation and joy!
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| Hilary Scanlon - a dynamic original |
Or a pair of jeans that had to be rescued and the amazing embroidered section from a leg used as a backdrop to an all new piece of fibre art... Lynn Young thought so and her stash revealed the perfect piece for this collage.
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| Lynn Young saved a favourite pair of jeans here |
Creating with fibre, bits of ephemera and cast offs from other projects can bring us the true exhilaration of seeing art develop right before our eyes, and some of the students just kept that art coming all weekend. As the second day passed, the numbers of pieces mounted on sewing tables and the results were wonderful!
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| 'Starting points', Joyce Macdonald - more evolved |
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| Wonder where this one will go next? - Nelly Kamphuis |
Overall, "MIXED MEDIA ASSEMBLAGES" with Dianne Gibson was definitely a great spring workshop with a terrific Artist/Instructor!
We have reached the end of our FIBREWORKS Kingston Weekend Workshops Series for this year.... but stay tuned. We will be announcing what is to come for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 in mid June. Please keep the link for FIBREWORKS on your bookmarks page and check in at the blog to see who our Instructors will be and what great workshops they will bring your way. Do plan to join us for more exciting workshops in the new fibre focused year starting in September.
Bethany Garner
Fibreworks Coordinator/Registrar
