Articulation Members Turn Into Their Studios To Self Isolate
After a very successful year as an exhibiting group, Articulation Textile Group made a collective decision to concentrate on our personal studio practice, to focus on ideas that truly inspired them individually and to see where these new creative trails would lead them. We coined the descriptor, "out of the studio", in reference to the potential creative discoveries we were poised to make excavating personal discoveries in fibre.
Given the global situation that continues to evolve, on a daily and even hourly basis, Articulation members have been wise to turn into their studios to self isolate during the coronavirus pandemic. I don't think any of us would ever ignore a directive to seek quiet time and be creative, we would, along with the rest of the world however, prefer to not be dealing with the current situation in our neighbourhoods, our province, across the country and around the globe.
As the new year turned and 2020 arrived I set my personal intention for the year. Sitting quietly in my stillness I listened until eventually two words, not one, came to mind: To ALLOW and to ACCEPT.
At the time I was critical of my inability to procure just one simple term, love perhaps, maybe even kindness, but I eventually did just that, allowed and accepted these words as the guiding philosophy of my year ahead. This year is evolving, and here we are only in March, but already I am aware of just how profound that choice of two small words is becoming.
If you are like me you have routines and schedules in place, a few plans, and maybe even a dream or desire on the back burner waiting to spring into motion. You juggle responsibilities and commitments, expectations like those you have for yourself, and also those placed upon you. It is time now to allow that on the back burner they will remain and to accept we have no control over all that we currently face as a society, a community, a family and an individual.
It's a very good thing I have been practicing this allow and accept routine, at least for the last little while. These two small words, as simple as they seem, are not as simple in their application in real-life circumstances. I am finding it requires some discipline, reflection, and even resignation as I strive to be patient with myself in my attempts to implement these concepts into all areas of my life.
I would love to hear of ways you are allowing and accepting conditions and consequences into your world as we navigate such drastic change at this point in our collective history.
Change is a constant for us all. In Winnipeg, the situation is evolving by the minute. Leaving the studio yesterday, the downtown of my travels felt quiet and sparse and reflective of so many business limiting hours or engaging in complete social distancing measures. Was that even a term last week?
Arts groups everywhere will be feeling the pinch. Articulation's "PROVINCES" show at the Fish Creek Library in Calgary, like most if not all public spaces, will remain behind the closed doors of the venue until further notice according to Maureen Lallier, the coordinator of the show in Calgary.
Maureen was quick to point out that the many visitors to the space to date were really enjoying the work.
With borders closed and travel curtailed I find myself reflecting on recent gallery visits and some of the pieces that truly inspired me. I have always been drawn to the work of Alexander Calder. Captured in history books his works are intriguing, in real life they are mesmerizing. I particularly loved the thread-like quality of this simple yet complex sculpture and appreciated his descriptor of the process above.
Guy Tanguy at the same museum was quoted... "The element of surprise in the creation of a work of art is the most important factor". Tactile play might be a good starting point to encapsulate my process across mediums. What is the driving force behind your work?
My work is driven by colour and fuelled by exploration. The current body of work is spreading itself across surfaces and assembling in bags and piles I have tentatively described as the Re blooming series. I am looking at the concepts of dialogue, story, and narrative, combining processes I am comfortable with and others that are new to me. I am excited about evolving themes, inspired by scraps in proximity that spur new thoughts and developing tangents that invite reflection and yes sometimes allowance and acceptance.
Wendy, our bathing English beauty, continues to be inspired by the sea. She obtained a ghost net from the Emerald Sea Protection Society and is combining that with Gutterman thread made from recycled pop bottles and hand made sequins, also from pop bottles. Her research aims to subtly draw attention to the trash polluting our oceans. We all look forward to seeing how this work evolves.
The shirts shown above, Lesley writes, have been decollared, if that's a word? If there is such a word its Latin root is likely to be decollo which means to decapitate or behead. I love Lesley's thought process and how she often allows seemingly simple concepts to evolve conceptually in very meaningful ways.
Ingrid Lincoln continues to excavate her archives revisiting themes and experiments and allowing abandoned projects to evolve into new ideas. With apologies to Ingrid whose current explorations I am unable to access, I am substituting this yarn bomb totem I discovered in Toronto during a snowstorm in January. I was reminded then that creativity in small measures and large make a world of difference in the spaces we inhabit.
As I prepare to close for now I wanted to end off with a little Love, sent from the heart of this undedicated angel I recently came across in Orlando. In these times of uncertainty and dis-ease, I hope you might find some time and space to seek your guiding words for the year, spend some quality time with your immediate family, friends, or cohabiters and keep yourself healthy and safe.
May we all accept social distancing as a temporary term to embrace and allow our feelings and emotions to flow through these troubling times. Be creative and kind and realise this too shall pass.
all best,
Amanada Onchulenko on behalf of Articulation Textile Group
Amanda's website
Lesley's website
Lesley's blog
Wendy's Blog
Ingrid's Website
Donna's Blog
Donna's Website
Given the global situation that continues to evolve, on a daily and even hourly basis, Articulation members have been wise to turn into their studios to self isolate during the coronavirus pandemic. I don't think any of us would ever ignore a directive to seek quiet time and be creative, we would, along with the rest of the world however, prefer to not be dealing with the current situation in our neighbourhoods, our province, across the country and around the globe.
As the new year turned and 2020 arrived I set my personal intention for the year. Sitting quietly in my stillness I listened until eventually two words, not one, came to mind: To ALLOW and to ACCEPT.
At the time I was critical of my inability to procure just one simple term, love perhaps, maybe even kindness, but I eventually did just that, allowed and accepted these words as the guiding philosophy of my year ahead. This year is evolving, and here we are only in March, but already I am aware of just how profound that choice of two small words is becoming.
 |
| Amanda's studio friend adopted from the Goodwill on Princess, Winnipeg. |
It's a very good thing I have been practicing this allow and accept routine, at least for the last little while. These two small words, as simple as they seem, are not as simple in their application in real-life circumstances. I am finding it requires some discipline, reflection, and even resignation as I strive to be patient with myself in my attempts to implement these concepts into all areas of my life.
I would love to hear of ways you are allowing and accepting conditions and consequences into your world as we navigate such drastic change at this point in our collective history.
 |
Arts groups everywhere will be feeling the pinch. Articulation's "PROVINCES" show at the Fish Creek Library in Calgary, like most if not all public spaces, will remain behind the closed doors of the venue until further notice according to Maureen Lallier, the coordinator of the show in Calgary.
Maureen was quick to point out that the many visitors to the space to date were really enjoying the work.
 |
| "How does art come into being? Out of volumes, motion, spaces carved out within the surrounding space, the universe."Alexander Calder (Dali Museum, St Petersburg, Florida.) |
Guy Tanguy at the same museum was quoted... "The element of surprise in the creation of a work of art is the most important factor". Tactile play might be a good starting point to encapsulate my process across mediums. What is the driving force behind your work?
 |
| Planning for summer events and shows continues among the uncertainty we all face. Join Amanda in the Bunkie in June, COVID-19 permitting. |
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| Wendy Klotz is self-isolating and at work on her Sea project. |
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| Lesley Turner's The Laundry Room project will continue its evolution when Lesley's mandated return to Canada from New Zealand allows her to get back into her studio on beautiful Vancouver Island. |
 |
| This little angel I found in Orlando while visiting The Morse Museum, dedicated to Tiffany glass. |
As I prepare to close for now I wanted to end off with a little Love, sent from the heart of this undedicated angel I recently came across in Orlando. In these times of uncertainty and dis-ease, I hope you might find some time and space to seek your guiding words for the year, spend some quality time with your immediate family, friends, or cohabiters and keep yourself healthy and safe.
May we all accept social distancing as a temporary term to embrace and allow our feelings and emotions to flow through these troubling times. Be creative and kind and realise this too shall pass.
all best,
Amanada Onchulenko on behalf of Articulation Textile Group
Amanda's website
Lesley's website
Lesley's blog
Wendy's Blog
Ingrid's Website
Donna's Blog
Donna's Website
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