Articulation Textile Group

This show is getting around! After being in southern England in 2012 for three exhibits, the travelling show is now on its second Canadian leg. Articulated Materials: Bridging Waters is opening in Sidney BC (conveniently located by the Victoria airport and mainland Ferry terminal) at The Arts Centre at Tulista Park. The show has Articulation's work based upon the Bay of Fundy, and Material Girls' work based upon the River Thames. Articulation travelled to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia in the fall of 2010 and spent a week studying locales including the seaside towns of St. Andrews, St. Martins, St. Stephens; walking tours of Saint John and Fredericton; self-directed walks down to The Hopewell Rocks; to the UNESCO site of Joggins Fossil Cliffs; the lighthouse at Cape d'Or; and the Fundy Geological Museum in Parrsboro. This is our resulting work... As you can see by the schedule along the right side, the next show will be in the Maritimes, in Saint John NB.

Donna has just produced this great poster, using an image of Ingrid's work, to promote the 1st showing of  Articulated Materials: Bridging Waters. Didn't she do a great job. Cre8ery www.cre8ery.com is a contemporary gallery in downtown Winnipeg where the owner, Jordon Millar, works hard to ensure work shows well in her space. The exhibition is planned to coincide with the national Embroiders' Association of Canada's annual seminar being held in Winnipeg in May this year www.eac.ca

Had a chance to speak with Dawn Rudman just before the opening of "Quiet Zone" at Queen Elizabeth Park Centre.  I asked what her criteria was for artists applying for the exhibition and she said there wasn't any specifically.  It was when she started receiving the work that she was made aware of the similarities between each work, and that was the soft, calm, quiet approach that was taken by each artist.  It was only then that Dawn named the exhibition, "Quiet Zone". There is no doubt that the exhibition gives you a sense of serenity and calmness.  No loud or brash colours pervade the exhibition.  It's a refreshing visual pause in the whole exhibition of The World of Threads. Here are three of my favourite works in the exhibition.  I chose them for their quiet simplicity and subtleness. Vestige 1 Kelly O'Neill, Ontario       Washi paper, thread, ink, charcoal, smocking Trinity Judy Martin, Manitoulin Island, ON       Repurposed domestic da

I really enjoyed my visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario.  It was quite a rabbit warren of different rooms but the diversity of its collection was quite amazing.  Luckily the exhibition about Frida Kahlo and  Diego Rivera was going on. The exhibition had over 80 paintings and 60 photographs and it was interesting to compare their artwork, the first time I believe that they have been shown together. Theirs was a passionate relationship wrapped up in revolution and betrayal. They divorced at one time over Diego's affair with Frida's sister, but they remarried again.  It was so interesting to see the work they were doing during the same time period with their similarities and differences. I spent quite a long time in the area containing the Group of Seven work.  It was wonderful to be able to get up really close to the work without barriers in the way.  You could see the texture of the paint and the way it was applied.  The Group of Seven were really prolific when you think of

During Articulation's visit to Toronto this November the members spent many hours at the Royal Ontario Museum. One of the delights was getting up close to El Anatsui's Straying Continents. A metal tapestry commissioned by the ROM in 2010. El Anatsui continues to use his signature flattened  liquor bottle tops but this work has large areas of the tops cut into lengths twisted together. As a result this work is more likely than his others to alter it's shape while hanging on the wall. 

Our co-exhibitors The Material Girls have been getting lots of press with our show. Here is a wonderful article published in WORKBOX magazine about the exhibit...

Show #2 in the United Kingdom is coming up. Next weekend features a textile event in Horndon on the Hill, Essex . Their poster for the event... This is the continuation of the a joint venture between Articulation (Canadian textile group) and Material Girls (UK textile group) upon iconic waterways in their respective countries - the Bay of Fundy in Canada, and the River Thames in England. This show will travel the UK in 2012 and move to various locations across Canada in 2013 and 2014.