Articulation Textile Group

West Coast Vancouver Island sunset Articulation Textile group is on the exhibition trail once again. This time we are headed to Portals Gallery, one of the Cowichan Valley Arts Council's galleries.  Find the Portals Gallery in the Island Savings Centre, 2687 James Street, Duncan BC (250) 746 1633 The gallery is open Monday to Friday 11am- 5pm, Saturday noon- 3pm. It is closed on Sundays and holidays. Articulation’s exhibition 'Forest and Sea and the Place Between' opens on Tuesday, March 27th at 11am  and closes April 18th at 5pm, 2019. An artist reception will be held Saturday, April 13th from 3-5pm with three of the artists in attendance giving talks. We hope you will join us.   Donna Clement leads an artist tour during the 'WAR: A Personal Response' exhibition in Sidney Museum. Our days spent searching shorelines for inspiration are long behind us and the revelations we have come to personally have evolved into art expressed in textile...

'In 1875 a group of Icelandic immigrants who had arrived in [Canada] moved to the west shore of Lake Manitoba where they had been granted a reserve of land by the Canadian Government...The immigrants formed their own administration based on a centuries-long tradition of democratic government...The Republic of New Iceland was created.' The Rural Municipality of Gimli was established in 1887. 'The early immigrants came full of hope for a new life of opportunities and settled the land made available through homestead rights. The free offer of a 1/4 section (64 acres) to common people, most of whom had never owned land was a major attraction. But there were many difficulties - dense bush, flies, field stones and harsh winters which had to be endured.' Quotes from various historic markers. The Icelanders brought their pagan religion with them and found many parallels and an affinity with the First Nations peoples' beliefs. This Unitarian church, bui...

Our first stop out of Winnipeg was to see Icelandic horses. About 17 years ago two Arnason brothers decided to fulfill their father's dream to bring Icelandic horses to Canada. The catch was once a horse leaves Iceland it is never allowed to return so as to maintain the pure bloodline.The brothers filled a plane with 87 horses and settled them on a specially built farm where they have flourished in the Canadian prairie climate.To read in more detail about the Arnason's Icelandic horse story  click here. The farm manager, Sharon, our guide, has just released these horses from a coral out to a clover pasture. She can't leave them out there for too long or for too often because the clover is like candy for them. Icelandic horses are known to thrive in harsh conditions, forage well for their own food, and grow a very thick coat in winter while living outside. Sharon said they puff up like teddy bears as soon as the weather turns cold. They are the horse breed w...

Elephant Rock at Hopewell collapses  .Read the news article here. It is a bit sad the Elephant Rock has collapsed to half its previous size. This is what the Hopewell Rocks looked like when Articulation visited in 2010 during their annual study session. Luckily several Articulation members preserved in their artwork the popular rock as so many thousands of tourists remember it. Wendy Klotz, Home and Away, wool, felting, hand stitching Here is Wendy Klotz's depiction of the rock as it was. Donna Clement, Erosion at Hopewell Rocks,  dyeing, painting, machine sewing And Donna's, worked in a different textile technique. Donna Clement, Erosion at Hopewell Rocks, detail

In 1930 Weyburn Mental Hospital, Saskatchewan was the largest building in Canada. Post WWII battle disorders caused a peak of the in-patient population in the hospital. The Soo Line Historical Museum in Weyburn has a large room of artifacts from the hospital, many of which are rather horrifying. They also have a collection of art painted by patients as a result of the art therapy program. A project Articulation members are working on is a personal response to war. Some of the members are looking at how war affects the whole family not just those who go to war.  The Soo Line Museum proved to be a rich primary resource for some members. Ingrid Lincoln, Donna Clement, Mandy Onchulenko. Equipped to carry out research: sketchbook/notebook, camera, a bag to hold pens, glue stick and gathered materials, sturdy walking shoes, dressed in layers and prepared for all weathers. But we do stop for meals. Leann, our host, had scouted out a number of different pla...

Sweater Blocker Research is a big part of Articulation members' work. Annual study sessions allow time for some intensive research of primary resources which often involves visiting museums and archives. Sock Blockers, Garment Blockers, Washboard Weyburn has a number of very interesting museums with unique collections, including the Soo Line Historical Museum click here for location and hours , housed in a large brick building that used to be a power facility.  Tie Blocker We usually start a study session with a broad theme in mind then over the week the theme evolves and develops in another direction, into many directions and has to be reigned in or becomes focused. It all depends on what we find as we explore. 'Laundry Stove. Used in Lee Sing's Laundry until his death in 1961.' Our name 'Articulation' describes the way we work very well. Together we do the initial research in a specific location, guided by a broad theme that serves ...