Judy's Journal: ontario craft council

Showing posts with label ontario craft council. Show all posts

Monday, August 31, 2026

The Mothering Bundles in Toronto

Since 2022, I have been tidying up items I've saved from my artist-mothering life by wrapping them in pieces of wool blanket.

I call the resulting objects Mothering Bundles.

#33

Each bundle has a number so that I can remember what is inside it because I forget what is inside a bundle almost as soon as I start stitching it shut.

Number 33 above contains: Two maternity blouses that I embroidered, the small tea cloth that the young Brownies in Rainy River embroidered and gave me when I left my teaching job to move in with Ned and marry him. Also contained in this same bundle are several friendship bracelets made by my daughters.

in the window, our daughter April's quilt, Spider Silk

Art is not just a respite or escape, it is a formidable tool for gaining perspective in troubled times. Olivia Laing

I made a list of what is inside each bundle.

So far, there are 38.

It is an ongoing project and I hope to continue to bundle.

Sometimes, I need to open one up and retrieve an item so this list is valuable.

(There is also a small green account book with written details about bundle contents).

It is necessary to abolish distinction between art and life. Marcel Duchamp 1957

the quilt on the wall is called Sunflower Sky

They are simple things, these bundles

They feel safe and calm.

They invite you to slow down and consider your own life.

They help you to connect to your inner self.

They are as mysterious as the stars in the sky.

#20

Number 20 (above) contains eleven canvas draw-string camping bags that Ned inherited from his cousin Richard. Labelled with black ink, ( coffee, flour, white beans, rice, brown sugar, wheat porridge, candy, spices, milk powder and tea) they are in two sizes.

from left to right: Judy Martin's The Beauty of the Green Earth, some Mothering Bundles, and then April Martin's Neptune in Pices, Hourglass in the Sky, Same Same (above) and June Skies (below) Far right is Judy Martin's Lake Full of Stars.

The images in this post are of the exhibition I had in Toronto this past summer with my artist daughter, April Martin. We both exhibited hand stitched quilts.

The exhibition was entitled Earlier and Later and it was held at the Craft Ontario gallery at 401 Richmond St, Toronto. June 17 - July 25, 2026.

All photos in this post are professional documentation of the exhibition by Jocelyn Reynolds.

You have to follow your work even if it seeems ridiculous. Follow your intuition. Go with your work. Kiki Smith

Friday, June 12, 2026

our mother-daughter exhibition

April and I began installing our exhibition today.

We have put together a mother-daughter show of new hand stitched quilts.

Earlier and Later is the title we chose for it.

The curator, Robyn Wilcox, figured out the placement. My husband Ned was first assistant.

April's quilts dance into a future. My quilts are steeped in my personal history. April and I are part of a long tradition of creativity, women makers, and the passing on of skills. It's exciting for the two of us to be showing together at the Craft Ontario gallery in the city of Toronto. I'm very proud of her and of our rich relationship.

The opening reception is in one week in the early evening of June 18. Our joint talk with the curator is on June 20 at 2 pm.

The Beauty of the Green Earth,
hand stitched quilt, Tree Everlasting pattern
by Judy Martin 2026

Friday, January 25, 2019

I get emotional

My Light Green Heart by Judy Martin and Gourd (hulu) series by Lin Xu
at the Quest:Innovation 19 exhibition in Midland Ontario

Help Me To Balance 2018 by Judy Martin (detail) upcycled flannel blanket and cotton hand towel

I went to two openings this month.

Both of the exhibitions were juried fine craft, not just textiles.

Three Chairs made in 2018 by Amanda McCavour from thread and Bone 2017 by Wanxing (Samson) Wang (furniture)

Last night I was at the Housewarming exhibition at Craft Ontario gallery in Toronto.
My flannel quilt Fields of Brown Grass was juried in. Ned had a meeting the next day, so I came down with him and we both went to the opening.

Recipe Cards 2018 by Elycia SFA handwoven silk linen with sewing thread inlay (group of 7)

Recipe Card 2018 by Elycia SFA handwoven silk linen with sewing thead inlay (from group of 7)

These two pieces are by Holly Fedida and Christopher Mendoza and the title of both quilts is
Interminable Fields (I am with you) made in 2018. Painted, embroidered and pieced fabric quilts.
They were awarded a Design award from Design Toronto.

I am posting images of just the textile work in this show.
When people are at openings they look at the work a little bit, but mostly they meet up with other people that they already know and catch up. I knew a few people and talked to them.

Be Careful Where You Step 2018 by Vanessa Dion Fletcher Trampa Mat and porcupine quills

Fields of Brown Grass 2018 by judy martin plant-eyed flannel and cotton, stitched with red thread

The other opening that I attended was in Midland, Ontario on January 11.
My daughter April is working in Toronto this winter in the ceramics studio at Harbourfront, and I asked her if she would meet me in Midland (2 hours north of Toronto) and she said yes. Images are of ceramic and textile pieces in the Quest Art School and Gallery's juried show.

Gourd (hulu) series 2018 by Lin Xu from Brandon Manitoba, from local clay

Pillow 2017 by Lin Xu, woodfired Japanese clay started in Japan and completed in Brandon Manitoba, with bone beads and rachis from feathers

Maria DeGraff mixed textiles and thread by Fuzzy Mall

Inheritance by Charlene Colette Hooked Kraft paper and projected image

We Talk About That Storm But The Ice Was Beautiful, 2018 by Victoria Carley, pieced mixed fabrics

The next day January 12, there was a symposium. Susan Low-Beer was one of the panelists and also offered a hands-on workshop that April and I took part in. That was fun. Collaborative tea-pots that the class made in 12 or so minutes shown below.

About last night.
David Kaye and I had arranged to meet at the Craft Ontario exhibition as his gallery is just around the corner and I needed to pick up my work. I am so sad that David is closing his gallery. He made the difficult decision in December, and Toronto will not be the same for me without that beautiful gallery. I got so hot at the Housewarming reception and needed to leave so Ned and I just went to David's and knocked on his door. He was there, packing up. As soon as I stepped in, I started to cry.

patchwork by Susan Low-Beer

Why did I cry?
I don't know. All the packed up boxes and wrapped textiles. David in his denim shirt. Realizing that I do not know the art community of Toronto. My aching body that had stood and chatted for more than an hour.
.
Ned put my work in the car.
We also put the above sculpture, Patchwork, by Susan Low-Beer into the car as well.
I had admired it at David Kaye's during my show there in October 2017.
Now I give it to myself. I deserve it.

My Light Green Heart 2017 by Judy Martin

I get so emotional when my work is out there mingling with others.

Friday, January 04, 2019

in the middle of my story

I am an artist.

I live on a large island in Lake Huron.

I have lived here for 26 years with my husband.

Before that, I lived in North Western Ontario for 40 years.

My cities were Winnipeg and Thunder Bay, half day car drives away.

I dream all the time.

I have made art my whole life.

While raising my family of four kids, I taught classical piano and continued my art.

I constantly study art.

I obtained two fine art honours BA degrees through distance education.

In December 2018 I received the Craft Ontario award for mid-career excellence.

The name of the award (mid-career ) is inspiring.

Does that mean that although I am in my mid-60’s and have pursued art my whole life that I am merely in the middle of my artistic career? Yay.

Mid-Career - those words make me want to go closer to the edge.

Those words make me want to go deeper into myself.

I want to go somewhere on my art path that I have not been before, and that I do not know.

I want to be brave in this journey. I want to take more risks.

Saturday, February 10, 2018

for the love of craft, an auction

Kai Chan

Dawn (left) and Not So Perfect (right)

"the circle in the square structure is to capture the movement of air from the sun, the moon, the stars, day light, night light, our breath and heart beat."

Japanese gampi paper, silver rod, thread.

Judith Tinkl

White Out
found fabric and buttons

Dorothy Caldwell

Red Clover White Wheat
plant dyed and printed cotton with applique and stitch

One more week to bid online or in person on these and twenty other pieces by Ontario's finest makers. The items are currently on exhibition at the Ontario Craft Gallery 1106 Queen West in Toronto, closing reception 5 - 7 pm February 15.

I've been a member of Craft Ontario for years - almost from their beginning. My work is included in the organization's promotional video. I encourage collectors of fine craft to follow this link for further information and to register to bid. Here. or here.