Hold Me

I made this quilt just as we were moving from Kenora to Manitoulin in 1993.

I remember stitching it in the truck during the 2-day drive back to Kenora to organize the moving van.  We left our kids with Ned's sister so that they could continue to attend their new schools.

I remember the beautiful views of autumn colour along the north shore of Lake Superior.
I remember quiet time with my husband in the vehicle as we drove back to the house I had loved.

I stitched, he drove.
We talked and looked out the window.

The text in the quilt borders is by Diane Ackerman from her book A Natural History of the Senses.  It reads:
When you consider something like death, then it probably doesn't matter if we try too hard, are awkward sometimes, and care for one another too deeply, in an effort to know life.

I entered the quilt into the biennial Fibreworks show in Cambridge galleries the following spring, and it was awarded the purchase award by the jurors, one of whom was Ralph Beney.
It became part of the permanent Canadian Fibre art collection and has been in the vaults of that gallery for over 20 years.  Hard to believe.

I am moved to write about this piece today, (and scan the old slides I have of it) because the Cambridge Art Galleries are showing the entirety of the collection this winter.  The launch is next week and there will be a symposium about the collection in January.

I believe that it is important for public galleries to collect work of artists.
I am so proud that Hold Me is part of this particular collection.

Also, my work is in permanent collections of two other art galleries, both in northern Ontario.  Click on their titles for more info. When Asked: She Replied  and Canadian Pioneer.

quilt as you go

In 1987, I taught myself the "quilt as you go"  method for making quilts.  Shown is one of the quilts I made with this technique that year.

Our youngest daughter (April) was born that year.

 I used my own blouses made from Indian cotton as the starting point for this white crazy quilt.

Each 5 inch block was constructed and quilted at the same time using stitch, flip and a sewing machine.  The blocks are joined with sashing on the reverse side.  I thought this quilt was lost, but I found it yesterday.  (read more about that discovery on 100 quilts.

 Log cabin (above) was also made in 1987.  (quilt as you go method)

 Blackwork was also made in 1987.  Quilt as you go technique.

 Above - the first quilt I made when we moved to Manitoulin in 1993.
 A bed size scrap - quilt as you go technique.

The last time I used this method was seventeen years ago.
 Hearth Rug For Hestia in 1998.  It is hand quilted.

canada council art bank collection

On The Lake  Photographs, cotton, thread, satin, stitched, 40" x 20" 1989

I read about this panel discussion and exhibition in the newest Slate Magazine and it made me wonder about the status of my piece (shown above).  On The Lake was acquired by the Canada Council art bank when we still lived in Kenora, North western Ontario in 1990.

Being part of this important collection of Canadian contemporary art is something I have always been proud of, and it was quite interesting to visit the art bank's new website.   I found out that there are 3.000 artists represented in the Canada Council Art Bank and 17,000 pieces! New to the site is an excellent way to search the collection (here).  What it says about my piece - here.

Because this search says that On The Lake is 'unavailable' I emailed the art bank and found out that my art work has been rented out for several years to a client in Ottawa.  It's nice to know that.  The exhibition Art Bank Expose: A Selection of Artworks from the Canada Council Art Bank continues in Toronto until January 16 at First Canadian Place Gallery.