According To Della....

"Momma always said.... a little chocolate cupcake will fix everything!"

Della is back - and for this hooked piece I tried something a little different. I wasn't happy with the way the edge of the linen backing showed when it was hanging. I borrowed a tip from Rachelle LeBlanc and crocheted (with a fine hook) right next to the border through the linen to make a row of chain stitches that covered up the edge of the linen.

Now, when you look at the piece from the side the pink crocheted line is what you see next to the grey velour lining - not the linen.

More from Della to come!

Finding the Story between Patching and Dancing

Here it is the end of May and the sun has finally warmed the deck enough to sit outside and enjoy the yard! Frost has come most nights - so as yet the bedding plants still make their nightly trip to safety in the shed. Maybe by the weekend they will make it to the planters and begin their lives on my deck!

To celebrate International Museum Day in May, the Acadian Museum on the campus of the University of Moncton recently featured an interesting workshop for all fibre artists. Annette Léger White, who is a recognized textile conservator and restorer, included in her workshop "Every patch tells our story: darning, mending, patching and renewing techniques" all the different ways that you can creatively darn, patch or mend.

We were shown articles of clothing and other household items from the Acadian Museum's collection where creative and thrifty hands and minds had either extended the life of an early ladies cap with a little patch or reconstructed a christening dress from a mothers wedding dress.

The Little Red Patch

Annette Léger White at the Acadian Museum workshop

Also on display was a rug c.1905 that was still being used when it was recently donated to the museum. The green dyed mat is made from strips of frayed burlap that are sewn onto a burlap backing. The burlap came from old fertilizer sacks and all of the printing can still be seen on the backing. It's sewn to a piece of heavy clear plastic for display so that you can see both sides.

Front and back of Green Mat

Something else that the Acadian Museum recently acquired is a rug hooking/quilting frame (c. late 1930's )

that was made by Pierre à Fabien Léger, Breau Village, NB. Two sets of interchangeable side pieces make the frame adaptable for either a mat or a quilt.

So, how did I make the leap from patching to dancing? On May 28th I had the wonderful experience of watching the Atlantic Theatre Ballet perform their newest production "Piaf" at our restored historic Capitol Theater in Moncton, NB. It's all about creativity and taking a leap - for Edith Piaf to begin again after many set-backs, for the dancers to dance as a troupe and to literally catch each other while interpreting Piaf's story, to the pioneer women who used what they had to make the everyday beautiful.

On With the Show!!!!

Here's More Information About Our Upcoming Rug Show

This summer, between June 9 and September 13, 2014 everyone is invited to our hooked rug exhibition at the Lutz Mountain Heritage Museum which is located on the outskirts of Moncton, NB. Featured in the display are two large rugs hooked by Rachelle LeBlanc - one of Canada's best known fibre artists. Although she now lives in Alberta, Rachelle's roots are in Bouctouche, a small village a few miles north of Moncton. This summer in June she is returning to New Brunswick for two workshops - one at the Lutz Mountain Heritage Museum and another at a private studio in Bouctouche. Take a look at her web page to see the dates - one of the workshops is full but there are still a few spaces left in the other one!

Rachelle LeBlanc's Rugs for our Show

 An update on Della!

A second mat featuring my fiesty friend Della is in the works - this one may be submitted for a juried group show at the Swoon Gallery in Halifax later in July. Artists from all mediums are being challenged to submit a piece of art that "celebrates the sweet tooth" and to think "outside the cake box". The title for the show is "How Sweet It Is". Hmmm - wonder what Della can come up with!

This past spring artists were asked by Swoon to go to their website, view the displayed art and find inspiration to create a new piece for a group show. My choice was the abstract painting "Emerging" by Monika Wright. I was drawn to the colours that Monika uses in her beautiful work and the freedom of the shapes. Once finished, I chose to call my piece "Firestorm" - as it brought back memories of seeing on the news the red hot eruptions of lava from Mount St. Helens.

"Firestorm"  by P. Winans ©

Detail of edge of "Firestorm" by P.Winans ©

Both pieces displayed together at the Swoon Gallery Halifax