Belonging to a Fibre Arts Group can be an amazing and fulfilling experience for a textile and stitching enthusiast. I happen to be lucky enough to belong to five... The Kingston Fibre Artists Group since 1996, CONNECTIONS Fibre Artists Group since the fall of 2013 and SAQA (Studio Art Quilts Associates) since 2005. I am also a member of the Cataraqui Guild of Needle Arts and The Ontario Network of Needleworkers... though less active in both this past year for many reasons including commitments to the first three mentioned here.
Each group has it's own special style and as SAQA is an International Association, being an active member is solely up to each individual. I chose to volunteer as a Regional Representative for the Central Canada Region in 2011. This job has been both exciting and a challenge, as I have had to learn MUCH about managing the Blog Administrator's role for our Region. The best part of the role is the contact I have with all of the multi-talented Artist members in our Ontario and Quebec Region. It is joy to be able to provide support and encouragement to the members as they develop their own place in the art world.
Newly retired this past fall, I have had a minuscule amount of newly free time to create art and am still hopeful that the rest of the year affords opportunities for creating more pieces for my body of work. I recently had an accident at home resulting in a fractured wrist, and that is a set back I could have lived without as I so looked forward to gardening, lots of travel and creative workshops this summer.
I am certainly blessed to have great acquaintances and contacts to support my artistic needs, and some have been really helpful as I work though this latest setback. I am heading to a great Workshop Series at QUILTING BY THE LAKE at Onondaga College near Syracuse next week, and will be studying with the renowned TERRY JARRARD DIAMOND in her week long workshop "LINE AS LANGUAGE".
If all goes well, my Surface Design and Stitch course will run at St. Lawrence College July 21-25, 2014. So looking forward to sharing time with new and returning students.
In August I travel to the AQS Show in Grand Rapids, Michigan and hope to see the two great SAQA Exhibitions at my Alma Mater, Michigan State University where there are two Galleries on campus hosting the SAQA Shows "Color Wheel of Emotions" and Earth Stories".
FIBREWORKS KINGSTON is a major focus for me as the summer moves to fall and the start of our 35th Series of Weekend Workshops. The details are all available at our blog www.fibreworkskingston.blogspot.ca . I hope that you will take time to visit the blog and be introduced though detailed information on the right sidebar at the blog to each of our outstanding Guest Instructors for 2014-15: MAGGIE VANDERWEIT MEREDITH, a very talented designer and Instructor of Fergus, ON; LYNNE MORIN, Ottawa based artist and Coach/Instructor; HOLLY DEAN, renowned multi-media artist from Merrickville, ON and DIANNE GIBSON, commission/exhibition artist from Fonthill, ON.
If you would like a pdf copy of the FIBREWORKS Weekend Workshops Brochure for 2014-15, email me at fibreworkskingston@gmail.com
Have a great summer... see you along the way. MAKE TIME FOR CREATING ART!
Bethany
