Toronto Craft Alert » Crafty Chat

CRAFTY CHAT: Craft and Culture: Making Things with Rachel MacHenry at OCAD University (January 17th, 2012; 6:30-7:30pm)

tara — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:18:03 +0000

I went to a couple of CraftTalks- a lecture and panel series co-presented by OCADU and the Ontario Crafts Council- in 2010 and took an indescribable amount of knowledge and inspiration away from them. For some reason (homework and general school-related chaos, perhaps?) I ended up missing 2011′s lineup of talks altogether. 2012 is another year, and I’m excited to be attending the first of many scheduled CraftTalks tomorrow evening. The speaker is textile artist and educator Rachel MacHenry- find all [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: The Patterned Imagination with Patricia Bentley (November 8, 2011)

jen — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:08:40 +0000

***NOTE: DATE HAS CHANGED FOR THIS TALK – IT IS TUESDAY (TOMORROW), NOT TONIGHT!!***

Just reading the brief description of this OCC CraftTalk is blowing my mind a bit. As a bigtime textile pattern lover I am curious to delve deeper in to my understanding of patterns and relationships – cultural, material & cognitive – and am hoping this talk can provide a bit of a roadmap for doing so.

‘The Patterned Imagination’
with Patricia Bentley

Date: Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
Location: OCAD University, 100 McCaul [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Magic, Perfume, Art @ Textile Museum of Canada (September 21, 2011)

jen — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 14:50:18 +0000

This talk at the Textile Museum sounds incredibly interesting and makes me want to look further into contemporary art that uses smell…any leads guys?

Robe Local (riga), Nigeria, 1900 – 1980, 233 cm x 131 cm, Cotton; silk, T94.3002 Credit: From the Opekar / Webster Collection.

MAGIC, PERFUME, ART

Jim Drobnick will speak on “Magic, Perfume, Art” at the Textile Museum of Canada on Wednesday September 21, 6:30 pm. Drobnick will address the phenomenon of smell in contemporary art, with a special focus on the TMC’s [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Textile Talk with Sandra Brownlee (June 22, 2011)

jen — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 13:56:05 +0000

I must admit I am not too familiar with Sandra Browlee’s work, but I have been alerted to this textile talk by several textilephiles whom I trust, so I figured I’d share this opportunity to hear this Nova Scotia based artist speak about her work and process – both which sound very intriguing. Visit her website for a taste of it right here.

Tactile Notebooks and the Written Word, presented by the Contemporary Textile Studio
June 22, 2011 at 6:30 [...]

EXHIBITION: Caitlin Erskine-Smith & Joy Walker Exhibitions at Open Studio (May 5-June 11, 2011; Artist Talks and Reception: May 5, 6-9pm)

tara — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:16:07 +0000

I found out about this great-looking exhibition via Akimbo this morning. Caitlin Erskine-Smith and Joy Walker both have backgrounds in fibre and textile design, so it’s interesting to see this come through in this work created at Open Studio. Check out the details below.

Demonstrated, detail of work in progress, lithography on paper and lithography on/in handwoven linen, 32″ x 42″, 2011

Visiting Artists Exhibition
Caitlin Erskine-Smith: Demonstrated
Joy Walker: Crush
May [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Nicholas DiGenova Artist Talk at Toronto School of Art (Wednesday, April 27th, 6:30pm)

tara — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 02:23:39 +0000

This just in from Toronto School of Art– they are hosting an artist talk with illustrator extraordinaire Nicholas DiGenova next week. A little known fact about TSA…they host really fantastic artists talks on a regular basis. Keep an eye out on their website and blog for future guest artist announcements.

Photo of Nicholas DiGenova by Brittany Shepherd

The Toronto School of Art (TSA) is pleased to welcome Nicholas DiGenova to our studios on Wednesday, April 27 at 6.30 [...]

CRAFTY HAPPENING: Joyce Wieland film screening @ AGO (March 25)

jen — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:53:37 +0000

This just in (to me, at least!): Tomorrow night the AGO, the Canadian Filmmakers Distribution Centre will present a screening of Joyce Wieland’s film works in celebration of the launch of her DVD box set. If you aren’t familiar with her fantastic experimental films, some of you may know of the famous “Reason over Passion” quilted cotton wall hanging which Pierre Trudeau bought and hung on the wall of his home (that being his personal motto). Even Wieland’s film works are decidedly crafty as she [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Craft: Shifting Directions II, Craft Education (March 09, 2011)

jen — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:46:57 +0000

I hesitate to post about this, only because I am a wee bit nervous to be moderating this CraftTalks panel (does that feeling ever go away??) hosted by the Ontario Crafts Council and OCAD’s Material Art & Design program. But I think this is a very current and valuable conversation to be having, so I want to make sure those of you who haven’t come across it know about it. Come out be part of the discussion!

Craft: Shifting Directions II
Wednesday, March 9, 6:30 pm
OCADU, Room 190, 100 McCaul [...]

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Guess What?! Artist Talk and Lecture Series (deadline March 1)

jen — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 08:35:17 +0000

One of my new year’s goals is to make it out to more lectures and presentations on topics of interest. I am curious to see what gems emerge from the White House‘s call for lecture submissions. Read on for details and apply if you have something to say!

Last Year Amelia Ehrhardt talked about dance, Stan Kryzanowski did a field trip about tree grafting, Jesse Ladroutte talked about noise and Katie Kehoe talked about fishing.

This year the White House is looking for individuals or teams to participate in it’s [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Seminar – Adam’s Simple Ration with Stephen Schofield (October 16)

rosalyn — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 01:44:59 +0000

Seminar: Adam’s Simple Ration with Stephen Schofield
Saturday October 16, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Spend a day with the artist that includes an illustrated lecture, a walkthrough of the exhibition, and experimentation with eggs to produce temporary sculptures. Test the potential of food as an art-making material and consider the poetic transformations that take place when “Adam’s simple ration” is put to use.

Members $50, Non-members $65, Full-time students $40. Materials $8.
Advance registration is required, class size is limited.
To [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Textile Talk with India Flint: Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost (June 30)

rosalyn — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:21:57 +0000

The Contemporary Textile Studio Co-op Presents: Not all Those Who Travel Are Lost – Travels With a Dye Pot.

Internationally renowned natural plant dyer India Flint will give a lecture outlining her unique approach to bioregional dyeing, as well as her practical research into innovative natural dye techniques. She will show images of her dye processes and textiles, as well as providing samples for viewing and discussion.

Location: The Textile Museum Of Canada, 55 Centre Ave., Toronto, ON

CRAFTY CHAT: Shawls, Do Shawla and Bollywood Masala with Farooq Ikram (June 16)

rosalyn — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:30:24 +0000

Lecture: Shawls, Do Shawla and Bollywood Masala with Farooq Ikram
Wednesday June 16, 6:30 pm

Farooq Ikram is a textile and fashion designer. His talk on the various ways of wearing shawls will be illustrated with live demonstrations, projections, and more.

Free for TMC Members and Full-time students, Non-members $12.
Advance tickets may be purchased in person at the TMC’s front desk. Please arrive early, seating is limited.

Lecture: Mangoes on Fabric with Sartaj Kaur
Wednesday May 19, 6:30 pm

Sartaj Kaur will give a talk on the unique textile art of Kashmir and why it has always been a luxury item. She will discuss history, technique, style, the contemporary market, and how to identify an authentic Kashmir shawl. Sartaj Kaur is the owner of and designer for Kinna Sohna, one of Toronto’s leading boutiques of fine handcrafted textiles.

Free for TMC Members and Full-time students, Non-members $12. Advance tickets may be purchased [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Craft Practical Symposium (April 24)

rosalyn — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 03:53:53 +0000

Craft Practical Symposium

Date: Saturday, April 24
Time: 9:30 am – 5pm
Place: Tom Thomson Art Gallery, Owen Sound Ontario
Online Registration: http://craftpractical.eventbrite.com

The Ontario Crafts Council is partnering with the Tom Thomson Art Gallery to present a useful and engaging day focused on contemporary craft. ‘Craft Practical’ will address both the practical and conceptual aspects of being an artisan, and offers an impressive lineup of curators, craftspeople and arts administrators. Lively panel discussions include digital image preparation, grant writing advice, [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Hand & Lock Embroidery Lecture (March 22)

rosalyn — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:38:13 +0000

The School of Fashion and Merchandising at Seneca College is proud to present a Toronto Exclusive Lecture from Hand & Lock, UK.

Alastair Macelod, Hand & Lock Chairman, will be touring Canadian and U.S. Universities and Embroider’s Guild branches this coming Spring presenting a series of vividly illustrated talks.

The lecture entitled ‘/A Taste of the Rich tradition of Embroidery/‘ will cover various subjects such as:

1. The origins of embroidery, and its development.
2. Gold and silver wire and military embroidery, and how military [...]

EXHIBITION: What’s Happening at the Ontario Crafts Council (February-March)

rosalyn — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:55:57 +0000

EXHIBITION:
Let Them Eat Cake

February 4 – March 21, 2010 at the Ontario Crafts Council Gallery
Please join us for the opening reception on Thursday, February 4, 5:30 – 8:30 pm

An Exhibition of Fine Sterling Silver Objects to Adorn the Home and Body

Susan Watson Ellis and Todd Jeffrey Ellis together have over 50 years of experience in the metal working field. Jovially named Let Them Eat Cake, the exhibition shows off individual directions in their works as they have evolved since moving from their cramped Toronto Studio [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Innovators Ideas (I2) series @ Harbourfront (January 29-31)

jen — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:55:36 +0000

If you missed the lecture by Cynthia Hathaway and Tobias Wong this past weekend, there are still plenty of interesting lectures and courses taking place as part of Harbourfront’s Innovators Ideas (I2) series.

DORIE MILLERSON
This celebrated textile artist, writer and teacher visits Harbourfront Centre in late January to share her expertise in needle lace-making. Millerson works in a variety of constructed textile techniques and her award-winning artwork is exhibited internationally. She holds an MFA in textiles from the Nova Scotia College of Art & [...]

CRAFTY HAPPENING: Motherbrand events (January- February 2010)

jen — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:08:46 +0000

This post will be a little long, but gosh does Motherbrand has some fun stuff going on this month and I want to make sure you don’t miss out! Really makes me wish there was 4 of me this weekend, with all of the Toronto International Design Festival events on the roster…

Info below via the Design Exchange.

Motherbrand Events and Exhibits
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Motherbrand and Harbourfront Centre present the Innovators + Ideas Lectures series featuring TOBIAS WONG and CYNTHIA HATHAWAY
Saturday, January 23, 2010
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

$10/$7 (stu/sen)

Harbourfront Centre, Brigantine Room, 235 [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Craftanthropy & More @ Trampoline Hall (January 11)

jen — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:31:21 +0000

Leah tortures Steve with Bookbinding Lessons

Becky Johnson is curating tonight’s Trampoline Hall, and one of the lecturers (Steve Fisher) will be speaking about his general hatred of crafts. Becky forced Steve to confront his hatred aversion-therapy styles by making him knit a pin cushion at the knit cafe and book bind with Leah of the coldsnap bindery. See documentation here. I’m really interested to see how this immersion in actual craft informed his feelings about it.

Another local maker who will be lecturing tonight is Shannon [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Rethinking Postmodernism by Glenn Adamson (November 17)

jen — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:09:38 +0000

Click image for more info on Glenn Adamson’s book

President’s Speaker Series: Dr. Glenn Adamson

“Rethinking Postmodernism”
Central Hall (Room 230)

6:45pm, Tuesday November 17, 2009

Dr. Adamson is Head of Graduate Studies, Research Department, Victoria & Albert Museum

Sara Diamond, President of the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD), presents Dr. Glenn Adamson as the third and final keynote speaker in the 2009 President’s Speaker Series.

Dr. Glenn Adamson is Deputy Head of Research and Head of Graduate Studies at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where he leads a graduate program in the History of [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Hal Foster talk at OCAD (November 3)

rosalyn — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:25:21 +0000

Nomadic Resident Hal Foster presents  a free public talk at OCAD:

“How To Survive Civilization, Or What Dada Can Still Teach Us”

Tuesday, November 3, 7:30 p.m.

Ontario College of Art & Design
Auditorium, 100 McCaul Street, Toronto
416-977-6000 | www.ocad.ca

OCAD is pleased to welcome internationally acclaimed author Hal Foster as the next resident of its Nomadic Residents program, generously supported by the Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation. Foster will be in residence at OCAD from November 2 to 6, and will deliver a free public [...]

*Weather Update* GET TOGETHER: TCA in the park (August 30)

angelune — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:19:01 +0000

SURE THE WEATHER IS SKETCHY, BUT WE’RE GONNA THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND AND HOPE THAT THE RAIN GOD GODS CO-OPERATE AND HOLD OFF. SEE BELOW FOR RAIN PLANS….

*Update* Rain Plans: Tequila Bookworm, 512 Queen Street West, indoors, upstairs. Look for the TCA banner. Same time (2-5 pm), same day (August 30th).
Bring crafts, but no snacks.
If the weather happens to work out, then we’ll still meet in the park.

Our July version was a great time, with dozens of peeps turning up with crafts, snacks & picnic spirits. For those [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Hooked Rugs and the Economy @ The Textile Museum (Sept. 9)

toronto craft alert — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:20:12 +0000

Wednesday September 9, 6:30 pm

The history of rug hooking in Canada goes well beyond an account of a domestic craft in which decorative and practical furnishings were produced for personal household use. Citing examples that span diverse communities and geographical regions, Sharon MacDonald will explore the fascinating and significant role that hooked rugs have played in the hidden and not-so-hidden economy over the past century.

Free for TMC Members and Full-time students, Non-members $12.
Advance tickets may be purchased in person at the TMC’s [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Interchange: Craftivism (June 5)

jen — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:06:45 +0000

Cat Mazza Nike Blanket Petition 2003. Photo Jill Kitchner

I am excited to announce that I will be moderating a discussion on Craftivism – loosely defined as activism through craft – at the Textile Museum on Friday June 5th. This Interchange is associated with the show currently on at the Textile Museum featuring the work of mama craftivist Judy Chicago (When Women Rule the World) and a companion show curated by Allyson Mitchell which brings together craft artists who are influenced by the [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Allyson Mitchell – Artist’s Interview & Book Launch (March 21)

jen — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:57:54 +0000

If any of you are in Hamilton tonight, this is the place to be!

Allyson Mitchell will be chatting about her installation at the McMaster Museum of Art as well as launching the exhibition catalogue (which I peeked at yesterday, and is lovely). The exhibition itself is on until this Saturday, March 21.

Details:

March 19, 2009

6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: McMaster Museum of Art
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, L8S 4L6

FREE

Toronto-based artist Mitchell will discuss her current exhibition of freestanding, figurative, [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Babble-On! – An Evening of Enlightened Chatter (March 23)

rosalyn — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:55:03 +0000

please click on the image for a closer look:

What: Babble-On – An Evening of Enlightened Chatter
When: Monday, March 23 2009 Doors at 7pm, Begins at 8pm
Where: Tranzac (map)
292 Brunswick Avenue, Toronto
3 blocks west of Spadina Station
Admission: $5 (RSVP to humberspecialevent@gmail.com), $7 at the door

The young artistic types of Humber College’s Arts Administration – Cultural Management program present Babble-On, an evening of creative people talking about interesting things.

Babble-On is an opportunity to come [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Downtown Knit Collective Meeting: Laura Chau Guest Speaker (March 18)

rosalyn — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:05:49 +0000

The Downtown Knit Collective invites you to our March 18 2009 meeting
featuring Toronto knitwear designer and author Laura Chau.

Laura Chau‘s designs have been featured in Alt Fiber: 25 Projects for Bamboo, Hemp and Soy by Shannon Okley, and in Knitty magazine.

Laura works and teaches at Lettuce Knit in Toronto and is a popular presence on Ravelry. In addition to knitting, Laura also crochets, spins, sews, weaves, and hand dyes yarn.

Laura Chau will be presenting a trunk show of her [...]

CRAFTY HAPPENING: Canadian Doll Artists Association Conference and Vendor Sale (April 30 – May 3)

rosalyn — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:55:01 +0000

It’s our 10th Anniversary! Come be a part of it!!!

It’s CDAA Conference Time again, and, since it is our 10th Anniversary, we are going to have an even bigger and better Conference, Show and Sale than previous years. Figurative Artists will converge on Mississauga, Ontario from the US, Australia, Europe and many parts of Canada to participate! The CDAA is an active international organization of enthusiastic artists creating figurative art in a variety of media – cloth, polymer clay, wool needle-felting, papier-mâché and [...]

CRAFTY CHAT: Truth or Dare: Three perspectives on two projects by Iris Häussler (March 5)

jen — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:48:00 +0000

I’ve heard great things about Honest Threads and am looking forward to both seeing this show and hearing these folks talk about it….

Truth or Dare: Three perspectives on two projects by Iris Häussler
Panel discussion organized in conjunction with the exhibition Honest Threads
Thursday, March 5, 6:30 PM, Free
Honest Ed’s, 581 Bloor Street West

Featuring: Martha Baillie (Writer, Toronto), Shelley Hornstein (Professor of Architectural History, Urban and Visual Culture, York University), David Moos (Curator, Contemporary Art , Art Gallery of Ontario)

In a crossover between art, literature [...]

EXHIBITION/CRAFTY CHAT: Judy Chicago-orama at The Rouge Concept Gallery & The Textile Museum (February 2009)

jen — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 14:13:39 +0000

An exciting time for feminist artists and fans of politically engaged art: plenty of opportunity to meet Judy Chicago and see her work & inspired works in town this month and beyond!

1. Textile Museum of Canada

February 11 to September 7, 2009
55 Centre Avenue (Dundas St. W & University Ave., St. Patrick subway)
Toronto, Ontario

Join us for the opening reception
Wednesday February 11, 6:00 to 8:00 pm

When Women Rule the World
Guest curated by Allyson Mitchell

When Women Rule the World: Judy Chicago in Thread

Living legend of feminist art, Judy Chicago’s place on [...]