Toronto Craft Alert » Museum

SHOP CRAFTY: TMC textiles on Ebay

jen — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:04:59 +0000

This is kinda crazy news – the Textile Museum is now on Ebay!

At the moment they have listed five embroidered Central Asian panels originating from the late 19th to early 20th century as ‘Buy it now’ offers. All proceeds from the sale of Shop merchandise will benefit the TMC’s exhibitions, collection and educational programming. You can view all the TMC’s Shop merchandise here: http://bit.ly/ulQujV.

These pieces are also sold in the TMC museum shop so you can drop by at 55 [...]

TCA POSTCARDS FROM THE ROAD: Harriet Tubman Quilt at the Reginald Lewis Museum, Baltimore, Maryland

tara — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:39:05 +0000

There is a long history of quilting in Maryland, from the Amish quilts of Southern Maryland to the spectacular Baltimore album quilts of the 1800s. I spotted a few quilts at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History a few weeks ago, among them was this quilt commemorating the inspiring life of the abolitionist Harriet Tubman, made in 2002. On a related note, for some unbelievably interesting reading, do a quick online [...]

TCA POSTCARDS FROM THE ROAD: Vintage Pins at the Smithsonian, Washington, D.C.

tara — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:36:19 +0000

It’s an interesting time to be in the United States right now– protests have been heating up in New York City and across the country for weeks now. At the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the foyer is full of amazing historical and cultural odds and ends, including– fittingly– union flags, placards, and these political pinback buttons from the 1960s-1980s. I especially loved this one…

Tara is [...]

EXHIBITION: Veiled: Andrew McPhail, Grace Ndiritu, Tazeen Qayyum at the Textile Museum of Canada (Exhibition: October 12, 2011 – February 12, 2012)

tara — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:36:39 +0000

One of my favourite things about the Textile Museum of Canada is that their curators often integrate the work of contemporary artists with objects from their permanent collection of textiles. It is a relatively rare treat to see them focus an entire show on the textile-based and textile-related work of contemporary artists. Veiled will feature the work of three artists working across media. Looking so forward to seeing this once I’ve returned from my sojourn in the US of A…

Image: [...]

POSTCARDS FROM THE ROAD: Crafty Visionary Art in Baltimore, Maryland

tara — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:52:08 +0000

Between the earthquake and the hurricane (!), I was able to take in some amazing eye candy at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. Lots of wonderful things on the material arts-side of the spectrum, like this eye popping beaded Alfred E. Neuman headboard by Patty Kuzbida and the cheery Smile Dress by Danielle Jacqui below. Looking forward to checking out the massive textile collection at the BMA next, followed by a tasty bag of pretzels. They’re better here!

Interlaced, by Anna Lindsay MacDonald; Photo by Marinco Kojdanovski of the Powerhouse Museum

A couple nights ago my pal Lizz reminded me of an incredible exhibition she’ll be taking part in in Australia in a few weeks. After checking out the exhibition’s website, I couldn’t resist posting about it here. Love Lace is a major exhibition of contemporary lacemaking practices hosted by the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia. For those of you who don’t know, the Powerhouse is [...]

GET SCHOOLED: Knitting with Unexpected Materials @ The Textile Museum (February 12, 2011)

jen — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:00:54 +0000

***THIS WORKSHOP HAS BEEN CANCELED***

Another cool workshop – this one a collabo between the Textile Museum of Canada & The Knit Cafe:

Image from: Kai Chan: A Spider’s Logic

Join the staff of The Knit Café, a combination yarn store and café in Toronto, for a day of experimental knitting. The materials will stray far away from the conventional; the tools too will not be standard. Participants will find inspiration in the exhibitions Beauty Born of Use: Natural Rainwear from China and Japan and Kai Chan: A Spider’s [...]

EXHIBITION: El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa (until February 27, 2011)

jen — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:34:36 +0000

This is a show that I have been itching to visit since it arrived in Toronto, and I will kick myself forcefully if I miss it. Let this be a public declaration that I will get myself to the ROM before February 27th to see these incredible works by El Anatsui. You should too! p.s. check out this informative piece on Rabble.ca for more background on this artist & his process.

The Institute for Contemporary Culture at the ROM hosts the world premiere of El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You [...]

EXHIBITION: Spring shows at the Textile Museum

toronto craft alert — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 20:43:49 +0000

Spring at the Textile Museum of Canada!
Go to http://www.textilemuseum.ca/ to plan your visit or to learn more.

ON NOW:

Fashionably Wrapped: The Influence of Kashmir Shawls
To May 30, 2010
Curated by Natalia Nekrassova
Fashionably Wrapped presents examples of dazzling and exuberantly beautiful shawls, details this garment’s shape, style and symbolism throughout history and discusses the impact of fashion trends and industrialization on traditional craft practices. Follow along as Fashionably Wrapped traces the origins of the shawl from the noble courts of India, where finely woven pieces [...]

CRAFTY HAPPENING: DIY/ Art of Craft @ Vancouver Museum (January 21, show runs until April 14)

jen — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:22:29 +0000

I know we have some readers from BC, so I thought I’d share some of these great-looking events happening at the Vancouver Museum, spotted on magpie & cake.

DIY @ MOV: A Night of Social Crafting
January 21, 2010 / 7:00 PM

Come celebrate the creativity and community of the growing DIY craft, art and design movement in Vancouver.

Generously sponsored by OPUS and Blim, there’ll be materials and workshops in a range of art and craft media from paper to yarn. Workshops (listed below) will begin at 8pm. There will also [...]

CRAFT SHOW: Craftique @ Bata Shoe Museum (November 13-15)

jen — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:15:52 +0000

click to enlarge

CRAFTIQUE – An Exclusive Handmade Experience

Bata Shoe Museum . 327 Bloor St W (at St George)
November 13, 14 & 15
Friday 2 -5 . Saturday 10 – 9 . Sunday 10 – 5
Free Admission to the museum with donation of a pair of socks, canned good or pay what you can
http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/events/index.shtml

EXHIBITION: Kaleidoscope quilts @ the Textile Museum of Canada (reception: Sept. 23; show: Sept. 23, 2009 – March 21, 2010)

toronto craft alert — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:25:40 +0000

Kaleidoscope
Antique Quilts from the collection of Carole and Howard Tanenbaum

NEW EXHIBITION AT THE TEXTILE MUSEUM OF CANADA
September 23, 2009 to March 21, 2010

Curated by Max Allen
Join us for the opening reception: Wednesday September 23, 6:30 – 8:00 pm; remarks 6:45 pm

TORONTO – Kaleidoscope presents 43 dazzling quilts collected by Carole and Howard Tanenbaum. These quilts are remarkable pieces of art – full of beauty and rich in history.

Through each quilt’s breathtaking workmanship and intricate compositions, Kaleidoscope will lead you on an [...]

EXHIBITION: Danish Modern: Suzanne Swannie Textil @ The Textile Museum (July 22- October 11; Artist Talk & Reception: July 22)

toronto craft alert — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:32:42 +0000

Suzanne Swannie is a Halifax-based designer and weaver who creates functional textiles, tapestries and large architectural installations for private and public environments. She also weaves pictorial tapestries and is known for unique fabric constructions such as the gallery installation Repassage. Both the woven works and the constructions display the “Danish Modern” principle of repetition of modular units as a means of generating surfaces and structures with a typical emphasis on rich colour harmonies.

See her weavings, tapestries, and textile installations in Danish Modern.

July 22, [...]

CRAFTY HAPPENING: Film Screening: 24 Stitches Per Second (June 24)

jen — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:16:43 +0000

Well this looks like a ton of fun …

Film Screening: 24 Stitches Per Second

Curated by Allyson Mitchell

Wednesday June 24, 2009

Textile Museum of Canada

Frames move through a film projector at a rate of twenty-four per second. See the handiwork and labour of textile art translated into film in this program of short films curated by Allyson Mitchell.

Program:

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 [...]

TCA ON THE ROAD: Audax Textielmuseum (Tilburg, The Netherlands)

jen — Sun, 03 May 2009 18:14:58 +0000

I am excited to post another crafty report from Leah from Europe – this one is definitely drool inducing for textile freaks like me! For more images, check out the flickr set here.

The Patron Saint of Dutch Textiles at work

I got tipped off to the Audax Textielmuseum by my friend Linda who runs a sewing studio here in Berlin called Linkle (http://www.linkle.de). I had a few hours to kill before my real reason for being in Tilburg, Holland occupied the rest of my [...]