Toronto Craft Alert

Knit #1 by Lyn Carter courtesy of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries website.

Did you know that Cambridge Galleries are super into textiles? Hosts of the annual Fibreworks juried art exhibition, Cambridge Galleries frequently features exhibitions of Canadian textile artists (notably Lyn Carter and Anna Torma) and also have an very impressive amount of contemporary textile work in their permanent collection. Catch a glimpse of some of their collection in the exhibition Select Works, opening this Tuesday. A [...]

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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 [...]

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Image: Joanne Jin, silkscreen print on hand painted silk. Image courtesy of the Textile Museum of Canada.

GRAFT is the latest exhibition happening at the Textile Museum of Canada, a collaboration between them and neighbours OCADU. A mash-up of art, textiles and science, this show will showcase the work of students from OCAD’s Material Art and Design program. The reception is tonight!

GRAFT: Linking Art, Textiles and Science
at the Textile Museum of Canada
December 3, 2011-January 22, 2012

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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 [...]

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***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 [...]

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I am excited to see so many opportunities to learn the craft of natural dyeing around town these days – it is a process that feels good to do and the unpredictability of the results only adds to the beauty.  The Make Den is offering an affordable class as part of their “Which Class” series (a play on “witch”y crafts) on the 28th – but you’ll need to sign up asap as they need you to drop off your fabric a week in advance for pre-mordanting.

Double, [...]

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