Monday, March 28, 2011

Day 40 woven tapestry journal



Day 40 of the Woven Tapestry Journal






has come and even though the weather has still been really cold, with snow storms and freezing rain, March has been a very good month for the tapestry. The storm we had



just left us with the idea that Spring will have to wait a bit more, and we will still need to focus in the winter scenes for a while. Anyway, we are still here. Once we walk through the storm, the reward is to get into the Attic and start the day with a cup of coffee, put some great music and weave, weave, weave and weave!

Visit this link and you will see the 80 % of the tapestry at Joshua Creek.

http://youtu.be/tb0SJmAU0Dc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb0SJmAU0Dc






In the stage we are in right now, we are in need of using more bases for our high chairs and it is getting really uncomfortable to weave. I really hope to finish it soon in order to be able to take it for the exhibition in Mexico in May.....don't know for sure if we will be able to, but will make our very best to do it.

Very special thank you to all the people who have been showing up to cheer and support our project: My Husband and son,


who helped carry the bases, Alice and Pauline, together with Stella and Yamile.


All great friends who have introduced us into different Chinese food options, and Phillip,



who is visiting us from Singapore. To all a great thank you! Keep visiting us and cheering us. In a project like this it is wonderful to have peoples input.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Finally displayed


It is always nice to finish a piece, especially after so many months of weaving. I decided to share a bit of my home with you. As you see, tapestries are a very important part of my life and my living space.



I believe that tapestry is one of those techniques that allow more senses to explore new possibilities. Not making sculpture or painting aside,but it is true that not only they create comfort in sight but in the touch.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Mission accomplished!

maple bark tapestry






Finally, and after a couple of delays in the process, I struggled to finish my maple bark tapestry; one of the of series tapestries for the Burlington Arts Centre Exhibition.
The idea of interpreting the details of the maple tree bark through textures happened one day when walking along the trails in Crawford Lake.
One tree after the other, some birches and some maples....yet this one caught my attention because not only had intricate patterned lines, fractals of colour...yes. Colour!





Be it fungus, loss or just shadows from an autumn afternoon, but it looked just beautiful. I decided to take some pictures from this particular tree, and this was the image I decided it would be interesting to weave.









The next step was to select the yarns that would talk though it... and there you go. A combination of wool, cotton, silk, linen and of course synthetic and metallic yarns!






I have to confess that the delay not only was because I moved to another house in December which took a lot of my energy and time, but also the fact that this project was tremendously demanding in the detail! Each and every piece of the woven structure had certain combinations and gradation of hues, which made it time consuming. But what can i say, I loved the way colour blend in and I enjoyed even the stress of it all.







Weaving has to be a calming experience, and mostly it is, but when you are running behind a deadline you tend to have the stress factor. I guess in the end, it definitely paid off the extra time.

I appreciate all the followers who have encouraged me to keep up...see you next blog. Want a hint??? the next project is a picture of a fungus with a burnt tree that my daughter took in Gatineau... keep up following the blog and see all the process...again! Here I go. Have a happy weave.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Family Art at Town Hall










































Two weeks ago The Town of Oakville organized the first exhibition showing what us, newcomers to Canada, have to share in the Arts. I was happy to participate along with my kids Esteban and Sofia Powell. They both submitted acrylics and for the first time we had our shared space in a Gallery.
We moved to Canada in 2005 and we have been really happy watching the kids explore a new Country, new Culture and making new friends.

It is wonderful that this time we share the same scenario with something as great as Art.

We are really greatful with this Town (City) that has opened its wings to our family and letting us explore our artistic souls. Through the OAC-Oakville Arts Council, Art Works Oakville ,CUAS- Community Arts Space and the Town of Oakville. All supportive the organisms dedicated to enhance the Culture of this place.

I do not know if my kids will actually pursue an artistic career, but for now they are doing great, along with their instruments: piano and Guitar

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Maple bark on the go

The most challenging tapestry.....at least for me!
















Maple Bark has been one of my most challenging projects.
Each and every part of it, even the tiniest one, has a blending. Fading away hues.....and of course the changes of different yarns and calibres. I have decided to start another one just to give me a little breat every now and then from this one.
This kind of imagery reminds me one polish artist which I admire a lot, Stefan Poplawski, who weaves flat tapestries with images in 3-D images with photographic projects in high contrast.

The year 1972 was the time when Stefan Popławski’s (a graduate of Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań) piece was created. His simple Self-portrait is a very important interpretation, made in tapestry (162 x 90 cm), of a photograph from a family album. The artist frequently used famous documentary and historical pictures, as well as stills from the movies made by distinguished directors, and press photos. He transformed these selected “films of reality” into cycles: a series of photography reconstructions, movie “pictures,” old performances (Polish banners) and contemporary events. Two-coloured, woven with sisal or wool, or sometimes made with the use of needle work, these overscaled tapestries displayed silhouette outlines of people, emerging from a plain, contrasting background. With a photo-recorded image, constructed in accordance with the way the lens “sees the world,” and the phenomena typically accompanying photography, these works got the impact force of a monumentalized poster.


http://fotofestiwal.com/2009/photography-and-tapestry/#




















I am already behind my schedule to weave the other tapestries. I really have to catch up and hurry, or else I really wont be able to finish for the 2012 exhibit!.....I will try to weave the most I can tomorrow Sunday which it is promissed to be a rainny day. So, perfect dfor weaving!!!Yeeeey! I will let my kisd and husband prepare meals.....Yes, already sounds great. A weaving day.


See you later. Good night.