Monday, December 26, 2011

Ontario Arts Council Big Thanks





A year has passed and it is time to reflect upon all the wonderful projects accomplished. This year i had the opportunity to receive the Visual Arts Grant from the Ontario Arts Council as I have mentioned before in several occasions. I have to thank this organism that enables us, artists, to keep up our art by supporting economically.


The Mayor Rob Burton honoured us to do the cutting of the large tapestry woven at Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre who opened its wing in the attic for us to weave. We thank Sybil Rampen for her initiative to host the loom on her facility.


Thanks to the Grant I was able to produce different and new ideas in the fibre field such as these trees. Since it was destined the 2011 as the UN International Year for Trees and Forests, I created this installations with the assistance of Sophie Kudukis.


Textures from the Air, an interesting Installation woven in tapestry technique was selected to be displayed at the Museum Diego Rivera in Mexico City during the VI International Biennial of Contemporary Textiles May 2011

Scars From Nature was one of the 3 tapestries woven during this GRANT Year.

It is not only the money received. it is the possibility to destine time and all your effort into a creative passion. The art field is difficult if you intend to live on it. I teach painting and for other things in order to sustain my art. Weaving is not a very well know technique and it is very time consuming. The production of one sole tapestry woven by one person can take from 2 to8 months, depending on the size, the separation of the warp, the materials, or the design. Thanks to the support of the Ontario Arts Council I was able to:


- produce more artwork and leaving my painting classes a bit behind,
- buy new and interesting specialty yarns,
- create more installations different to what I was doing,
- explore new mediums (Multi and integrated media)
- Participate in more international forums,
- spend more time writing on tapestry and fibre art publications...

For this and more...thanks to:

I would like to encourage artists and all creators who depend on their art to approach these wonderful institutions for support. They are there for us!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Scars from Nature



Amazing camping . Scars from Nature


My Latest tapestry














Last fall, after participating in the 13 Moons International Exhibit in Gatineau, we had the opportunity to spend some family time together with my kids and my husband camping in a wonderful site . There, not only the wilderness of the place was fascinating due to the exuberant deep thick forest, but also for the many different creatures and living species growing around.


It was in one of those hikes that my daughter Sofia decided to make a stop and take a picture. She was amazed about these yellow fungus growing here and there

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She called to show us the picture she took. The hike kept on going with random pictures from here and there.

On our return, I was really happy to see that she not only has a view for choosing interesting views and different things through the lens, but also to notice she has such an artistic sense of composition.


The image of the fungus was really interesting. The intricate interior of a burned tree created some scars that only time and weather are able to create.

Thanks to the support of the Ontario Arts Council I was able to have assistance in the weaving of this tapestry. Here is Yamile Roa, member of the Canadian Tapestry Network, the Tapestry Studio, the HGA of America and the Oakville Handweavers and Spinners Guild.

Thank you for your help, especially now that I have been under cortisone in my right elbow due to tendinitis.

This tapestry was interesting to weave especially for the different materials used. Specialty yarns where carefully selected and the colours we obtained were so interesting.