Among The Garbage and the Flowers

Winter, cast-off fabrics, Susan Avishai

Autumn, cast-off fabrics, Susan Avishai

               Susan Avishai curated this exhibition, and gathered eleven
                                    artists who work with re-purposed textiles.    

Connecting with reclaimed material lets me connect to it on a deepr level, appreciating its history, finding in it a medium for suprisingly novel and even whimsical art.  Susan Avishai

Afflicted, scissors with assembled found objects, Carole Baillargeon

Bereaved, scissors wrapped with fabric and found objects, Carole Baillargeon

Carole Baillargeon on right, with her wrapped hand tools

Dark colours suggest the transient state that is mourning.  My penchant for recycling and up-cycling stems from a sensitive consideration for my environment and a caring attitude towards people.  Carole Baillargeon

ancient history, found materials, Sonia Jacyk-Bukata

ancient history side b, found materials, Sonia Jacyk-Bukata

found materials stitched into a kimono shape, Sonia Jacyk-Bukata

Sonia Jacyk-Bukata detail

The concept of Boro, the Japanese term for rags completely mesmerized me and resonated with my tendency to collage, both with textiles and with paper.  Sonia Jacyk-Bukata

what happens in bed, poem blankets, Judith e Martin

what happens in bed, old blankets with embroidered found text, Judy Martin

Judith E Martin detail

My idea was that when I came across a poem about something that happens in bed, I would embroider it onto an old blanket.  Turns out, they are all love poems.  Judith e Martin

Act of Fortification 3, abandoned doily, old darning wool, Amy Meissner

Act of Fortification 4, abandoned doily and wool thread, Amy Meissner

Act of Fortification 1, Amy Meissner

Through my slow, intentional practice, I scratch at the history of women's work, unraveling expectations of protection, warmth and the ideal domestic, often referencing the quilt form for its narrative heft and ability to couch the painful, uncomfortable or frightening within the punch of stitch -- an act of cutting apart, then piecing one's self back together.  Amy Meissner

Hockey Landscape, Pearly Watson Go Home, recycled hockey gear, Liz Pead

Hockey Landscape, The Quarry Fields at Chatsworth, recycled hockey gear, Liz Pead

Whether a traditional pattern woven into a blanket of the finest Canadian Wool, or a landscape painting rendered in recycled hockey gear, the materials I am engaged with are very important to their history and my own choices.  Liz Pead

Swedish Death Cleaning work, recycled artist clothing, stuffed,, Leisa Rich

I created these objects out of clothes as a cathartic way of using up those garments that didn't fit me any longer, as a talisman to remind me that excess anything is not good for the body or soul.  Leisa Rich

slice of life, felt with vintage fabrics, Melanie Siegel

slice of life, detail, Melanie Siegel

Cover Me, repurposed felt and old fabrics, Melanie Siegel

In the manipulating of the textile medium I aim to evoke a sensory experience that resonates and contemplates the beauty of nature.  Melanie Siegel

left, Melanie Siegel, right, Ghost Rope by Sandra Smirle, 

ghost rope vessels, retrieved marine rope, Sandra Smirle

Re-using rope or "ghost rope" that has been retrieved after being discarded at sea, and transforming it into organically shaped, anthropomorphised objects, this body of work addresses consumerism and its consequences on our ocean's health - and thereby, our own- perhaps opening a dialogue about humans' impact on the Earth's climate and natural ecosystems.  Sandra Smirle

pandemic #3, denim mined series, recycled denim, Judith Tinkl

pandemic #2, denim mined series, recycled denim, Judith Tinkl

I am a great respecter of tactile intelligence, the ability of physical skill and intuitive thinking to be fine-tuned to express many aspects of creativity.  Words, though very important, are only one way in which intelligence can be manifested.  Judith Tinkl

Patterns, copper and textiles, Alice Vander Vennen

Reimagining the familiar, my contemporary compositions invite connection with ancient wisdom and diverse stories.  Alice Vander Vennen
 

These photos were taken during the August 5 opening reception at the textile museum in Almonte Ontario.  The show continues until October 7, 2023.   The artist’s statements are from the catalog, available for $20 from the MVTM gift store.