Canadian SDA Members show in Art Square Gallery, Toronto Ontario

Jade Coast Arbutus by Donna Fay Digance detail

Edge of the Forest is a touring exhibition of a selection of work by Canadian members of the surface Design Association.

Enchanted by Leslie Barnes.  detail

 53 artists are included from across the wide country.  An excellent website shows images of every piece along with statement and biography of each of the artists.

Brown Totem by Anni Hunt  (detail)

A wide variety of techniques (felting, stitching, dyeing, weaving, printing etc) were used by the artists to express the theme.  The curators were looking for thoughtful communication, visual excitement and strong design expressed through strong technique.

Attentive Heart by Kelly Bruton  detail

After the show in Art Square Gallery, Toronto, the exhibition will move to  the John M Parrot Gallery in Belleville, Ontario for June and then on to Newfoundland in August.  It will remain in the Gros Morne area until October 18 as a key part of the  Fibre Art Newfoundland conference.

A Tree Falls by Eleanor Hannan (detail)  

The curator/organizers of the exhibition are Melanie Siegel and Sheila Thompson with help from Rikki Blitt.  The jurors were Joe Lewis, Rachel Miller and Line Dufour.

Living in the Trees by Robin Wiltse (detail)

Judith e Martin judged the exhibition in March.

Sanctuary by Gloria S Daly  

The award of excellence went to Gloria S. Daly for Sanctuary, a piece made from re-purposed blanket and blanket pieces, organza and cotton threads.

Daly's art challenges the accepted need to find beauty in what is new, it asks the viewer to look for the inner beauty within the old and used.  The textiles that Gloria creates are labour intensive and thought provoking as they explore the relationship between yesterday's discarded cloth and today's philosophy of recycling.  Gloria's hand stitching is an expression of personal commitment to each individual piece.

It was a difficult show to judge as there were many strong pieces with differences in techniques.   Congratulations to every artist selected and to the edge of the Forest team for a job well done.

What made Gloria's stand out?  The simplicity of the cross archetype shape grounds the design and draws the viewer from across the room.  Close inspection of the mix of interesting stitches and multiple layers that the artist placed with care and consideration is a reward for heart and mind.  Impeccable workmanship throughout, including the finishing.  Everything in this piece invites and deserves contemplation.

The opening reception is Wednesday April 22.
Please plan to attend if you are able to.

Edge of the Forest

A travelling exhibition of work by Canadian members of the International Surface Design Association opens March 11 at the Richmond Hill Centre of the Performing Arts, Toronto Ontario Canada.

53 Artists from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland are in the exhibition.  Rachel Miller, head of textiles at Sheridan college, Toronto, Line Dufour master weaver, and Joe Lewis, writer about textile art, juried the exhibition.

The  artists juried into the exhibition are:

Anni Hunt  

Judi Alexander

Marci Horswill

Lois McArthur

Eleanor Hannan

Judi MacCleod

Jennifer Love

Laura Feelus

Jean Cockburn

Robin Wiltse

Lilly Thorne

Deborah Dumka

Patt Wilson

Bryony Dunsmore

Gloria Daly

Connie Chapman

Shamina Senaratne

Linda Coe

Joanna Rogers

Morag Orr-Stevens

Thomas Roach

Lesley Turner

Terry Phillips

Katie Stein Sather

Jill Sullivan

Donna-Fay Digance

Susasn Fae Haglund

Lorraine Ross

Diane Duncan

Terri Illingworth

Leslie Barnes

Mahira Murad

Siri McCormick

Wendy Klotz

Janet Scruggs

Donna Stockdale

Hilary Johnstone

Gwen Klypak

Leila Olfert

Ingrid Lincoln

Amanda Onchulenko

Mary Kroetsch

Jenny Iserman

Maggie Vanderweit

Barbara Goldstein

Mita Giacomini

Lorraine Roy

Pat Loucks

Kay Stanfield

Wilma Butts

Kelly Jane Bruton

Rikki Blitt, Melanie Siegel and Sheila Thomson formed an Edge of the Forest team and organized this exhibition.

Melanie Siegel and Sheila Thomson also each have a piece in the exhibition (curator's circle).

As well as two venues in Toronto and one in Belleville Ontario, the show travels to Newfoundland in August to be exhibited in Gros Morne national park.  It will remain in Gros Morne until October 18 as one of the major exhibits of the Fibre arts Newfoundland conference.  The team hopes that the exhibition will continue to travel across Canada well into 2016.

Judy Martin was asked to choose one piece for the award of excellence.  (nearly an impossible task)
She chose Sanctuary, by Gloria Daly of Duncan B.C.

"I have made my choice after much careful looking and consideration.Gloria Daly's piece, Sanctuary, is a very strong piece.  
The simplicity of the archetypal cross shape grounds the design, and draws the viewer from across the room.  Close inspection of the mix of interesting stitches and multiple layers that the artist placed with care and consideration is a reward for heart and mind.  Impeccable workmanship throughout, including the finishing.
Everything in this piece invites and deserves contemplation.
So many of the pieces were strong in this exhibition.  Congratulations to all the artists and to the organizers.Judy Martin

There is an amazing website about the Edge of the Forest exhibition with each artists's statement about and an image of their Edge piece .  Links to all the artists' websites are also included.  Click here for the Edge of the Forest website. 

Stitches Across Time opens September 12 2014

The  national juried exhibition, Stitches Across Time, opens Friday September 12, 2014 at the Dufferin County Museum.
Judith e Martin was one of the jurors.  The other two jurors were Dorie Millerson and Judith Tinkl.
Jurors were invited to exhibit one piece each in the show, and Duet (shown here) is the piece that Martin will be showing.  Hand Stitching on previously worked vintage table linen.

Artists were challenged to respond in a contemporary way to one of six textile pieces in the museum's permanent collection.    Images of the inspirational works can be seen at this link.

Here is a list of artist that will have work included this year.  Awards will be announced at the opening.  7 pm,  September 12, at the Dufferin county museum.   The show will continue until November 9, 2014

Zelie Burke

Victoria Carley

Elizabeth Evans

Jane Fournie

Marion Gallaugher

Bonnie Glass

Linda Horner

Jennifer James

Minda Johnson

Valerie Knapp

Mary Kroetsch

Lilian Kruip

Deborah Livingston-Lowe

Elena Losseva

Casey Loucks

Josette Luyckx

Manuela Marhsall

Peggy Mersereau

Rosemary Molesworth

Trish Nicholson

Jennifer Osborn

Melanie Siegel

Jennifer Smith-Windsor

Evelyn Ward de Roo

Catharine Wilson

Sorrow and Loss by Victoria Carley, Best of Show award

Dufferin County Museum
936029 Airport Road
Mulmur Ontario
1 877 941 7787
for more info about the gallery and a map detailing where it is.  click here.

Heritage Alive

Manitoulin Barn (1)  April Martin 2014
Ceramic with earthenware glaze
slab construction, kiln fired

Manitoulin Barn (2) April Martin 2014
Ceramic with earthenware glaze
slab construction, kiln fired

Manitoulin Barn 3 (April Martin 2014
Ceramic with earthenware glaze
slab construction, kiln fired

Manitoulin Barn (1detail) April Martin 2014
Ceramic with earthenware glaze
slab construction, kiln fired


Heritage Alive is a judged exhibition of local art held every year in the Centennial Museum of Sheguiandah, Manitoulin Island.   Judith e Martin was one of the judges this year.  The other judge was Joyce Young.  The curator, Heidi Ferguson, stepped in to judge mixed media along with Joyce (Judith declared conflict) and photography along with Judith (Joyce declared conflict).  The museum staff chose the Heritage award.  All other awards were decided by Joyce and Judy.

Two of April's three barns were entered into exhibition.  (#2 and #3 above) They both won awards, see below for complete list.


The 21st Heritage Alive opens to the public Thursday July 31 at 7 pm. Awards will be announced, refreshments will be served.  It is a good exhibition, containing pastel, acrylic, watercolour, and oil paintings, as well as beautiful photographs of the area.   Most of the items are for sale.  The exhibit remains open until August 30.
Centennial Museum of Sheguiandah  

Monday- Wednesday- 9:00-4:30
  Telephone: 705 368 2367

Update August 2:

Best of Show - Sue Lampinen for Ten Mile Point View
Best pastel - Sue Lampinen for Ten Mile Point View
Best acrylic - Gail Meehan for Dancing Flowers
Best watercolour - Pauline Tofflemire for Frosty Morning
Best oil - Patti Johnstone for Weather Worn
Best photograph -  Claire Lefebvre for Model T Ford
Best pencil drawing - Paulette Soganich for Mr. Finch's Barn
Best mixed media - April Martin for Manitoulin Barn 2
Best youth - Quintin McGregor for Snow Shadow Express
Best first time exhibitor - Judith Kenigson for Horsehair Pot
Curator's choice - Paulette Stewart for Grace Lake
Staff Favourite - Beth Bouffard for Bagel Breakfast al fresco

Heritage award - April Martin for Manitoulin Barn 3

Opening of Threadworks 2013

Judy e Martin spoke at the opening of Threadworks 2013 on April 28.  The exhibition continues until June 9 at the Wellington County Museum and Archives.


above video by Evelyn Ward de Roo

Details below of  just three of the 58 artworks made with needle and thread on the theme of Water.

 But Will It Hold Water? by Evelyn Ward de Roo, juror's award

Spring Thaw by Tracey Lawko, award for free motion embroidery                              

Sirens by Mary Kroetsch,

Threadworks 2013 ~ WATER

Threadworks Juried Traveling Show 2013

April 20 to June 9

Opening reception and awards ceremony: April 28, 1 - 4 pm

Wellington County Museum

0536 County Road 18

Fergus, Ontario

519 846 0916

Judy Martin is one of the jurors for this national show of needlework created by members of guilds associated with the Ontario Network of Needleworkers (ONN) and/or any Canadian residents. All entries will be juried on site at the museum and need to arrive there before April 8 with a completed entry form.  There are 7awards.  The other jurors are William Hodge and Sylvia Naylor

Fresh Water Art Show
Last night I judged the
paintings and photographs
in this art show
sponsored by Manitoulin Streams.

There were forty five artworks
and the quality in every single
one of them was very high.


Mary Nelder and Moira Elsley
were the other judges.
On view for the last two weeks of August at the Providence Bay Interpretive Centre.

Heritage Alive Art Show
The Centennial Museum
at Sheguiandah

August 6 - Sept 9


I was one of the judges for
this exhibition of local art.
There were over a hundred pieces,
and the quality is very high.

The other two jurors were
Peter Bering and Patti Johnstone.

The Stars Above My Head
mixed media 2009

On Monday June 22, I was a juror for the LaCloche Art Show. Heidi Ferguson and Nancy Gareh were my co-jurors for the fine arts. It was humbling and exhausting to examine the nearly three hundred pieces of art. Krista Talenko and Greg Taylor juried the photography.

The show opens
to the public on July 4.

Because I am the LaCloche Art Show's distinguished artist for 2009 there will also be a small solo exhibition of my newest work.

Moi
mixed media collage

I was a juror today
for the LaCloche
Art Exhibition
July 4 to July 14
Whitefish Falls
Ontario. Linda
Finn and Beth
Bouffard were co-
jurors. We looked
at over 200 pieces
of art and decided
on 26 awards.


Beth is this year's
LaCloche
distinguished artist.

Self

I was a judge for the President's
Challenge of the Island Quilters
Guild. The awards presentation was
June 19, 2008 at their
year end dinner meeting.

I made decisions for three
awards which were hand
made by president
Myrna Ferguson. Her
challenge was to make
something new out of
something old.

All eleven participants received
an honourable mention.
Beauty
Colour
Meaning
Originality, etc.
The work on a whole
was very creative.