The Quinte Arts Council’s Expressions biennial juried show + sale

 

I have been accepted to Quinte Arts Council 2021 Expression, biennial juried art show + sale.

Thank you to jurors Valerie Kent and Bill Reddick for awarding my piece, Discovering the Garden, the Craft Ontario Community Award. This piece is made from materials found in my garden. The frame is made from branches and grape vines. The paper is handmade from grass, milkweed bast fibers, milkweed fluff, cattail fluff, and corn husk.

The show will be at the Parrot Gallery in Belleville from July 15 to August 12 and will be both live and virtual.

My New Home

The is first sculpture I made after moving into my new home in Foxboro. Branches were collected, cleaned, and fasten with cotton string. The paper is handmade from milkweed fibers. It is currently hung in my living room.

 

Turning my sugettas into a "pour mold"

I converted my sugettas onto a "pour mold" by clipping the frames together. In this case, with corn husks fibers, it worked really well since I don't have enough fibers to fill an entire vat. This method also gives me greater control over sheet formation.

Once the frames are clipped together, I dip the mold into the vat and allow it to float. Pulp is added and evenly spread out with my fingers. Once I am happy with the sheet, I lift the mold out, drain, and transfer the sheet to the couching station.

If you don't have enough fibers to fill a vat, give this method a try. Happy papermaking!

Cooking corn husk fibers

Finally, after moving, I have some time to cook a batch of corn husk to make paper in the morning. These were frozen in the summer.

Floating Concert — Passages at Dusk

Happiness

Happiness, 2017

This sculpture is made from milkweed fibers, yellow dogwood (from my brother-in-law's garden), and a branch I found in my garden.

Harvesting milkweeds

Harvested some milkweeds on the way back from the mailbox yesterday evening. Off to collect some more for paper making!

Papermaking with Plants at Langstaff S.S.

As part of my Artist In Education 2015-2016 program with the Ontario Arts Council, students made paper from plants to use in their lanterns. Students made paper from milkweeds, cedar, and daffodil fibers.

Student stripping cedar fiber for papermaking

Papermaking station set-up

Sheet forming

Milkweed paper is brushed on to a flat surface to dry

Daffodil paper 

Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville 2nd Annual Art in the Park award

Thank-you Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville for awarding me first place at the 2nd Annual Art in the Park. It was a great event and I look forward to it next year.

Witchchurch-Stouffille Art in the Park 2016

Fall Forest Festival Celebrate Art In the Forest

I'm currently harvesting various fibres for paper making, and making new sculptures for the upcoming York Region's Fall Forest Festival Celebrate Art In the Forest. This show aligns beautifully with my works — creating organic light sculptures with natural materials.

Aside from displaying my light sculptures, I will also do a demo on the process of making a light sculpture. More detail of the festival can be found here.