Thursday, January 31, 2019

Tiny Textiles!

One of the most exciting parts of putting together the Pre-Shrunk show is the variety of works that are submitted. While size and format are the two major criteria that must be met, there are no guidelines or rules regarding materials. We received numerous submissions this year that incorporated textile materials and techniques to create imaginative and playful works.

The Pre-Shrunk show is not limited only to paintings, so we thought we'd share with you some amazing works in the show this year that use fibres instead of paint!

Dorothyanne Brown is one artist who used various types of fibres to create colorful works with great contrast in textures. She is able to create a lot of depth in these works with the variety of fine and chunkier fibers.

Dorothyanne Brown, Frida, 4" x 5",  Embroidery on Linen, Wool, Velvet, Metal Thread

Dorothyanne Brown, Pablo's Wife, 4' x 5", Embroidery on Linen, Glass Beads

Dorothyanne Brown, Brad, 4" x 5", Embroidery on Linen, Horsehair


Lisa Hulbert is another artist who incorporated embroidery into her work. Her lovely floral works are so delicate, and created with a warm and pleasing color palette. The fabric is mounted on thick wood panel with a rich brown wood stain; this adds a modern edge and contrast.



Lisa Hulbert, 02, 4" x 5", Embroidery on Fabric, Mounted on Wood Panel

Lisa Hulbert, 03, 4" x 5", Embroidery on Fabric, Mounted on Wood Panel

We love this whale embroidered by artist Katie Ryan! The imaginative and decorative details add such a nice touch. Can you spot the night sky, stormy waves, and the tiny sailboat?! :)

Katie Ryan, Whale, 4" x 5", Embroidery Floss on Fabric, mounted

Artist Amanda Nicholson put a very creative spin on the 4" x 5" size restriction by using an appropriately-sized base to support her mini upholstered chairs! We love the fabric she used to cover the chairs so much...we wish they were human-sized!!

Amanda Nicholson, Red Chair, Foam Board, Fabric, Balsa Wood, Painted 4" x 5" Wood Base

Amanda Nicholson, Blue Chair, Foam Board, Fabric, Balsa Wood, Painted 4" x 5" Wood Base

Textile-based artist Tacha Reed used hand-dyed wool to create topographic views of NS. What a neat idea!
Tacha Reed, Nova Scotia at Low Tide, Hand-Dyed Wool, mounted

Tacha Reed, Unama'Ki, Hand-Dyed Wool, mounted

Yoko White's use of embroidery thread and ink on cotton fabric creates a unique contrast that feels clean and modern. The ink creates an illustrative style, while the colored embroidery thread adds texture and juxtaposes the natural world against the built environment. We posted more of Yoo's fantastic work in yesterday's post!

Yoko White, Pier 21, Caligraphy Ink, Embroidery Floss on Cotton
Last but definitely not least, Mindy Harris! Mindy brilliantly combines painting and embroidery. She applies watercolor onto canvas to achieve subtle color washes, and works over top with embroidery thread, leaving some areasof paint fully exposed, while fully stitching over others. Her women of sci-fi series is just incredible. A must see!!


Mindy Harris, You Can't Take The Sky From Me, 4" x 5", Embroidery and Watercolour on Canvas


Mindy Harris, The Truth Is Out There, 4" x 5",  Embroidery and Watercolour on Canvas

Mindy Harris, Set Phasers To Stun, 4" x 5", Embroidery and Watercolour on Canvas


If you haven't made it down to the gallery yet to see the show, you still have  a bit of time! In the meantime, you can view all the works online HERE. We're trying our best to keep the album updated with what has sold...and as you can see, pieces are selling fast. Take a browse!:)