Seventy Thousand Curtains, New Art Group

Atefeh Khas, (one of the artists in the ongoing exhibition (Re)Fashioning Fibre)  is a member of New Arts Group, a collective of Iranian artists working in a variety of media including performance, environmental art and photography. Collaborative projects between members of the group often include all three. Members travel the country creating work in the natural landscape with gentle interventions that are both thoughtful and thought provoking. I encourage you to check out their blog for more information HERE (the link for older blog posts is in the bottom left-most corner of the page.)

Green Carpet

I have just set a few jars in the sun to extract dye from walnut hulls and two Japanese dyes (names coming soon…) I purchased on my recent trip to Japan. I am experimenting with solar-extraction of dyes in order to decrease the amount of energy consumed in the dyeing process. This will work well for the walnuts, but I am considering constructing some kind of solar-oven for the others as they will likely require higher temperatures – both for extraction and the actual dyeing process.

As some of you may already know, natural dyeing processes are eco-friendly in certain aspects – they are often sourced from local, weedy and quick-growing plants for example. Other elements of the process however, like chemical mordants used to fix/alter colour and the consumption of both energy and water make them not much safer or sustainable than some chemical dyes.

It is my goal from this point to use as little energy and water as possible in my studio practice . (Yes using more locally sourced plant dyes is a logical next step, but you try and resist the temptation of Tanaka Nao Dyes in Kyoto!) Of course I realize that the overall impact of my small studio on the planet is minimal, even when I am using buckets of water and running the hotplates all day. I do feel however that any of us undertaking a materials based practice ought to consider not only the impact of our production on local ecologies, but also the conceptual relevance of care and mindful action in any studio utilizing the gifts of the natural world.

Assuming you arent all out gardening and enjoying the sunshine (it really is beautiful out there today!) I would love to hear from you. How relevant is it to you that your studio practice be ecologically sustainable? Have any strategies or tips for the rest of us? I would love to hear from you! The best responses will be collected for a future blog post…

For more images from my studio click HERE

City of Craft (in partnership with the Ontario Craft Council) is seeking submissions for a group exhibition that will take place at the Ontario Craft Council Gallery as a part of City of Craft’s 2010 off-site programming.  City of Craft is Toronto’s largest independent craft sale and weekend-long event featuring craft-based installations, free workshops, and craft-related programming.

This year’s exhibition will explore the broad relationship craft and crafting has with commerce.  Craft(ing) is currently a multi-billion dollar industry.  From mainstream craft media personalities and the DIY Network to hipster how-to guides, mega craft fairs and fabric designers du jour, the commercial nature of the contemporary “crafting” movement often seems to starkly contrast the idea of crafting for necessity from days gone by.  On the other hand, there are people who turn to craft and craft processes for a sense of transcendence and autonomy.  Many would argue that there is more of a need to craft for crafts sake now than ever– either to re-skill ourselves for an uncertain future, or simply to learn to slow down.

Are money and craft strange (or natural) bedfellows?  How does craft transcend issues of commerce?  How do you navigate or perceive the dichotomy of craft for love/craft for money?  Work that addresses any facet of the above ideas is welcomed as a submission.  Submissions of fine craft, indie craft and art are encouraged.

Love and Money is curated and coordinated by Tara Bursey.

An online application for Love and Money can be found on the City of Craft website.

http://www.cityofcraft.com/2010/cityofcraft/loveandmoney/call.html

Submission Deadline:  Sunday, August 15th

Waiting, a new work by Elis Vermeulen is part of a land art exhibition Belgium Park Puyenbroeck in Wachtebeke.

35 visual artists will be exhibiting there from the 10^th of july till the 30st of September. The park is open from 9 in the morning till dusk.

Visit the artist’s website HERE

Artist Dorie Millerson’s “Streetcar” is on display in the Queen Specific window at 787 Queen Street West in Toronto. The gallery is essentially a small display window next to Dufflet Pastries and is always open. If you’re in the neighbourhood, pop by and get yourself a pastry next door!

“Car,” another piece by Millerson is currently on display in “Fiberart International 2010″ at the Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh and will be traveling to Rochester, NY and San Francisco, CA in 2011. 

www.doriemillerson.com

Jeremy Wood, Nine Years of Mowing

Although this exhibition closes Tuesday, it bears posting…

Tenderpixel is pleased to welcome back Jeremy Wood. Over the past ten years GPS artist Jeremy Wood has pioneered the act of drawing and mapping with satellite navigation technology by treating himself as a geodesic pencil. His everyday journeys are compiled to map his whereabouts and present a personal cartography that reveals a unique and detailed interaction with space and time. READ MORE

Read a review HERE

“Blackout” by Jang-Oh Hong opens June 26th…

‘Do not watch the waves.’ Is an installation which is made for a solo exhibit in the foot of the Abbey’s bell tower in Middelburg, the highest building in town. It is made of handmade felt, wood and ropes. The pillows and blankets inside the boat are handmade felt pieces made of raw fleeces of different breeds of sheep.

My name is Elis Vermeulen, I live in the Netherlands and work as a visual artist. My main medium is handmade felt which I use to make my installation and also in landart pieces and objects.

The great thing about working on installations is that you work with a building, you make the building part of the installation and the installation part of the building. The light that comes through the three high windows of the Abbey’s bell tower highlights the lines of the ropes and the texture of the felt. They work well together.

If you would like more information about me or my work and upcoming exhibits, just take a look at my site www.elisv.nl or http://elisvermeulen.wordpress.com

submitted by Elis Vermeulen

You are invited to view Maternal Lineage, an exhibition of knitted work by Dana Buzzee. “In Maternal Lineage artist Dana Buzzee stitches together the lives of the women in her genealogy. Using knitting, Buzzee investigates their identities and histories.

Fake Mourning by Meichen Waxer continues in gallery2 until July 30, 2010.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS | Poplar Gallery.Online is currently accepting proposals for exhibitions of original work. Craftspeople, artists, curators and studio collectives are encouraged to submit proposals. For information on how to submit your work contact curator Mackenzie Frere at info@mackenziefrere.com