- sink ‘n sour - 2009 industrial woven blanket with embroidered edge cotton, mohair, viscose, acrylic (Detail)
van der Harst is a textile-based artist who works with crochet, knitting, jacquard weaving (above) and mixed media, creating art pieces, wearables and furniture. The artist’s approach is at once experimental, playful and poetic. Her images woven in jacquard were particularly arresting.
WOODigit involves the control of over a hundred wooden units which, by moving to different heights, display numerals as in a programmed system. Instead of using microchips and electronic circuits to program, the mechanism had been woven as a big matrix with threads, and supported by a specially designed wooden structure and pulley system. The use of wood as a material and the loom-like structure of this piece refer to the renowned Jacquard Loom. The Jacquard loom with its punch-card system, used to store programs for complicated weaving patterns, inspired early computing machinery.
Lynne et Vincent: Aimez-vous les uns les autres | Louise Lemieux Berube
Visiting Artist Talk | Louise Lemieux Bérubé
March 19, 2010 | 6:30 PM
Stanford Perrott Lecture Theatre | ACAD
Reception | Main Mall | ACAD | 6:00 PM
The Alberta College of Art + Design Fibre Department is pleased to present an artist talk by internationally recognized pioneer of Jacquard weaving and co-founder of the Montreal Centre for Contemporary Textiles, Louise Lemieux Bérubé.
This talk is part of the Fibre Department’s annual “Fibre Fortnight” events. Please join us before the talk for a reception at 6:00 pm in the main mall. Following the talk there will be an opportunity for final bids before the closing of the Miniature Show Silent Auction at 8:30 pm. The Fibre Department gratefully acknowledges the support of the ACAD Visiting Artist Fund and the generous contributions of students, alumni and faculty who contributed to last year’s Miniature Show Silent Auction.
ALL ARE WELCOME. ADMISSION IS FREE.
To learn more about Louise Lemieux Berube, visit her WEBSITE
Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Maison des métiers d’art de Québec, a school of applied arts in Quebec City offering courses in ceramics, textile design and sculpture. I was given a tour of the school by it’s director, Carole Baillargeon.
Ceramics studio
The school offers a Techniques de métiers d’art professional training program, leading to a Diploma of College Studies in partnership with CEGEP Lemoilou.
Sculpture studio for stone carving
Students are encouraged to develop technical and artistic skill in an environment that fosters entrepreneurship and professional practice. The daylight-flooded studios are well equipped and open to graduates for a time after school to provide much needed support as they transition into a career as an artisan/creator.
Artist J. Penney Burton working in her studio during her June residency at MMAQ (Burton’s Piece Flax into Gold is currently exhibited in Lieux de Memoire, part of the Biennale international du lin)
The school also offers a residency program available to both young artists and established professionals from Canada and abroad. Residencies take place from September to June from 4 to 6 weeks in duration. Proposals may be submitted anytime.
Workshop assistant and centre graduate Dahlia Milon prepares a warp on one of the facility’s two Jacquard looms.
Today I had the opportunity to visit the Montreal Centre for Contemporary Textiles with colleague Nancy Price. We were given a tour of this dynamic center of education and innovation by its director, artist and educator Louise Lemieux Berubé. Berubé and Régine Mainberger a fellow textile artist founded the centre in the early 1990`s. Acquiring its first Jacquard loom in 1996, the MCCT became one of the first North American educational institutions offering access to this technology, earning international attention.
Samples displayed in the Jacquard design classroom
The centre offers a three year college diploma program of textile design centered around Jacquard and multi-harness weaving and knitting for commercial production and personal expression. Remarkably, the studios remain available to graduates for a time after graduation to support the development of their professional work.
Samples displayed in the knitting studio
In addition to the diploma program, the centre also offers courses in Jacquard design to textile artists. The looms (and the hard-working technicians) at the centre are almost perpetually occupied weaving designs sent from artists around the globe.
Luckily our visit coincided with a display of work by graduating students that will be on display until July 2, 2009.
Mélanie Champagne’s machine-knitted, fulled wearables are at once elegant and surprising.
To see more images, or to learn more about The Montreal Centre for Contemporary Textiles, visit their website
Poplar Gallery.Online
CARE Canada
