Last year I joined the local Fibreshed which is a group of local folk centered on using regional materials for making textiles. I'm excited to learn more about planting my own natural dyes, among other things. We spent last year reforming and planning this year’s events, and those events are now coming up!
I'm hosting a couple of them including this Sunday's studio visit and weaving skill-share in my Madeira Park studio. April 28th, 12886 Dogwood Drive Madeira Park, 1pm-4pm. Come!
We also have a series of skill-shares coming up at @sunshinecoastarts, in collaboration with @theonlyanimaltheatre who have a residency there from May-July. On May 26th you can find us there mending, taught by @ravensthread, as well as planting a natural dye garden with @tinyislandtextiles. Then on June 16th we will be 'Making Weaving Combs with Workwork Waste' with me and my loom-making waste. Come!
Are you interested in getting to know local makers, or learning how to use local materials for making textiles? Come to any of these free events which are all open to the public.
Below is the Sunshine Coast Fibreshed’s most recent newsletter.
JOIN THE FREE SUNSHINE COAST FIBRESHED NEWSLETTER HERE
Upcoming Sunshine Coast Fibreshed Events
Sunshine Coast Fibreshed invites you to two series of events beginning this spring. All of these events are free and open to the public. We hope to see you there!
Member Studios Tours
Join us in a series of Sunshine Coast studio visits, where host artists present about their work and offer a demonstration of a textile technique that they use in their practice.
In our first studio visit at Janna Maria's weaving studio in Madeira Park, attendees are invited to try their hand at tapestry weaving on mini looms. All materials are provided.
Weaving with Janna Maria
Sunday April 28th
12886 Dogwood Drive
Madeira Park BC
1pm-4pm
No registration required
About Janna Maria
I am an interdisciplinary artist working primarily within the media of botanical dyeing, tapestry weaving, and woodworking. In 2008 I attended Capilano University’s Textile Art diploma program, and then in 2013 graduated with distinction from Concordia University (Montreal), earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fibres and Material Practices.
In 2016 I returned with my family to the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia and as my son entered kindergarten I launched Everlea Yarn Co, a specialty online shop offering my handcrafted looms and naturally dyed yarns for knitting and weaving, as well as online classes. I look forward to welcoming you to my studio!
Save These Dates for Future Studio Tours:
Nicola Hodges at the Maiwa Natural Dye Garden on Sunday July 21st
Catherine Nicholls on Sunday November 24th
Textile Art Skill-Shares at the Sunshine Coast Arts Center
In collaboration with The Only Animal during their three-month residency at Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, present a series of artist-led textile skill-shares there.
About The Only Animal
The Only Animal (TOA) creates immersive art that arises from a deep engagement with place and people. Our work seeks to re/connect our human nature with Nature and forge new ways of understanding how to be on earth.
Our primary activities are interdisciplinary, slow and process-led. We strive to make art in a way that is sustainable, joyful and treads lightly on the earth, focussing on diverse climate perspectives to address the unequal impacts of climate.
Mending and Planting a Natural Dye Garden
Sunday May 26th 1pm-4pm
Sunshine Coast Arts Center
5714 Medus St, Sechelt
Mending with Catherine Nicholls
Drop-in: 1pm-3pm
Mending can be so much more than just patching a hole! Catherine will introduce participants to the simple, practical skills required to repair textiles and how to turn those simple stitches into an art form that is both decorative and functional. Participants are encouraged to bring along a favourite clean piece of clothing or household textile they would like to mend, or try a little stitching using Catherine's collection of pre-loved fabrics.
About Catherine Nicholls
Catherine lives and works in Gibsons, B.C. and draws inspiration from the natural world, her travels and the people she meets along the way. Stories, legends and the history of people, place and culture are the creative raw materials for themed exhibitions worldwide.
Catherine’s work is developed through painting, drawing and collage usually on paper. This careful planning and exploration of ideas allows a more liberated and intuitive approach when it comes to fabric, paint and mixed media techniques.
She works on paper and fabric with discharge, dyeing, drawing, painting and printing. Textile pieces are then densely stitched either by hand or machine and often both.
Catherine has exhibited in North America and Europe individually and as a member of SiX and is one third of thr3fold journal, “the journal of creative vision” and various pieces tour Europe on an ongoing basis. Teaching has formed a large part of her daily life, with workshops in locations around the world in patchwork and quilting techniques, sketchbooks and journaling, life drawing, design and other passions.
Natural Dye Garden Planting Party with Nicola Hodges
Drop in: 2pm-4pm
Sunshine Coast Arts Center
5714 Medusa St, Sechelt
Come plant a natural dye garden with the Sunshine Coast Fibreshed and The Only Animal. Nicola Hodges will lead folks through the process of planting a variety of natural dye plants around the Sunshine Coast Art Centre grounds. Come lend a hand to dig, plant, water and chat all things plant/dye, and take home an extra dye plant or two when you're done!
Everyone welcome! We recommend bringing garden gloves and a small shovel if you have them, and wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty in.
About Nicola Hodges
Nicola Hodges is a textile artist and gardener based in xwesam (roberts creek). Her work involves growing and tending many different kinds of plants for dye, cloth and basketry. She currently runs The Maiwa Natural Dye Garden, studying dye plants and the viability of growing dye crops in this bio-region, for Maiwa Handprints.
Save these dates for Sunshine Coast Fibreshed + The Only Animal at the Sunshine Coast Arts Center:
Sunday June 16th 1pm-3pm
Make a Weaving Comb from Woodwork Waste with Janna Maria
Sunday August 18th times TBA
Sheep to Swatch. Learn from us about processing wool from sheep fleece to knitted, woven or felted swatches and everything in between.
Disclaimer: Everlea Yarn Co products are not fibreshed certified. I am, however, on the Sunshine Coast Fibreshed Board of Directors, and am excited to learn more planting my own natural dyes and using more Canadian wool in my business.
