Saydie Bronfman Award Winner – 2024 – Fine Craft Artist
Category: News
Installation
No matter what happens in my life, nature is a source of inspiration, of energy and of spiritual nourishment. Trees, with their strength and their silent presence, inspire me, comfort me and provide me with vitality, stability and peace. Sometimes, faced with the ugly realities of our world, I dream of being a tree.
This year, I was invited by two friends (Pierre Tessier, sculptor and Suzanne Ricard, glass artist) to be one of the two selected artists for 2015 to create an installation in the park they have created. By planting enough trees to make a forest, they have made a place of creation and exhibition of permanent works both International and Quebec Artists. Since 2000 the park has hosted sculptures by one or two artists each year. The other artist selected this year was born in India and has been a long term Quebec settler.
This installation is intended as a link between the different stages of my creative career and the inspirational approaches that feeds them,. They are as important as each other: photo taking, composition, processing of digital images, data transfer up to a woven document.
Having been invited by two friends (Pierre Tessier, sculptor and Suzanne Ricard, glass artist) who, in 20 years, planted enough trees to make a forest that has become a place of creation and exhibition of permanent works from international and Quebec artists. Since 2000, the park hosted sculptures by one or two artists each year. This year I am one of the two selected artists (the other artist born in India who have long settled in Quebec).
My challenge was to create a permanent sculptural work that would be installed in the forest at St-Pie-de-Guire. I created the idea, the stage, the project (five chairs and round table). The chairs are 1.5 times larger than the usual chairs. I designed textile patterns that have been laser-cut on the chair backs. All metal parts were made with the help of the workshop Essarts (bending and welding).
Jacques and I sanded all the edges and worked on the “rusty” finish by spraying a mixture of peroxide, vinegar and salt.
The technical team is composed of Pierre Essarts (father), Pierre (son) and François Tessier and Suzanne Ricard (who prepared the glass placed on the top of the table in order to seal the textile parts placed in the table).
I folded and placed over fifty weaves that tell the story about my professional path.
Essarts, July 2015
Au fil de l’eau
Since last fall, I wanted to share the pictures from my first artist book produced in five copies and containing five original prints and two poems by Louise Morneau, poet of the Lower St. Lawrence.
« Loin dans le Grand Nord
La banquise rapaillée
Dans le froid s’endort. »
« D’or, d’argent de soie
Dans les feux du Saint-Laurent
Le soleil se noie. »
This edition was printed in Glypto workshop in LaSalle, on BFK Rives 250g. The portfolio has been achieved on textured paper from St. Armand 320g.
Thank you to Nicole Doré Brunet, master engraver, who guided me throughout the realization of this project.
Three new Jacquards
I have finally finished a short series of Jacquards :
Lys, from a photo taken at the botanical garden,
Dahlia, from a photo taken at our house in LaSalle,
Dance at Nordelec, two photos, one from the Rodin and Claudel choreography and a background from the Nordelec building,
All have been installed on a hidden frame, a new way to present my work.
Ordre du Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec
Yesterday, March 23rd, I received the great honor of being introduced as a “Compagne de l’ordre du Conseil des Arts et des lettres du Québec”, along with the 15 members of the first board of directors of the new CALQ, and the 20 first recipients : David Altmejd, Denys Arcand, Marie Chouinard, Leonard Cohen, Clémence DesRochers, Xavier Dolan, Réjean Ducharme, Marie-Hélène Falcon, Oliver Jones, Dany Laferrière, Phyllis Lambert, Michel Lemieux, Louise Lemieux-Bérubé, Louise Lecavalier, Robert Lepage, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Alanis Obomsawin, Fred Pellerin, Victor Pilon, Françoise Sullivan et Michel Tremblay
I am sharing this great moment : https://vimeo.com/123106267
AN INTERVIEW – WOT
The World of Threads Festival has just published on their website an interview I had given before my SOLO show in Oakville during the Fall 2014.
Dawne Rudman and Gareth Bate are the HEARTH of the World of Threads Festival. I wish to thank both of them for their commitment to the Textile Art. This Festival is important. It is a great opportunity for Canadians to see a huge variety of works from Textile artists coming from many countries.
Here’s the link for you :
http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/artist_interviews/131-louise-Lemieux-Berube-14.html
Solo at World of Threads Festival 2014
This important Canadian Fiber Festival is taking place in Oakville, 40 km west of Toronto. I am proud and happy to have been given the space for a Solo Show entitled Photography and Dance on my Jacquard works . I will be present, along with many other professional artists, at the opening reception on November 1st. Make sure to visit the WOT website to look at and appreciate all of the many Fiber artworks, solos and installations that will be exhibited during the whole month of November, in various sites around Oakville. In my opinion, it is the most important even in the Textile and Fibre art field in Canada.
Until May 3rd at Vida Vida gallery
My solo show Danse, photography and Textile. Look at the video of the opening. Vida Vida is located at 278-2 Bord-du-lac
Pointe-Claire Qc H9S 4P8
Solo exhibition at Vida Vida gallery
It was a very nice evening, last Friday, April 11 during the opening vernissage of my exhibition Photographie, Dance and Textiles. You can watch a short video that was shot that night. I wish to thank Nedia El Khouri, owner of Vida Vida gallery. Her enthousiasm, her professionalism and her passion have given me a motivation to show my art textiles on contemporary dance in her gallery.
I will be at the gallery on Saturday, April 26, at 10:30 am to present the “making of” my Rodin et Claudel Jacquards, which I consider a fresco inspired from Peter Quanz’ choreography, presented at Place des Arts in 2012 and more recently in March 2014. It is a rendez-vous and a nice occasion to see my woven textiles : Saturday April 26 at Vida Vida gallery in Pointe-Claire.
A Rozome workshop not to be missed.
Oh yes ! That winter was long and cold! Why not invite the spring and dip in Japanese Rozome with Kiranada Betsy Sterling Benjamin at Espace Fibre, a large and bright studio, perfect for working and exploring new techniques.
Rozome workshop, the Japanese art of batik: from May 28th to June 1st 2014 (Wednesday to Sunday). Espace Fibre, 2665 St. Augustin-Cantin street, Montreal (QC) H3K 1E1 – http://www.espacefibre.com
Workshop fees: $350 (it’s really cheap for a workshop with Kiranada!!!). Material cost : U.S. $ 50 – Material cost includes your own professional brush for wax, materials for stencils, three additional tools for applying wax and, of course, wax and Japanese dyes! Natural dyes and pigments and organic reduction Indigo vat, from Valerie, will also be available for exploration!
Rozome is the Japanese art of batik with wax, a process that uses traditional methods, materials and tools adapted for use with a “new” soy wax soluble in water and beeswax.
This intensive course is designed for beginners and experienced professionals. It gives the opportunity to attend demonstrations and experiment with a variety of waxes and dyes unique in Japan.
Do not wait! This class is the last Kiranada will give, until spring 2016, because she will be in solitary retreat in New Zealand for a full year, immediately after the end of the workshop!
There are only a few places to fill, register now! See the website for more information : www.espacefibre.com !