Many years ago, in preparation to teach a workshop, I painted a large soft cotton sheet in swirling blues. Next, I added soft greens with a touch of purple. Plans changed, so the fabric ended up lounging in my cupboard, taunting me every time I looked at it. Little did I know how it would become part of a quilt challenge.
Meanwhile, I joined the Fabricators, a small group of fabric artists from the South Okanagan (Oliver and Penticton). Since 2002, they have met monthly to encourage each other, work on group challenges and hold exhibitions. Now, because some members have relocated, Zoom meetings keep them connected.
One day, I cut my blue fabric into 1/3-metre portions and challenged each of my Fabricators friends to create SOMETHING. They each accepted their gift with skepticism, but no one turned the challenge down.
Months later, several people admitted to having an idea, to my relief. As the finished projects began appearing, they delighted me. Each artist interpreted that fabric in their own unique way, beyond what I had pictured when creating the fabric.
Let’s begins with my piece, The Way of Water – 19” x 7” x 9”
Meandering, flowing, trickling – water moves in liquid ways and at its own pace with bubbles and froth as a bonus. Hand-painting, burning, thread painting, painted river rocks
Emilie Belak – Curtains in the Sky – 26” x 32”
Last fall, spectacular displays of this very Canadian phenomenon, the Aurora Borealis, wildly showed its shimmering colors most of the evenings over southern interior British Columbia. The tiled sky technique was inspired by Gloria Loughman. The one-piece top substrate was hand-dyed by Judy Robertson of Washington State with the backing signed by Caryl Bryer-Fallert
Dianne Birnie – Tree Canopy – 20” x 13”
A photographer/quilter friend once said “Lie down on the ground and look up at the tree canopy. It’s wonderful!” Most trees have their own space and don’t entwine. This is my interpretation! Confetti piecing
Maya Brouwer – Colours of Spring – 17” x 42”
If you look up into the tree crown, you will see this little harbinger of spring. Sun printing, colored pencils, painting on silk, appliqué
Linda Lebert – Lonely Loon – 16.5” x 13”
I tried to capture the essence of solitude and tranquility as a lonely loon peacefully floats on a still lake. The bird’s graceful posture creates a sense of calm and reflection against the serene water. This allows us to enjoy the beauty of the moment. Thread painting, applique.
Darlene Chapman – Raindrops – 16” x 42”
I embellished leaves made of challenge fabric with threads and confetti centres, then appliquéd them beside wavy stripes of fabric. Slashing the top created a shattered effect. Threads were added as raindrops. Quilted with heavy threads.
Diana Bartelings – Spotted Lake Healing Pools – 29.5” x 28.5”
Just west of Osoyoos, BC, in the Nk’Mip Desert, sits this most interesting phenomena known as Spotted Lake. This mineral lake has different pools separated from each other by the minerals that surround them. The local First Nations People, the Syilx of the Okanagan Nation, know it as Kliluk. It is a sacred ground of healing pools for them.
Debra McPherson – Sunflower – 23” x 33”
A hand-dyed prairie blue sky dappled by rays of sun serve as the backdrop for an intense yellow sunflower. This frequent volunteer in my prairie garden highlights an Alberta summer. The frayed edges of the fabric replicate the deckled edges of watercolour paper, enhancing the feeling of a “painted” composition.
(Debra, Marianne, Diana and Emilie also belong to the Fibre Arts Network if you want to see more of their work.)
Cheryl Dumais – Aspen – 11” w x 24”
Over many years, I walked along the Willowbrook Road in the hills above Oliver, B.C. Along the way, I saw stands of aspen. I loved their greyish bark, the trembling leaves whispering to me as I passed. They turned lime green in spring and bright orange in fall, a contrast to the pine trees, dry grasses and sage surrounding them. Gelee printing* using corrugated cookie tray inserts on rice paper, confetti leaves
*With Gelee printing, also called Gelli plate printing, acrylic paint gets applied to a soft, gelatin-like plate. The artist transfers it to fabric using stencils and found objects to create unique, one-of-a-kind prints.
