Quilts = Art = Quilts @ the Schweinfurth Art Center

With so many of our museums and galleries closed, are you hungry to see some great art quilts?

The annual exhibition at the Schweinfurth in upstate New York is always exciting, and this year (the 40th anniversary year) they have made the show available to on-line visitors, giving them access to a virtual tour through the gallery. Seventy-one quilts, 58 national and international artists.

Well worth a look!

Susan Lapham, Playground #1, a prizewinner

Sophie Taeuber-Arp

Quadrangular Spot Composition, gouache on paper, 1920

Here's an item lifted directly from The New Yorker, August 3 & 10 edition:

Sophie Taeuber-Arp 

Recent reconfigurations of modern art history are finally bringing the essential contributions of women artists into the light. Although certain figures – such as the Swedish painter Hilma af Klint – did work outside of established avant-garde circles, other pathbreakers, such as Taeuber-Arp, have been hidden in plain sight. The Swiss polymath's marriage to her fellow Dadaist Hans Arp may have secured her initial entry to that fervid scene, but her collaborative spirit – she worked with Arp, among other male artists – likely denied her top billing until now. An online viewing room, on Hauser & Wirth's Web site, celebrates the gallery's representation of Taeuber-Arp's estate with images of her dynamic Constructivist tapestries and paintings, geometric costumes and marionettes designed for performances at Zurich's legendary Cabaret Voltaire night club, sinuous carved sculptures, and more. A brief documentary overview of her career offers memorable glimpses of the artist's interior-design work, including the painted walls of Strasbourg's Café de l'Aubette and a Bauhaus-inspired studio-residence outside Paris, where she gathered with friends (Sonia and Robert Delaunay, Joan Miró, and Marcel Duchamp among them). Next year's Taeuber-Arp retrospective, co-organized by MOMA, the Kunstmuseum Basel, and the Tate Modern, can't arrive soon enough.

Go to https://www.hauserwirth.com/artists/27538-sophie-taeuber-arp to learn more.

Jean-Paul Riopelle Foundation Launches in Montreal

As we approach the 100th anniversary of the birth of Quebec painter Jean-Paul Riopelle, a foundation to promote his work has been launched in Montreal.

Riopelle's mid-century paintings are among my favourites of the era. There are some excellent examples of his work at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Musée Nationale des Beaux-Arts du Québec and Canada's National Gallery. He is also represented at the Tate in London, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice. The Foundation proposes to give his work more exposure, especially in the United States, where he is almost unknown. They also hope to create a physical and virtual space that will encourage communication and exchanges between museums, institutions, and collectors, making his work better known.

Jean-Paul Riopelle, Perspectives, 1956
806 x 1000 mm

One of the aspects of the above painting that I particularly like is that it is visually organized into large masses, interacting with each other. Each of the masses is in turn made of small elements, almost like a mosaic or patchwork. I find I am drawn to this kind of composition, so typical of Riopelle's paintings from this era.

You can read more about the initiative to promote Riopelle and his work here.

Wow! 200 books on Modern Art now available on line

The Guggenheim has published 200 books on Modern Art on line, available at no cost. You can access them here. And...

... did you know that you can explore every exhibit that MOMA has staged since 1929? You can access this material for free here.

Ross King at Storyfest

Storyfest is the cultural "jewel in the crown" of my little town of Hudson.  Run under the auspices of Greenwood, a heritage home, this annual literary festival presents a lineup of distinguished Canadian authors and poets. Past presenters include Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, and Louise Penny.

This year's roster is as stellar as ever. I was fortunate to attend Friday's lecture by Daniel Levitin, the eminent McGill professor of psychology and author of This is Your Brain on Music, The World in Six Songs, and most recently, Weaponized Lies: How to Think Critically in the Post-Truth Era.

Coming up on Tuesday evening is a presentation by Ross King, focused on his most recent book, Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Lilies, winner of the 2017 RBC Taylor prize for non-fiction. You can read the Guardian's review of the book here.

King has made a career of writing about art. His titles include:

• Brunelleschi's Dome: The Story of the Great Cathedral in Florence
• Michaelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
• The Judgement of Paris: The Revolutionary Decade that Gave the World Impressionism
• Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven
• Leonardo and the Last Supper

King's lecture, scheduled for Tuesday, October 10, 7:30 pm in the Hudson Village Theatre, is sure to be a treat for any art-lover. Tickets are still available here.

Annual SAQA Benefit Auction

Three hundred and sixty-eight art quilts, each measuring 12" x 12", are up for auction in this year's SAQA Benefit event. Starting tomorrow, September 18, prices will begin at $750 US, then be reduced daily until the end of the week, when $100 bids will be accepted. The whole event begins again for a second week with Batch #2 (starting September 25), and then again on Week 3, starting October 2.

Three batches, three weeks, six different price points. and an infinite variety of subjects and styles. To learn more about the auction, please visit the website.

Though I'm not a contributor this year, I will be following the action closely. It's exciting to see just how quickly the works of my favourite artists are snapped up. In fact, eleven works have already been sold for a premium $1000 each!

Expo 67: A World of Dreams

Montreal's Stewart Museum is staging a multimedia show this summer celebrating the 50th anniversary of our 1967 World's Fair.

Having recently seen shows on the same subject at the Musée d'Art Contemporain de Montréal, at the McCord Museum and at the Centre d'Histoire de Montréal, I discovered that each exhibition has its own lens through which visitors can experience the landmark event that was Expo 67.

But what intrigues me about the Stewart Museum's show is that it also offers a 75-minute historical walking tour to discover the island of Ste-Hélène, its trails and its history.

"Visitors travel through time from the period of the British Arsenal of the 19th century to what remains of the Expo 67 pavillions. The tour begins at the Stewart Museum, goes up Mont Boulé and ends at the top of the Biosphere, where visitors get a view of the Expo 67 site.

"No reservation is needed. Please arrive 10 minutes before the beginning of the tour."

English tours are scheduled every day at 3 pm. The show continues until October 8, 2017.

Architectours 2017

Organized by Heritage Montreal, the special theme for this year's Architectours is "Montreal Through 8 Eras". In tribute to Montreal's 375th birthday, our urban geography is being viewed through a historical lens.

When people roll their eyes about the city making too much of this odd-numbered anniversary, I remind myself that I may not be around to celebrate the 400th anniversary, so I'm happy to step up to the banquet of events laid out for me and to partake in all the festivities.

Once again, the two-hour walking tours are available in English and French, on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm, from August 12 until October 8. Each tour is scheduled twice in the season, so if you do miss one, it will come around again.

Go to Heritage Montreal's website to view the brochure.

Here is a list of what's on offer:

1. The Cité des Sulpiciens (1642 - 1800) - back to colonial times and a chance to visit the Seminary gardens.

2. The Merchant City (1800 - 1860) - the eastern part of Old Montreal, with a focus on Montreal's role as a trading hub.

3. The Industrial City (1860 - 1890) - residential neighbourhoods built for factory workers in Griffintown and Faubourg des Récollets during the Industrial Revolution.

4. Canada's Metropolis (1890 - 1930) - real estate in the Golden Square Mile; stores, hotels and theatres spurred by the introduction of the tramway.

5. The First Suburbs (1900-1940) - focus on Outremont

6. The Cité-jardin du Tricentenaire (1930 - 1960) - an urban planning experiment built at the height of the Second World War, modelled on the Garden City movement.

7. The Modern City (1960 - 1980) - the boom years, epitomized by the building of Place Ville Marie and the Stock Exchange Tower.

8. Downtown Reimagined (1980 - 2017) - the development of the Quartier des Spectacles, centred on Place des Arts.

Habitat 67

This past week our text'art group had a very special opportunity to take a guided tour of Habitat 67. Montreal's landmark housing complex is normally closed to the public, but on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, tours will be made available throughout the summer. You can learn more about the tours and register for them by going to the website.

We were lucky to have a mild, sunny day for our visit, and a stiff breeze blew in from the river as we explored the impressive structure, led by our knowledgeable guide. Although it is considered to be in the Brutalist style, many of its features defy that categorization. The architect, Moshe Safdie, grew up in Haifa, Israel, and he drew on this experience when designing Habitat 67. For one thing, all but two of the 148 households have a private terrace garden. As well, communal garden spaces serve to bring together the residents and to create a sense of neighbourliness. The design is driven by a humanist concern for social connection and the individual's connection with nature, and influenced by the architectural model of the Pueblo village and the Mediterranean hillside town.

All of the units offer views in two or more directions, flooding them with light. And the views are astonishing. The complex is set on a quay, bordered on both sides by the St. Lawrence river, so residents and visitors enjoy panoramic vistas of Montreal's harbour, bridges and skyline.

The complex was four years in the making, from initial design to near-completion for the opening of Expo 67. The architect was 25 years old, and the project represented his master's thesis. Safdie actually used Lego bricks to plot out his ideas. There are 15 different floor plans. Households are made up of anywhere from one to four modules. We were able to tour one of the smallest units, offering a very thoughtfully-designed 600 square feet of living space in its one module. Safdie himself owns a four-module unit. Some of the homes made of multiple modules are on two levels, with interior staircases.

The building is 12 storeys high and is serviced by 6 elevators. As one walks through the "streets" and "alleys" formed by the interior, one is constantly surprised by open spaces and intriguing angles.

The concrete modules were cast on site. The theory was that this would be an efficient, economical approach to construction, and it might have worked out that way had Safdie been able to realize his much larger concept and better economies of scale. Originally the homes were all rentals, but since the mid-80's all have been privately owned. The exterior is protected by its status as a heritage site, while the interiors may be reconfigured to the taste of the owner.

Touring Habitat 67 is a Montreal experience I would highly recommend. Tickets for the tours are selling quickly.

And...

the UQAM Centre de design, 1440 Sanguinet, Montreal (Metro Berri) presents the free exhibition Habitat ’67 vers l’avenir / The Shape of Things to Come until August 13, Tuesday to Sunday, from noon to 6 pm.

Architectours 2016 : Art & Design in the Metro

L'Histoire de la Musique à Montreal, Frédéric Back, stained glass, Place des Arts station

This year, Heritage Montreal's summer walking tours will focus on select metro stations, celebrating the 50th anniversary of our underground subway system. When built, our subway stations were meant to be a showcase for Quebec design as well as the nexus for our world-famous underground city. The system opened just one year before Expo 67, our World's Fair, and there was a palpable excitement, energy and optimism about showing off our beautiful city.

Marcelle Ferron, stained glass, Champ-de-Mars station

In past summers I have enjoyed informative architectural walking tours organized by Heritage Montreal, with topics like The Main, Shaughnessy Village, The Golden Square Mile and our heritage hospitals: The Royal Victoria, The Allan Memorial, the Montreal Neurological and Hôtel Dieu. The walks are usually scheduled in the hottest part of the summer, so this year I look forward to exploring these underground sites, protected from heat and rain.

Mosaika Art & Design, ceramic mosaic, Place-des-Arts station

Tours are about two hours long, offered in both English and French, and cost $12 - $15.

Here's the schedule for 2016:

Université-de-Montréal and Édouard-Montpetit: New approaches to the campus, 

August 6 and September 4

Peel and Bonaventure: Right where the action is, 

August 7 and September 3

Champ-de-Mars and Place-d’Armes: A succession of mega-projects, 

August 13 and September 18

Acadie and Parc: From industrial crossroads to hubs of student life, 

August 14 and September 10

Atwater: Mini-downtown in the west, 

August 20 and September 11

Place-des-Arts and Saint-Laurent: At the heart of Montreal arts and culture, 

August 21 and September 17

Pie-IX and Viau: New stations for the Olympics, 

August 27 and September 25

LaSalle, De l’Église and Verdun: Three neighbourhoods, three stations, 

August 28 and September 24

For more information about the walking tours, visit the Heritage Montreal website. To get an idea of some of the artistic treasures of our underground city, visit the Untapped Cities website or the STM's website.

Triennale Outaouais 2016 and Twist Festival 2016

The Triennale Outaouais, August 18 - September 16, is a celebration of fibre that will feature outdoor art installations, indoor exhibitions, films, workshops and lectures.

Many venues will collaborate to stage this event, most located in the Gatineau Hills area north of Ottawa. Check out their website for further information.

Another celebration of fibre, this one with a different orientation, the upcoming Twist Festival runs August 20 - 21, in St.-André-Avellin, a small town in the same general region. This fifth annual iteration of Twist will feature 125 vendors, plus workshops, demos and lectures. Yarn, knitting and weaving feature prominently in this event. Their website gives more details.

Teaching at the CQQ

Delighted to have been asked to teach at the upcoming conference for Courtepointe Quebec Quilts, the provincial umbrella association for all of Quebec's quilt guilds. Salon 2016 runs from May 26 - 29, 2016, and will be held at Collège André Grasset in Montreal. Included are many workshops and a dynamite quilt show.

My two-day workshop, "Building Blocks", will be held on Friday, May 27 and Saturday, May 28. I will be teaching my "cityscapes" technique, which includes the use of heat-away stabilizer film to organize the placement of appliqué shapes as well as to guide the machine stitching. Along the way there will be lots of discussion of the principles of good composition.

Spots are still available in my workshop, and in many others. Please check out the CQQ website for more information.

I'm looking forward to this opportunity to re-connect with old friends, to make new friends, and to see some wonderful quilts, both traditional and innovative.

400 posts!

Please celebrate with me this 400th post to my blog, which I started in March 2012. Since the beginning, I have tried to post regularly, twice a week, mostly covering art exhibitions at home and away, and my own work in cloth and other media.

Views to this blog are closing in on the 100,000 mark, and it's satisfying to think that both friends and strangers find something of worth here.

What is the value for me? I hesitated to get into this "blogging thing", because I thought it would take time away from my own production. Instead, I have found that by being disciplined about posting, I have sustained my engagement with art, not only my own but also with the work of others. My blogging has become a form of journal-keeping for me.

And please remember, comments are always welcome!

"After Hopper" at the Addison Gallery, Orleans MA

Rooms by the Sea II, Philip Koch

While in Cape Cod recently, I learned of an event that will delight fans of American painter Edward Hopper. For decades, Hopper lived in Truro, a small town just south of Provincetown. The Addison Gallery will collaborate with the Cape Cod Museum of Art to celebrate the work of contemporary artists who are inspired by Hopper and Cape Cod. 

Paul Schulenburg

Plans for this celebration include exhibitions of new plein air and studio works, receptions, demonstrations, artist panels and talks by Hopper experts in 2015 and 2016.

The "After Hopper" event begins July 13, 2015, with a "paint-in" involving artists from across the U.S., all painting at various locations of their choosing, creating their own interpretations of scenes and the region that compelled Hopper.

Late Afternoon, Pleasant Street, Steve Kennedy

Keep an eye on the event website to follow this initiative.

Both the Addison Gallery in Orleans and the Cape Cod Museum of Art in Dennis have impressive collections of paintings, photography and sculpture, well worth a visit if you are in the mid-Cape area.

Hudson Artists Spring Show & Arts Alive!

Much excitement here in our little hamlet of Hudson, as we celebrate the Town's 150th birthday.

First, the annual spring show of the Hudson Artists will open on Friday evening, June 5 at 7:30 pm.

Thirty-three artists. Two hundred and sixty works in various media.

The show will be held at the Stephen F. Shaar Community Centre, 394 Main Road in Hudson, and will continue from 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7.

I am pleased to have at least 6 new works in cloth on display, plus greeting cards and unframed paintings.

On the same weekend, a provincial group to which I belong, the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), is staging the first of a series of six Arts Alive! events. Hudson was chosen as a town having a strong English-language community. Later this summer, similar events will be held in Quebec City, the West Island, Knowlton, Huntingdon and Wakefield.

The ELAN mini-festival will include music, theatre, guest authors and artisans. Booths will be set up along Cameron and Main Road, where visitors may browse through the wares presented by craftspeople and small enterprises. The centre of all the action will be a one-minute walk from the Hudson Artists show. Click here for more information about the Hudson schedule of events.

All the local shops will put out their welcome mats to entice newcomers and satisfy their local clientele. Finnegan's Flea Market, a ten-minute drive west of the town centre, will also be abuzz on Saturday, June 6, with fifty or so vendors.

A dozen eateries are within walking distance of this event, so come and plan to spend the day!