Louise Lemieux Berubé at Viva Vida Gallery

It isn't often that such an exceptional exhibit of art tapestries is staged on the West Island. The show is being held at Viva Vida Gallery, 278 Lakeshore Road in Pointe Claire Village, until May 1.

Rodin-Claudel #3 - les adieux

Louise Lemieux Bérubé is well known in Quebec for her exquisite work in fibre, and is perhaps Canada's premier tapestry maker. She uses her own digital images and a computer-driven jacquard loom to produce large works in gray-scale. Different stitches are used with a dark and a light thread to create a full range of values. Interestingly, the reverse of the tapestry is like a negative of the front.

Recently, Berubé has painted dye onto her finished weavings to introduce colour. 

Un Orteil dans la Vide - Sandy Bessette 

The show, titled "Dance, Photography and Textile" features a dozen or so large works, perhaps 5 to 10 feet in any one dimension. Some of the pieces are made from several vertical panels.

Rodin-Claudel #1 - un amour impossible

Thank you to Lauma for bringing our Text-art group to see the show. Lauma organized a tour of textile art venues for us this week, and included a visit to the Centre des Textiles Contemporains de Montréal, where Bérubé was the director for over 20 years. While there, we were able to talk to one of the students about this technique, and to see a sample of the stitching produced by the jacquard loom.

Rodin-Claudel #4 - la descente

For anyone interested in contemporary textile art, this show is a not-to-be-missed opportunity. A Meet the Artist event is planned for Saturday, April 26, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.