Naughty Mermaids

I just finished this commission on a shed door in Lunenburg yesterday.

Labrador Tea Quilt

I recently went on a little trip to Pictou, Nova Scotia for a quilt retreat organized every two years by the Mayflower Quilt Guild. On the way, I stayed with Deb Plestid, and wonderful woman and skilled quilter. At the retreat, I took a three day workshop from amazing quilter and designer, Jane Sassaman from the Chicago Area.

 My chosen flower was labrador tea, a wild plant from the rhododendron family found in arctic and marshy areas. You can steep the leaves and make delicious tea. I used these pictures as references, which were taken by my leader, Tim, on a canoe trip I was on in the Northwest Territories some years ago.

Jane taught us the basics of design theory by guiding us through simplifying and exaggerating shapes in plants, getting us to do a lot of sketching before even touching our fabrics. Then she showed us her fun and expressive technique of using interfacing to make stiffer shapes out of fabric that  can be used to create a composition for a textile piece.

I used some textured upholstery fabric samples from a fabric dealer friend and some big flower prints that I've had in my stash forever.

I've been playing around with the composition and background. Soon I will sew the shapes down and then use machine embroidery stitching around each shape to secure the edges of the fabric, cutting away from the back any extra fabric from the bottom layers.

I'm really excited to move into my new studio in November, a little wood heated cabin in the woods near my house in West Dublin, Nova Scotia. For now, I'm going to make a little watercolour studio in a nook in my house. More on that later...

altz iz gut

(I've been having some fun with yiddish phrases and biblical stories)

Check out the article in the latest Visual Arts News magazine about my work with the community in Lunenburg during my time with the NSCAD Lunenburg Studio Residency.

http://www.visualartsnews.ca/

Finale

We had a wonderful Opening for our final exhibition at the studio on Thursday.

Thanks to everyone who supported us through this amazing year!

Rose Quilt Top

Goats

I did this watercolour for my friend Dave for his birthday because sometimes Dave reminds me of a goat. In the best possible way.

Art in the Library

My Fish Quilt has been displayed in the Bridgewater Library since July 23rd as part of the Growing Green Art Show. I just replaced it with a painting while the quilt comes back to the studio for our final show at the residency.

Go check out the show if you're in Bridgewater before it ends on August 26th. And read a book while you're there!

Rose Quilt: Process and Progress

I went back to Ontario for a few weeks to visit family and friends where I managed to get some detail work done on the rose quilt. I used a reverse applique technique with some shiny fabric my mom gave me to add dimension to the leaves surrounding the rose. The centre is done and I am now putting the borders around it. Hopefully, the whole quilt will come together for the final residency show. Come see!

Folk Harbour Print

The Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival was a huge success! I made the t-shirt design this year, which Anna Bald screen printed at Homegrown Skateboards, and got a free pass to amazing music all weekend. It looks like the t-shirts are sold out, but there are still limited edition prints. Contact the Folk Harbour Festival if you would like a print of your very own.

Final Exhibition and Artists Talks at the Residency

Perin's Quilt

Perin turned two a little while ago, so I made him a quilt. I rigged it up on the quilting frame that the Zion Quilters gave me, and it was just sitting there for weeks. 

Finally, last week I got some helpful friends to start on the hand quilting process. If there is anything I learned this year, it's that things will take their own sweet time, so let's enjoy each others company!

I hope Perin remembers this.

Art Education Panel Discussion

We are organizing a lecture panel on art education.

Three guest lecturers, Kim Morgan, Dr. Nick Webb and Ann Whalen, will discuss the role the visual arts plays in shaping educational experiences and its contribution to a healthy society. They will address the concept of education and its role on the broader scheme, as well as the demand to justify the education system during economic shifts while governments drive to balance budgets.

We invite artists, school administration, teachers, parents and students to join us for this illuminating panel discussion on July the 14th at 7pm, Lunenburg Academy Auditorium.

Hope to see you there!

Summer Watercolour Workshop

NSCAD UNIVERSITY LUNENBURG SUMMER WORKSHOPS 2011

WATERCOLOUR STORIES

ART WORKSHOP

WHAT IS YOUR CONNECTION TO WATER? BRING A STORY ABOUT AN EXPERIENCE WITH WATER TO THIS INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP AND LEARN HOW TO PAINT WITH WATERCOLOURS IN NARRATIVE FORM. INSTRUCTION ON WATERCOLOURS AND NARRATIVE PAINTING WILL BE PROVIDED.

INSTRUCTOR- REBECCA ROHER

40 DUKE STREET, LUNENBURG

JUNE 30–JULY 13, THURSDAYS, 1:00–4:00 PM (3 WEEKS)

TUITION- $125.00

REGISTRATION AND WITHDRAWL DEADLINE: JUNE 23, 2011        

TO REGISTER

EMAIL extendedstudies@nscad.ca


CALL 902 494-8185

VISIT THE WEBSIDE FOR SUPPLY LIST AND MORE INFORMATION http://nscad.ca/en/home/academicprograms/extendedstudies/default.aspx

HULA HOOPERS UNITE!

HULA HOOPERS

OF LUNENBURG COUNTY

ALL ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE HOOPLA!

WE GATHER AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND IN DIFFERENT PLACES

JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP AND KEEP AN EYE ON

SOUTH SHORE EVENTS FOR TIMES AND LOCATIONS,

OR JUST JOIN IN IF YOU SEE US AROUND TOWN!

FIRE STORIES: life drawing with charcoal

FIRE STORIES

PART OF THE “ELEMENT SERIES” ART WORKSHOPS

LIFE DRAWING WITH CHARCOAL

WITH NSCAD ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE REBECCA ROHER

TUESDAY JUNE 21, 2011

10 AM – 3 PM

SECOND STORY WOMEN’S CENTRE

22 KING STREET

LUNENBURG

TO REGISTER

CALL 902 543 1315

EMAIL INFO@SECSTORY.COM

MATERIALS PROVIDED

rose

Hula Hooping Workshop

I am running a hula hooping workshop at the Second Story Women's Centre as part of my Element Series Workshops.

Make your own hoop! Learn and share new tricks! Materials will be provided and it is free!

Tuesday, May 31
10 am - 3 pm
Second Story Women's Centre
22 King St.
Lunenburg, NS

to register, call 902 543 1315 or email info@secstory.com

New Work: In Progress

The Rose Quilt

It started by wanting to play with the crazy quilt aesthetic and also a need to experiment more with fabrics. So, a rose, a feminine symbol of romance and passion, became my subject. The petals will be hand appliqued. I took a medallion quilt workshop at the Mahone Bay Quilters Guild from Anne Morrell-Robinson where I learned how to create banners of triangles to frame the rose. it will be a queen-size quilt with about three banners around the rose, but I'm still playing with the design. There will also be some embroidery work around the rose.

Perin's Quilt

This is a quilt for Perin, who just turned two. I'm going to quit every square of fabric with a different design that can be used to play a counting game. 

Soon, I will be organizing a hand-quilting group to get this quilt done! The Zion Quilters gave me a quilting frame which I am going to set up with this quilt in my studio in Lunenburg. If you are interested in hand-quilting and live in the South Shore area, give me a shout! 

rebsroher@gmail.com

Old Momma Hankies

I found these hankies at an attic sale in Lunenburg. They are hand embroidered and tell a verse of Dennis Lee's poem, Juniper and Bone.

some new eggs

Here are the eggs I dyed at my workshop at Second Story Women's Centre.

Earth Stories

I am leading an egg dying workshop at the Second Story Women's Centre as part of my Element Series. 

This time, the discussion will be about Earth and we will be dying eggs in the Ukranian pysanky style, using beeswax, kishkas and a variety of coloured dyes.

I will guide discussion as well as providing technical instruction. Materials and supplies provided. We recommend a packed lunch; snacks and tea will be available. 

Tuesday, April 26 

10 am - 3 pm

Second Story Women's Centre

22 King Street, Lunenburg NS

To register, call 543-1315 or 640-3044 or email info@secstory.com

All programs are free and open to all women.

For more information, visit The Second Story Women's Centre website at www.secstory.com.

women's stories in film

If you haven't already seen these films, I highly recommend you keep them in mind for your next movie night.

beneath your feet

I took these pictures while traveling in India a few years ago. 

Every morning, women decorate the stoops of their houses and businesses with powdered chalk.

Every day, a new intricate design to beautify and bring luck to their streets.