SOFAAR presents the Art of Fibre – call for entry

SOFAAR presents the Art of Fibre Exhibition 2019

Call for entry and guidelines

ENTRIES: please send to: thibodeaustacey@yahoo.ca

All members of SOFAAR are invited to participate in the annual member’s exhibition at the Macdonald Museum, Middleton, from July 6 to September 2, 2019.

This year’s exhibition will not have a specific theme but we want to feature the excellence and the wide range of fibre art created by SOFAAR members. Submit your latest work or an older piece of which you are particularly proud to have created. We encourage original work but if it is not we ask that you credit the original designer. Acknowledgement should be given to anyone participating in the execution of the work, i.e.,quilted by, framed by, etc.

Here are some things to keep in mind when you are preparing for the exhibition;

– You are invited to submit one or two pieces of your choice. Entries will not be juried. All is welcome.

– We ask that you include a full digital image of your work for each entry.  This helps us plan the layout for the gallery before installation.

– Email your photos to thibodeaustacey@yahoo.ca with the following information for each entry by the deadline for receipt of entries, June 17, 2019:

–Title of the piece

–Size, height X width

–Materials used

–Is the piece for sale? If so, what is the price?

–Please include an artist’s statement with your submission. The statement is simply one or two sentences explaining what inspired you to create the piece.

–Does SOFAAR have permission to use your photos to promote the exhibition?

 

– Each piece must be clearly labelled on the back with the artist’s name and the title of the work.

– Work to be hung must be ready for hanging, including a hanging rod, if applicable, and any special hardware if a simple nail will not suffice. If your work requires a special display, please provide it.

– Work may be for sale but the piece must remain until the closing date of the exhibition. The Macdonald Museum will record the contact details of anyone wishing to buy a piece. The owner of the piece can then communicate with the buyer to arrange for the sale.

-Every care will be taken of the submitted work. The Macdonald Museum have several security measures in place and carries insurance for catastrophic loss or damage. We advise that you have personal insurance for your work.

– We ask that you deliver your work to the Macdonald Museum June 24 or June 25, 2019. They are open from 9:00 until 4:30.If this is not possible, contact us atinfo@sofaar.cato make alternate arrangements for delivery.

-We ask that you collect your work at the Macdonald Museum September 3, 2019, from 10:00 – 12:00. If this is not possible, contact us atinfo@sofaar.cato make alternate arrangements.

IMPORTANT DATES

Deadline for receipt of entries – June 17, 2019

Work delivery date –  June 24, June 25, 2019, Macdonald Museum, 9:00-4:30

Opening Reception – July 6, 2019, 2:00-4:00

Exhibition closes – September 2, 2019

Collect your work from gallery – September, 3, 2019 Macdonald Museum, 10:00-12:00

SOFAAR launches “conception to completion” workshops

Concept to Completion

SOFAAR is offering members a program called Concept to Completion. This programming is intended for members of our society who want to try using their fibre skills to design and create an original piece of work or who are interested in learning more about how to take a concept for a work of fibre art and make it into a reality.

There will be three phases of the program; Concept, Execution and Completion. Members are invited to participate in one or all of the workshops depending on their specific interest.

The first phase of the program, Concept, will be held May 5, 2019, from 1:30 – 3:30, at the Granville Ferry Community Hall. We will convene a panel of fibre artists in Stitching, Art Quilting, Knitting, Rug Hooking and Needle Felting.  They will speak about how they proceed in making a concept into a finished piece. Do they draw it first? Does their original concept evolve during the process? What are the technical skills required in a particular field of fibre arts? The creative process is unique.

Our panelists will be Penny Berens, Rachel Ryan, Cheryl den Hartog, and Heather Horsfall. A fifth panelist will be added at a later date.

Following all presentations members will have an opportunity to ask questions and gain information that they can use in their own work. Our panelists are happy to share their creative process.

Phase 2, Execution, is aimed at members who wish to work with a mentor in one of the five above-mentioned categories of fibre arts and who need help and encouragement with original design. This will be in a small class format with each participant having a chance to work on a project idea of their own while consulting with someone with expertise. Phase 3, Completion, is aimed at helping our members complete their original piece of work either for hanging on their own wall or for exhibition. We will have more information at a later time.

Please write to us at info@sofaar.ca if you are planning to participate in Phase 1, Concept, so we will have nibbles for everyone. Last minute attendees are still welcome.

If you willing to give original design a try and are wondering where to start Heritage Homes will be the theme of SOFAAR’s 2020 Members’ Exhibition, which will be held at ARTsPlace to coincide with the Annapolis Historical Gardens House & Garden Tour. Members will be invited to create images of heritage homes in fibre. The interpretation of the home need not be in a realism form; it could be abstract, it could be a collage of different features of the home or anything your mind’s eye sees.

Snips and Scraps: lots of fibre fun!

One of SOFAAR’s largest events of the year (SNIPS & SCRAPS) took place on April 13th at the A.R. Firehall.  Over 150 people attended to see 18 exhibitors featuring creative ways to re-use scraps of fibre &/or explain the environmental impacts of the textile industry. The success of this event was clearly evident by the high level of interest & enthusiasm generated throughout the day.
Although our exhibitors varied in age from grade fours to octogenarians, they all had displays that reflected their dedication to keeping fibre out of our landfills.  A special thank-you to CARP as well as the students who entered the Student Challenge to create pieces from fibre that would otherwise have been destined for the landfill.
Congratulations to Digby and Champlain elementary schools who tied for first place in this challenge!

Snips and Scraps Expo: April 13th

Sofaar invites you all to attend our Snips and Scraps expo on April 13th from 10 am to 3 pm at the Annapolis Royal Fire Hall.

Snips and Scraps is an event free to the pubic and open to everyone. It will showcase the uses for fibre waste: all those pieces of unwanted clothing, bits of fabric, yarn, fleece etc that fills our landfill sites.

Come on out and learn how to be creative with these fibre snips and scraps.

Please help us spread the word about this event by sharing the attached poster.

See you there !

Snips.Scraps.poster

 

ONE room left for the Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat!

An update on our Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat 2019. There is now only ONE room left at the beautiful Hillsdale House Inn for the weekend of our Retreat (September 27th to 29).

And only a couple of day stitching spots left.

It’s going to be a wonderful, relaxing weekend of like-minded fibre enthusiasts getting together to work on their projects and enjoy the sights of historic Annapolis Royal with its Saturday Farmers and Traders market, interesting shops and beautiful waterfront.

For more information on the Retreat and how to book a room, please contact info@sofaar.ca

SOFAAR elects a new board

SOFAAR held its Annual General Meeting and Stash Day this past Saturday, March 9th, 2019. The sun shone for us and some 35 members gathered for a fibre afternoon. The business meeting was followed by much browsing and selecting of ‘new-to-you’ stash, an exciting Show and Tell and lively conversation.

One of the key elements of the business portion was the election of directors. Some directors are returning: Rachael Cheechoo, Donna Godfrey-Conyers, Sharon Moody and Céleste Thibodeau-Stacey. Others have served on the SOFAAR board in previous years: Cheryl den Hartog and Cathy Malon. Yet others have agreed to serve for the first time: Rosaire MacNeil, Annette Parker-Smith, Tammy Sanford-Hutchinson and Betty Wade. The new board met briefly after the AGM portion of the day and elected directors to serve the members of SOFAAR in the following roles:

President – Cheryl den Hartog

Vice-President – Céleste Thibodeau-Stacey

Treasurer – Rachael Cheechoo

Secretary – Cathy Malon

We look forward to a vibrant year of fibre events – casual gatherings, exhibitions and learning events. We hope to serve you well.  If you have any ideas for future, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

PS> We’re working on the next issue of Snippets and we need your help. Please send us your news. This could be a photo of a recently finished project (with a few words of description); news of upcoming guild meetings or workshops; exhibitions of interest to SOFAAR members; books, websites or blogs you find helpful or inspirational; etc. In other words, anything you think would be of interest to fellow members. Please send directly to our totally amazing Snippets editor at gracebutland@eastlink.ca.

On behalf of the newly elected SOFAAR directors,

Cheryl den Hartog

Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat update

Only THREE rooms left at Hillsdale House Inn for our Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat coming up in September.

We are going to have a wonderful weekend of quiet fibre work in the beautiful setting of Annapolis Royal.

For information on  the last rooms available, please e-mail Hillsdale House Inn directly at: <reservations@hillsdalehouseinn.ca>

We will have room for day-stitchers. This means you can still be a part of the Retreat even if all the rooms are booked at the Hillsdale House Inn. We have a maximum of 30 participants. For information on day stitching spots, please contact info@sofaar.ca.

 

3rd annual Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat

SOFAAR is pleased  to be offering, for a third year, its Fabulous Fall Fibre Retreat.

This event will take place the weekend of September 27th to 29th 2019 at the beautiful and historic Hillsdale House Inn.

Although this year’s programme has yet to been finalized, we can promise you lots of time to work on your projects in a quiet environment – the retreat is limited to 30 attendees -, a lovely meal on Saturday evening at the Inn, two receptions and a popular attendees show and tell!

Four rooms of the 15 available have already been booked for this event, so don’t hesitate to come and join us! There is even an early-bird Thursday night room rate.

For more information and for room rates (the same as last year), please e-mail info@sofaar.ca

We hope to hear from you.

2018 Retreat attendees busy at their fibre projects.
2018 Retreat attendees busy at their fibre projects.

 

Saturday Snips Show and Tell

We had a wonderful show and tell at our Saturday Snips in Digby on February 9th.

This “new to us” venue was light-filled and a great place to work on projects.

Our next Saturday Snips will be on Saturday, March 9th at Saint Luke’s Parish Hall in Annapolis following our quick AGM beginning at 1 pm.

Linda showing off her very first hooked piece! Congrats on such beautiful work!
Linda showing off her very first hooked piece! Congrats on such beautiful work!
Rachael, Grace and Cathy working away.
Rachael, Grace and Cathy working away.
Rachael's stunning peacock in progress.
Rachael’s stunning peacock in progress.
Grace is continuing to embroider on her jean jacket.
Grace is continuing to embroider on her jean jacket.
Lynn's gorgeous knitted shawl. We all wanted it!
Lynn’s gorgeous knitted shawl. We all wanted it!
Ann Marie's Bluenose cross stitch taking shape.
Ann Marie’s Bluenose cross stitch taking shape.
Christine's embellished hooked Prince symbol in progress.
Christine’s embellished hooked Prince symbol in progress.

Saturday Snips: February 9th in Digby

Our February 9th Saturday Snips gathering will take place at the Digby Heritage Centre at 7 Birch Street from 1 to 4.

We love seeing members come out with some show and tell and a project to work on.

Finding the Digby Heritage Centre is a little tricky, primarily because the building doesn’t have a sign on it. Go to Digby and continue down the main St. (WATER ST.) until you come to the yellow restaurant called “The Captain’s Cabin” on your right.  At this point Water St. turns into Birch St.  Ignore the street that veers off to the right. Directly across Birch St. (prev. Water St.) from The Captain’s Cabin is A PARKING LOT.  The Heritage Centre is the small beige building with white trim and vertical windows at the back of the parking lot. It is back off the street and has 2 white flag poles out front.  Look for the SOFAAR sandwich board. (You can find the building easily on Google Maps.)

SOFAAR looks forward to seeing you.

Our March gathering will also be our Annual General Meeting and it will take place on Saturday, March 9th in Annapolis Royal.

 Day of the Dead Dog hooking in progress.
Day of the Dead Dog hooking in progress.