THE THREADS THAT CONNECTS US
Fiber works by students of Island Discovery Learning Community.
February 18th- March 2nd
FEB 18- MARCH 2ND
This exhibit is a collaborative exhibit created by students at Island Discovery Learning Community. Students have created individual and multi-age pieces, large and small, from foraged, saved, upcycled and sustainable materials.
Students worked with mentors from the community including members from The Bowen Fiber Arts Guild. Grant funding was provided by the Bowen Island Small Grant fund from the Vancouver Foundation. This grant supported the making of small mending kits for the visiting public to take home and try some mending themselves. This is an important central theme of the exhibity in with students , while learning important mending guilting, weaving and stitching skills, reflect on their position and role as learners AND teachers in the generational cycle of oral and visual teaching.
There will be opportunities for the visiting public to hear student reflections on the process of making their works by way of QR codes linked to audio recordings. This is a visual and auditory feast in addition to some workshop offering during the short two week exhbit.
EVENTS:
Artist pARTy: Saturday Feb 21st, 2-4pm. Please join us!
THE THREADS THAT CONNECTS US
Students hard at work at IDLC.Saffron Gurney - PIE Teacher
B.F.A, B. Ed.
For the UNDERCURRENT
Students of Island Discovery Learning Community have been preparing for the upcoming show "The Threads That Connect Us" since September. They are excited to share fiber works made from materials foraged, saved, mended and recycled. Showcased are weaving "journals", beadwork, hoop weavings, mended garments and woven functional bags.
Students in Grade 6/7 were mentored by Krista Hennebury and other members of the Bowen Fiber Arts Guild. A Neighbourhood Small Grant from the Vancouver Foundation and the Bowen Foundation supported this community building initiative and provided the opportunity for students to learn important mending techniques.
Students were also mentored by sound engineer Curtis Wright who recorded their reflections of the making process and also their thoughts and insights regarding the positive impacts that mending, re-using and making can have personally and for the planet. These recordings can be heard at The Hearth, alongside the artworks, accessible by QR code. Bring your phone and earbuds to hear what students in Grade Kindergarten through Grade 12 have to share.
Kiera, a Senior student at IDLC, said in their recording session "I think sewing has been lost a little in our culture. I am really glad to see my friends and people I know picking it up. It is so important that we keep the culture of making our own works, and "slow fashion", and pieces that last longer and that are sentimental. We are trying to push away from big factory made "fast fashion". Making your own work can make it really feel like the clothes that you are wearing are yours and yours only and special to you." Students in Grade 8-12 have been making pajama pants from patterns. You might see some of them worn at the opening party Saturday March 21st, 2-4pm
Present in many of the pieces is a respect for natural materials and places. The "weaving journals" began with a walk in the landscape noticing the plant forms available in January. Students started to pay closer attention to the dried seed head forms and evergreen cucumber grass. These items were gathered and woven in combination with yarn scraps and hand dyed wool strips. Alongside the weaving, students recorded the weather, colors, names of plants, yarn textures and their feelings. These individual pieces are displayed together as a record of that art making event and the land upon which they were made.
When Kindergarten students were asked "How do you learn to weave?" ,they replied "...from watching, from doing...from our ancestors of course!" Be sure to listen to more from them and see their hoop weavings made from quality yarns and hand dyed colors. This show is as much a teaching opportunity as it is an exhibit. The tools and looms will be on display to see and touch as well as opportunities for students to offer short demonstrations of loom weaving and loom beading to the public at various times.
"The Threads That Connect Us" is on at The Hearth from Wednesday February 18th through to Monday March 2nd with an opening party on Saturday February 21st , 2-4pm. Drop by to see and hear what weaving and mending is all about.