Household Notions*

Featuring works by: Lizz Aston, Noelle Hamlyn, Pam Lobb, Dorie Millerson and Amanda Parker

Nov. 30th, 2011 – Jan. 28, 2012

Opening Party & Holiday Cheer: Thurs. Dec. 1st, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Whether inspired by a character in a contemporary novel or by the ability of thread to link elements together, a narrative quality runs through each of the works in Household Notions. Textiles have a rich history that speaks to women and craft. These multi-layered sculptures explore domestic textiles, (including needlework and crochet) as well as the personal relationships, memories, and attachments that are formed with handmade objects, and the narratives that can be created with them. Alternative mediums such as glass, paper and porcelain expand upon our expectations of conventional textile patterns and constructions. Just as fabrics can degrade and fade with time, some textile references have been deconstructed, leaving residual impressions that reflect upon the absence of the object. Overall themes of exploration in this exhibition include fragility, intimacy, strength and tension.

*Notions are small items for household use such as needles, buttons and thread. A notion can also be a belief, an idea or a whim. (Here’s a household notion for you: Call your mother.)

The video link to the CraftTalks: Craft – Shifting Directions II, a panel discussion I participated in is now available on the OCAD University site.

The talk took place on Wednesday March 9th, 2011 at 6:30 pm in the OCAD University Auditorium. Three representatives from the craft studios at OCAD U, Sheridan and Harbourfront discussed recent changes in Craft education. Speakers included: Melanie Egan, Head of the Craft Department at Harbourfront Centre; Dorie Millerson, Former Chair of the OCAD U Material Art & Design Program; Koen Vanderstukken, Head of the Glass Studio at Sheridan College; and Jen Anisef (Moderator), creator of Toronto Craft Alert.

CraftTalks are presented in a collaboration between OCAD U’s Material Art & Design Program and the Ontario Craft Council.

Photo: D. Millerson

A very thoughtful article about my work written by Gil McElroy is featured in the current issue of Surface Design Journal (“Dorie Millerson: The Ties that Bind,” Spring 2011, 26-29), a quarterly publication of the Surface Design Association. In his article, McElroy writes about the various ways in which I use thread, scale, and shadow to explore themes of attachment and connection.

Bridge, 2006

My piece, “Car,” will be on display in the touring show Fiberart International 2010 that opens this evening, April 30th, and runs from May 1st to July 3rd at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York.

Photo: Martha Wasik

The connections show is over but my interview can be seen at ArtSync and hopefully the work will be displayed again soon. Here are a few images of shadows with the work.

The interview I did with ArtSync Television at the opening of my show, connections, will air tonight, Friday, February 25th on Rogers Channel 10 at 7:00 pm.

My new solo exhibition opens next week:

connections

February 16th – 27th, 2011

The lace works in this exhibition explore themes of travel, making connections between people and places. The networks of bridges, routes, maps and the vehicles we use to transport ourselves are investigated through thread: a connective medium.

Opening reception: Saturday February 19th, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

*new* gallery,
 906 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1G6

416-588-1200 / Wed-Sun 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Photo: Dorie Millerson, Invite Design: Catherine Tammaro

Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Sunday January 23, 2011, 12:00 pm

216 Main Street, Unionville, ON

In January, I will be giving a lecture on the work of Kai Chan in the context of craft and textile history. The lecture is part of the public programming for a retrospective exhibition, Kai Chan: A Spider’s Logic, showing at the Varley Art Gallery and the Textile Museum of Canada.

Many thanks to the Ontario Arts Council for awarding me an Exhibition Assistance Grant for my upcoming solo show scheduled to take place February 16th-27th, 2011 at the *new* gallery in Toronto.

The Ontario Arts Council is an agency of the Government of Ontario

Check out my cover story in the new issue of Studio: Craft and Design in Canada…

Studio: Craft and Design in Canada Fall/Winter 2010

My article, “Name Dropping: Is craft still a relevant term for new makers?” looks at the place of “craft” in the Material Art & Design program at OCAD University along with current hybrid practices that blur the boundaries of art, craft and design. The article is illustrated with work by 2010 Material Art & Design graduates Jon Riosa, Ana Coutinho, Elisabeth Heidinga, Homa Esmaili, Setsuko Sanagawa, Jen Kneulman and Shana Anderson.