This is the sign for our group these days! Enough sugar to make it a sweet time for all of us as we continue to work on the crafts that seem to come so naturally...

The tea pot is filled with the reminiscences of the afternoon - now turned to tea leaves. and in the middle of it is the mash up of contributions -looking gorgeous!

learning from our mothers...

We began our work on obi belts today... hours of work left me with an "h" and an "o"... part of "home" that will eventually be spelled out.

In the quiet of the afternoon, women drank tea, knit, crocheted, embroidered and thought about home.

Today part of what we chatted about was how each of us learned to knit and crochet. We found out that women learned in schools and from the hands of their mothers and grandmothers. Some of us also learned to memorize patterns from a quick look at a book that is too expensive to purchase.

imagine

We have been working at Evangeline this autumn and imagining the kinds of transformation that can take place... Here is a banner that we have imagined. We hope to be able to work toward the creation of a series of banners which incorporate the work that we are doing there... bringing the inside, outside...

knitting

I have been thinking a great deal about knitting and crocheting... large and small. Maybe because i just finished the scarf you see above? And I have been looking at the work of many artists including Canadian Janet Morton. Her large scale (and more intimate projects) are inspiring to this Toronto gal. In fact as we begin the next phase of the Evangeline project we will be introducing her work to the women. Our goal is for us all to begin imagining... and what better place to start than with projects that have used the domestic handicraft of women to transform spaces and places.

Some Small Success to Celebrate

Have been wanting to let the community know that the Red Wagon Collective was successful in receiving grants from both the Toronto Arts Council and the Ontario Arts Council. Our deepest appreciation goes out to these Councils - without their support we would not be able to engage in this community arts project. This means we are starting our work with the folks at Evangeline again, so stay tuned!

Working at Evangeline

The Gathering Space of course changes and somehow stays the same, in its heart. The location has shifted, but the red wagon lives and thrives. We have been working at Evangeline for months now but so busy that we have not posted! We means Loree, Kim (at times), me (Nancy) and Liz. Loree did have to leave us for a post with the Ontario Arts Council... So sad but at the same time... so grand!
And so my intent is to catch up with what we have been doing. And that includes updating, finding images, and telling those who miss us what we have been up to!

Home Sweet Home

          


Home Sweet Home, The Gathering Space's final exhibition at our studio/gallery space at Cool Hand of a Girl in April 2008 featured a unique collection of work that included invitations from artists to participate in the collection and work that was the result of collaborations with community members. We want to thank everyone - artists and community members - for their generous contributions.