Poetry Reading at the Toronto Free Gallery

Last Tuesday some of us 'ladies' went down to the Toronto Free Gallery to hear some poems. It was a benefit for the committee that is organizing the commemoration and demonstration for the missing and murdered Aboriginal women. Yes it was very moving and emotional, and also great to hear such strong words. Faith Nolan sang and that did lift us up.

Also, we saw Carol Conde and Karl Beveridge photo exhibit. They tackled the issues of Mexican migrant workers in Ontario, land development, the toxification of water, the economic crash. Inspiring work. We want to make pictures too.

Amazing paintings by M.

We miss here when she's gone.

The Monday Art Group continues to gather and make art. We have more projects brewing, big and small. For now poetry, knitting, drawing, beading, drinking tea and quietly exploring.

We think about food and under nourishment. So we had a feast, it was the holidays after all, but vegetables were on request! And homemade calzones.

Why have all the cooking utensils been thrown away?

Our Banner Project finally complete and installed on the Heinztman street wall of Evangeline (as well as inside).

Febuary 2011.

The Quilt Project installed at the Capitalism and Culture in the Junction exhibit.

installation day - collaborative design is not for the faint of heart

today is the day... that we have been collectively imagining for months now.

imagine the scene. a basement, cool, even cold in summer. round tables with chairs pulled up. tea cups full. and women gazing at a screen upon which is projected a potential banner design.

slow down! says the woman at the computer, who is manipulating the design in photoshop and thinking collaborative design is not for the faint of heart, or the slow of finger. there is excitement as each piece of the banner is created, re-visioned, shifted, added to, re-coloured... until finally everyone in the room says ok, ok, ok. we all agree this works. final notes are taken so that the last design changes can be implemented off site.

this says it all...

I woke up this morning thinking about the usual things - housing, poverty, making home. And I had a memory of one of the women who made ironing board covers for every ironing board in the shelter...

a sewing machine was donated and it is being used. we hope that we learn enough to keep it maintained! In addition to the ironing board covers there are these insoles - made of layer upon layer of fabric, that is quilted together and then placed into shoes... softening the steps...

home is....

where you hang your hat...

This is one of the interior banners that will be hung next week! The hats were made by the women...

rose wreath

these roses were knitted over the weeks of winter, creating a wooly beauty of many colours. roses in the middle of winter allowed our imaginations to turn toward spring and blossoming...