Canadian Scarves with the Colours of Nature
Lois Thompson was born and raised in rural British Columbia, Lois grew up with a strong creative spirit nurtured in BC Wilderness. Lois has always been fascinated with the colours of nature and the textures of fibre.
As a young child her art included the use of lichens and birch bark in her paintings and when she began sewing and designing doll clothes she experimented with the use of colour found in scraps of fabric, lace and ribbon.
Schooled as a fashion designer her creative pursuits lead her to painting on Silk where she could create her own fabric colours on a variety of silks including satin, chiffon and crepe.
All Lois” work is hand drawn and painted using high quality imported dyes. Many of her designs are inspired by the beautiful Oceans, Mountains and wildlife of the B.C. coast where she lives.
B C COAST DESIGN SILK SCARF
Her easy care silk are lightweight, luxurious, washable and colour fast. www.sidestreetstudio.com A World Made By Hand
Unique Hand Felted Wool & Silk Scarves & Wraps- From Pender Island
Monica Bennett writes: “I love colour. It is always what interests me first, what my eye sees first. Texture and pattern combined with colour inspire me and get the creative ideas flowing. My hand felted, wearable art pieces showcase colour, texture and pattern in a pleasing balance of form and function”.
“My wraps may look delicate but they are very wearable. Made mostly from Merino and Corriedale wools felted on to iridescent silk chiffon, they are soft on the skin, lightweight but warm, easily draped around the shoulders on a cool summer evening or wrapped around the neck, tucked under the chin and into a winter coat.”
“I was born and raised in West Vancouver. I received my Bachelor of Applied Arts in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Ryerson University in Toronto in 1988. In 1991, I took my first quilting class and from that moment on, fiber became my creative outlet”.
“Throughout the 1990s, I studied embroidery, hand and machine stitchery, fabric dyeing and surface design with a variety of international teachers. I started teaching quilting in Vancouver in 1995 and continued to teach even after my husband, Trevor, and I moved to Pender Island in 1999. When I started learning to hand felt in 2001, I knew I wouldn’’t be working in fabric arts anymore”.
“Once I saw how my hands could get into the creation of the art – literally – I was really excited”.
“Almost overnight, I stopped working with fabrics and started working with sheep’s wool, goat locks, silks and exotic fibers such as camel down,bison, qiviut, alpaca and llama. The ability to design and create the very fabric itself is an amazing feeling”.
“Everything I make is done by hand. I lay out the unspun fibers then felt them – gently rubbing them with warm, soapy water, then rolling them in bubble wrap over and over, constantly checking and adjusting as the work progresses. My hands tell me when a piece is felting, where it needs more attention and when it is finished.”
Monica’s beautiful, handcrafted work makes a magnificent gift and all represent outstanding value.
Canadian Scarves from Rainbow Dreams
Janet Bartlett and Lynn Hilton are experienced fiber artists who reside on Northern Vancouver Island. They currently are painting and dyeing anything silk, mainly scarves, but with future plans to do more Arashi and Shibori which are Japanese folding techniques for making pleated silk scarves and fabric.
Janet and Lynn are both experienced in knitting, spinning, weaving and felting. They have attended numerous workshops, seminars and conferences to expand their knowledge in textiles. They are members of the local spinning and weaving guild (Midnight Shuttles Spinners and Weavers) and are associate members of the Association of Northwest Weavers Guild (ANWG). ANWG membership covers the north western United States and western Canada.
Janet started at an early age with various crafts, guided by her mother, who was an accomplished artist and sculptress. She followed her in her mother\’s footsteps and is now teaching her children and her grandchildren the joy of creativity. When she\’s not doing handicrafts Janet also enjoys reading, looking after her rabbit and her cats and hanging out with her grandchildren.
Lynn came from an ancestry of accomplished artists and is also carrying on the tradition of sharing the extensive knowledge she learned from her mother. She is getting a great deal of satisfaction from teaching her grandchildren and helping them to carry on the tradition and appreciation of the arts. Lynn is also an accomplished artist and an avid gardener when she’s not dyeing silk.
As long time Campbell River residents, Janet and Lynn have drawn inspiration from the beauty of the surrounding area and have tried to incorporate that beauty into their art. They both feel their city is a jewel and are proud to be members of the Campbell River Art Gallery and to be part of this emerging artistic community… http://www.sidestreetstudio.com
