Privacy | Newsletters | Sitemap
| Fiberworks | Individual Artists | Ethos & History | Membership | Galleries | Contact Us |
Dear ALL,
Friday 30 June - 10h30 for 11am at Jeanette's. Meeting on 10 March. Members present: Helga Beaumont, Sue Physick, Sue Stevenson, Jutta Faulds, Odette Tolksdorf, Rosalie Dace, Jeanette Gilks, Margaret Ruxton, Judy Breytenbach, Jenny Hearn, Dana Biddle, Jean Powell. Apologies: Margs Garratt, Sue Funston, Lynette Douglas, Sue Akerman, Annette McMaster, Santi McIntosh, Lisa Gillespie Members' achievements: Here is some inspiring stuff from Leonie Malherbe and Hlengiwe Dube! Leonie sent me this:
The African Art Centre in Durban's Tourist Junction has been commissioned to create a giant 7m x 2.5m fabric, beaded and embroidered South African flag to hang in the main high judge's chamber in the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg. Work began on the flag in November 2005 and the creative team of six people worked throughout the festive season. Designed by Leonie Malherbe and assisted by Hlengiwe Dube the team currently comprises Siphindile Nkosi, Zibuyisile Zule, Ntombifikile Nkosi and Ntombi Mbatha. The African Art Centre was commissioned by Janina Masojada from Omm Design Workshop - the architects working on the new Constitutional Court. The flag was divided into sections and the workload shared among the collective. Workshops were held each Friday, materials handed out and completed panels collected, and the whole process photographed as a book is planned. Many thousands of beads in different shades have been used in different configurations and designs to create tonal depth - pony beads, glass pearl beads, bugle beads and miracle beads (silver foiled beads which shimmer in the light). It will be sewn onto a canvas backing which is being made by a tent manufacturing company - as it is too big a job for conventional seamstresses. The finished product will be displayed at the Constitutional Court. It will be placed onto a curved metal beam so the flag looks like it is billowing in the wind. Leonie Malherbe 11/2/2006 Thank you, Hlenge and Leonie. Like cream, you rise to the top! Thank you Dana for the lively article that appeared in the Jan/Feb 2006 edition of Craftwise magazine. As a result of the article, I had a number of enquiries about Fibreworks. People wanted to know How To Join the group and they were posted/emailed off the Procedure for Prospective Members and the Document of Intent*. Others wanted a catalogue. I also managed to persuade some people to purchase not only the Major Minors II but ALSO the Major Minors I catalogue for a total price of R70 (plus postage costs). R10 discount for acquiring, in addition, our First Edition! Yes, yes, but then I AM a cheeky sod…should consider themselves lucky, them lot, 'cause some of 'em First Editions is signed by the artists… *Please note that these two forms - Procedure for Prospective Members and the Document of Intent were printed in the JULY 2005 and OCTOBER 2004 newsletters, respectively. Make copies of these forms and keep them handy in the event of someone asking you how they can join Fibreworks. WEBSITE DESIGN All of you who took part in either Major Minors I or Major minors II should have received an email a few weeks ago concerning our Fibreworks website. This included a Consent Form. Unfortunately there was a glitch on Carolyn Kode's new computer and a number of you received the preamble letter twice but not the Consent Form! Apologies all round. Please find attached to this newsletter the said Consent Form. If you have already contacted Helga you do not have to do so again. Those who have NOT responded please do so RIGHT AWAY. Your consent is essential for the web site to move ahead. Many Thanks. For those who are in the dark, i.e. for those members who are new/did not take part in these exhibitions, hereunder is the letter we sent off to Major Minor participants. I would like EVERYONE to reread this letter as I have further clarified some of the points that are raised: FIBREWORKS WEBSITE We are in the process of building a Fibreworks website that will, initially, be showcasing the text and the artworks from Major Minors I and Major Minors II. (The "extras" that some people made for these two exhibitions will not be featured). This is just a beginning and we are confident that the website will grow and feature more and more of the members' artworks. Rod Beaumont, who has the experience and expertise, is building the website for us. The whole setup would normally cost in the region of R20 000 but Rod and Helga are happy to do this for us at COST PRICE i.e. for the annual hosting fee. That is about R2 000, per annum - an amount that will be paid by Fibreworks. As you can see this is an ENORMOUS saving for all of us in Fibreworks. There will be NO CHARGE to anyone for this website, UNLESS work is sold. The Beaumonts will take 15% of all ON LINE sales price i.e. if works are sold off the website then THEY will take the commission. This is fair since Rod has built the website and Rod and Helga will be managing the website for us. Major Minor works that HAVE ALREADY been sold will also feature on the website in order to promote our group but they will obviously not be advertised for sale. Your work need not be for sale, if that is your choice. We are still in the process of resolving the price structure. This will entail shipping costs, commission charges and extraneous government fees etc. These costs will be ADDED ONTO the artists' asking price - in the same way that galleries charge a commission. I hope this is clear. In the meantime, however, we do need information and permission from you in order to get the web site up and running. Below is a FIBREWORKS WEBSITE CONSENT FORM. Please read it through, fill it in and fax it - 031 764 3944 - or snail mail it to Helga a.s.a.p. Her address: P.O.Box 749, Kloof 3640. NB If we DO NOT hear from you by April 30 we will assume that you are not interested in this proposal and your work will be removed from the website. That's fine. If you are no longer a member of Fibreworks but would like your work to feature on the new website, you will have to rejoin Fibreworks. If this is the case, please indicate this when you return the form to Helga. Sub fees are R100 per annum. The website thus far looks eye catching and professional. What with Rod Beaumont's knowledge of website design and the aesthetic input of the four of us, it jolly well OUGHT to look professional! A) The Quilting Arts editor - Pokey Bolton - wants to do ANOTHER article on Major Minors II in her magazine and has requested that the ACTUAL works be sent to the USA to be photographed. There are nine works involved. Rosalie will be taking the nine pieces with her when she goes to the States to teach in May and she will bring them back home again once Quilting Arts has finished with them in mid June. The eight artists involved are as follows: Jenny Hearn, Sue Physick, Margaret Letts, Dana Biddle, Sue Akerman, Judy Breytenbach, Rosalie Dace, Helga Beaumont. B) We sent two catalogues - MM I and MM II - to the editor of Fiberarts magazine and immediately got back this reply: Hello Jeanette and Helga, Thank you for sending the catalog for Major Minors II. If space permits, we would like to include a short write up about the catalog. Can it be ordered? If so, from who and how much does it cost? Also have the touring dates for the show been set yet? I appreciate it if you can get me this information as soon as possible. All the best, Liz Good assistant editor, Fiberarts magazine It would be GOOD if we featured in the Fiberarts magazine! We have replied and will keep you posted… Venues ·Australia January/February/ March 2006 The Australian tour was very successful and all the works have arrived safely back in South Africa. Thanks to Helga, for her wonderful, magic work with customs officials - she seems to know them all by their first names! Catalogues that were sent over sold like hot cakes…my ONLY regret is that we did not charge more for them. Here is something that was written about us in the mini programme/catalogue that advertised the Convention: Colours of South Africa A new exhibition entitled Major Minors II by the SA textile art group Fibreworks will be shown at AQC. The 33 artists are well known around the world for their innovative style; this exhibition follows the popular first series Major Minors. " NB After any show, the gallery/organizer will let us know which works were bought and Helga and I will keep you posted regarding the sales of the works via the newsletter. Odette Tolksdorf, however, will be responsible for the PHYSICAL MANAGEMENT of the work once it finally changes hands/ ownership at the end of the tour. She will have all the details pertaining to the sale of the work, i.e. the buyer's name and address, final selling price, etc. Here are the works sold/reserved so far:
Nova Constantia June Lisa Gillespie is happy that BOTH the YIN and the YANG exhibitions will feature at the Innovative Threads exhibition in June. Unfortunately the nine works that Rosalie is taking to the USA will not be featured. Lisa as also requested information on Fibreworks/Major Minors - how they differ from and what they share with (the old) Innovative Threads and I have emailed her the relevant information printed in previous newsletters: Odette's talk to the Kloof Quilter's Guild (November 2005 newsletter), and the distinctions I made between Innovative Threads and Fibreworks (October 2004 newsletter). If you are a new member and would like back copies of any newsletter for some reason, please let me know. My email, and Helga's are at the bottom of this newsletter. We can assist you. ArtSPACE Durban September This venue will cost us R160 for TWO WEEKS! Possibly France end of September Celia COULD be going to France mid September and would be happy to exhibit the work there. At this stage, however, it remains a BIG COULD. Possibly Pretoria end of the year Jenny has made contact with Christo Rabe, curator of the African Window in Pretoria, so there is a good chance that the work will be exhibited there too once it has completed its round in Durban. Hanging of Major Minor work. At the meeting on the 10 March a lively discussion emerged regarding the hanging of the works, and it was decided that: -there WILL NOT be stipulations regarding the TYPE/KIND/MAKEUP of fibreworks artworks presented by members, BUT if the work is difficult or problematic to be displayed in a particular venue, for WHATEVER reason, e.g. no sleeves, no hooks, no wire to hang from the ceiling, no CEILING, perhaps, it is up to the Fibreworks member who is overseeing the show to decide whether to display the work or not, AND -if the work suggests that it could be a nightmare TO TRAVEL TO a particular venue for whatever reason, e.g. too bulky, too heavy, too fragile; again, it is up to the Fibreworks member curating/transporting the show to decide if the work should travel or not. FIBREWORKS IV Work to be sent to Jenny Hearn by Sunday 8 September. Her address is 13 Ronmar Road, Morningside, Sandton. We will give you more information on the exhibition nearer the time. So far all is in order. Dana Biddle and Jenny Hearn have everything in hand. Many thanks, Jenny and Dana. FNB Craft Now 2006 This exhibition attracts some of the best craft from all sectors of the craft community. There are BIG cash prizes to be won. For more details: eunice@craftcouncil.co.za Tel: 011 834 9569 Fax 011 834 3565 Jabulisa 2006 : The Art of KwaZulu-Natal Sponsored by the Natal Arts Trust, the Jabulisa traveling exhibitions celebrate contemporary visual creativity by artists and crafters resident in KZN. It is a juried show that will tour the province, then the rest of the country. For more details: Brendan Bell 033 342 1804 Fiberarts International - Exhibition of Contemporary Fiber Art: This juried exhibition seeks to exhibit the best of contemporary fiber art and invites submissions that reflect a wide range of work that is related to the fiber medium. This includes, but is not limited to, fiber art expressions rooted in traditional craft materials, structure, processes and history, sculpture conceptual and installation art. All work must be either fiber in content or executed in a fiber technique. For more details: www.fiferartsinternational.org fiberartsinternational@yahoo.com Quilt National This is a very prestigious, juried fiber/textile show, accompanied by a large full colour catalogue. A number of our members have had work on this exhibition. Mail all entry materials - entry forms, slides, $35 entry fee, stamped return envelope to: QN '07 - Dairy Barn Arts Centre P O Box 747 Athens, Ohio 45701- 0747 USA For more details: www.quiltnational.com and qn@dairybarn.org And last but not least, I would like to welcome Cornelia Robinson to Fibreworks. She joined the group last month. Love you lots Jeanette |