Dear ALL
Dates to Diarise:
- 2 March Works to be posted back to artists unless they went to Pretoria.
- 27 March - 2 May: The Threads that Bind Us. St. Lorient Fashion and Art Gallery in Pretoria. More on this later.
- 18 July Roy Starke exhibition. Tatham Art Gallery.
Jeanette Gilks, Odette Tolksdorf, Sarojani Naidoo and Helga Beaumont went to the Tatham Art Gallery on 15 December to have a look at the exhibition. It was really colourful, airy and impressive, as always. Phumlani, who is in charge of hanging work at the gallery, did an excellent l job - as usual.
A big Thank You to Bryony Clark, Reena Boodram and Phumlani for all the work that went into this exhibition. You did wonderful justice to our work.
Here are some images of the exhibition, including two articles that featured in the Natal Witness that showcased the work of Kathy Harmer Fox and Annette MacMaster.
Annete McMaster - Fragile Balance
Kathy Harmer Fox - Caged.
Exhibition Report back
- Posting works
- Packing list
- Packaging
The on-line show
This was the first time that the Tatham Art Gallery had staged an online or virtual show, so Fibreworks XI was a guinea pig, so to speak. Bryony Clark, the acting director and curator of the gallery, kept apologizing for their tardiness and blamed this on their general lack of experience. The web master they hired was apparently not to the satisfaction of the gallery, so I believe Bryony kept having to return videos and insisting they be redone. Obviously a learning curve for all concerned. And all the guinea pigs, incidentally, have survived well and good, some even adding additional tricks to their repertoire!
Here are some interesting statistics that the gallery gave us:
Rosalie's opening video got over 400 views and my class - Jeanette's - over 100. The viewing statistics of the one minute personal chats about our works are unavailable, but they will continue to be on line for a while.
I have taken down the printing video I made as I want to make another better one - possibly more than one - and put them up on You Tube. I have made some additional Videos for my Vega students which will be available too, at some stage. I will let all the members know when I have this in place.
Visitors Book
The gallery gave us a copy of the Visitor's book and here is one of the entries:
"My heart is bursting with joy as I slowly survey the individual pieces and they take my breath away. My heart is overflowing with sadness too for my dear Santie who would have loved to see this extra ordinary exhibition where so many of her friends have excelled. How sad that Sue Physick left us this week . Thanks to all. Graham McIntosh"
Thanks Graham. For those of you who don't know, Graham and Santie Mackintosh had a wonderful bushveld retreat in Mooi River district in KZN. For many years during the first decade of this century, the Fibreworks members who were available, trekked off there and spent delicious time together over our AGM weekend. We walked and talked and played fun games, telling stories deep into starlight nights. That time and that place are steeped in special memories that run deep and many very close friendships were forged there. We really did Seize the Day. And Nights also!
I remember dearest Sue Physick leading us out and onwards into the surrounding bushveld, telling us about all the fauna and flora in the vicinity. I think I picked up all my knowledge of indigenous trees from Sue. And Sue came to all my drawing workshops. She was a wonderful drawer. Sue gave Helga a Zulu Roberts Birds of Southern Africa with all the African names of the birds because she knew Helga is passionate about birds All those who knew Sue miss her kind and thoughtful generosity of spirit.
- St Lorient Fashion and Art Gallery
The Viewing Room Art Gallery
492 Fehrsen Street Brooklyn Circle Pretoria
Celia's work Beyond an Inferno has been used on the cover to promote this exhibition. Well done Celia.
- 18 July Roy Starke exhibition. Tatham Art Gallery
We are asking Christo Rabie to open the show, so will keep you posted.
- Fibreworks Exhibition Proposals
Here below is the letter that was sent.
Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein
Ester le Roux, Curator
Dear Ester
FIBREWORKS Exhibition Proposal - Oliewenhuis Art Museum in Bloemfontein
The Fibreworks group is very interested to exhibit their microMACRO exhibition at Oliewenhuis Art Museum.
Our present exhibition, microMACRO, is at the Tatham Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg until the end of February. Videos on their website https://www.tatham.org.za/ show the work on exhibition.
Please see the 3 attachments for our Exhibition Proposal:
1. Fibreworks - microMACRO Exhibition Proposal to Oliewenhuis & Exhibition Statement by Jeanette Gilks
2. Fibreworks - Brief History and Ethos
3. Fibreworks - Exhibitions & Venues
Photographs of a selection of artworks from the Fibreworks microMACRO Exhibition will be sent on a separate email.
If the Fibreworks Exhibition Proposal is accepted, we can discuss exhibition dates to suit both parties.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards
Odette Tolksdorf
On behalf of Fibreworks
- Web site:
Photo, Titles, Description (short), Dimensions, Materials, Exhibitions.
Use good quality photographs - surname first then title.
Members news
- Rosalie Dace
Sorry Rosalie for posting this 3 months after you sent it. Fire the secretary!
What a year this has been, seeming to have dragged snail-like, and simultaneously to have raced by overturning and smashing everything in its way. So here we are in Mid- December!
Everyone has had to rethink priorities and lives, and I am no different. Like so many people, what I had to do, and do fast, was learn the intricacies of Zoom thanks to my son Halford in the Netherlands who patiently taught me and still does the editing for me. Initially people didn't fully understand that all the lectures are recorded and available, so the meetings did not have to be at the normal times. Now they all know, we are spared that initial insane carnival of having to get up and get all dressed and smiley with earrings at 1.00 am for a 2.00 am lecture! Now my lectures and classes are all at 6.00 or 7.00 pm.
Fortunately I had students and groups in the US who wanted to continue with classes, and it has meant I have been able to almost pay off the legal fees for that visa (remember that visa story?) that I eventually did get, but can't use because of Covid!
So this is what I have NOT done: any new fibre or textile work, mainly because this is what I actually did do:
Lots of photography which I have really enjoyed.
Interviews, (one Zoom and one written) with Lisa Walton for her Quilt Story series
Slide lectures for various groups but mainly for The Stitchin' Post:
Reflections on the Life of an Itinerant Artist, (for several groups)
Getting there From Here
Eye To Eye
Promises and Possibilities: Design in Action
Still to Come:
Dancing On a Tightrope: Risk-taking in Art
The Purpose of Play
Skin Deep
Classes: I taught individuals and small groups. They varied between being long at 15 x 2hr sessions and shorter 6 x 2hr sessions. For 6 weeks I had a class every Mon Tues, Wed, Thurs and Friday from 6-8 .They were:
Walking the Line (Hundertwasser) 15 x 2 hr sessions
Awesome African Art 15 x 2hr sessions
Live Color Fully. 6 x 2 hr sessions for 2 groups.
There are several classes in the pipeline for next year:
Turn Over a New Leaf: 4 x 2hr sessions
Master Class length still be scheduled.
Also New and Different: What a privilege and pleasure!
Fibreworks Panel Discussion
Fibreworks XI Opening
Thank you to all our supportive Fibreworks friends and organization. Knowing you and seeing the work makes it all worthwhile.
Rosalie Dace
Thanks Rosalie for this up-beat account of your activities!
- Sandra Lemmer
 Ms Symphony |
 A close up |
Well done Sandra
Jeanette and the Team
