Dear ALL
Dates to Diarise:
- 27 October: Opening of TAPE exhibition, GFI Art Gallery in Port Elizabeth. More on this later. Rosalie Dace is opening the TAPE exhibition with a virtual opening on Wednesday evening, 27 October at 6pm, live on the Gallery's facebook page
- 31 October: Closing of Roy Starke exhibition. Tatham Art Gallery. More on this later.
- 23 November 2021. Closing date of TAPE Exhibition
- June 2022, we are considering June next year for staging our National show. More on this later
Please note the Fibreworks account details on the top of every newsletter.
Subs are due now. Contact Helga if you have any queries.
We had a good AGM meeting at the Tatham Art Gallery on Saturday 2 October, seated at a table in the beautiful high-ceilinged main exhibition room where Roy Starke's work was on show. What a joy! The exhibition was hung beautifully
Present: A McMaster, S. Naidoo, O. Tolksdorf, J. Gilks, H. Beaumont, Prue Nicholson.
Apologies: T de Harde, S Akerman, K Arbiter, K Harmer Fox, M Pretorius, R Dace, C De Villiers, J Hearn, M Letts, S Walwyn,
As is usual, the minutes of the meeting have been incorporated into the main body of this letter.
- New Members:
As we knew that there would be few of us at the AGM, we decided to ask some Fibreworks members for their opinion on Linda's work, before our meeting began. Here below are two of the replies we had from Celia de Villiers and Rosalie Dace, who both gave nuanced and considered responses:
Celia: A resounding yes! I encouraged her to apply and seeing her entire body of work confirms my appreciation of her as an artist with integrity.
Her work is cutting edge and she is making it into so called 'High Art' circles, which often denigrates sewing as a mere craft.
She challenges convention and the mixed media inclusion of 'non textiles' is mostly about her presentation mode. Stitching is still the main thing.
Her rationale of each work is thorough and well researched and contextualized. A clear sign that she takes her art seriously.
Rosalie: I would definitely vote for Linda Rademan to be a Fibreworks member. This artist shows her individual voice in contemporary work that is culturally and historically significant. It seems from the photographic documentation submitted to be exquisitely made, using both traditional and alternative materials and techniques, that evoke a response in the viewer. There is no doubt in my mind that it would be an asset to have her as part of Fibreworks.
Thanks everyone for your positive input regarding Linda's work.
- Fibreworks Constitution
- Roy Starke exhibition at the Tatham Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg
Opened 1 August - 31 October, knockdown
Fibreworks has donated 2 of Roy's works to the Tatham - Reptilian Sun and African Refractions. Bryony, who is the curator of the Tatham gallery, asked if Fibreworks would donate these 2 works to the Tatham.
Bryony was so impressed with the conversation we had on line that she went ahead and made a closer study of his works, finally deciding that these two best illustrated our discussion. Thanks again everyone who participated in that zoom meeting! Slowly we Get Good at this!
It was agreed that we keep intact the body of artworks displayed at the Tatham gallery for further shows of Roy's work. We are currently exploring various options for further exhibitions.
We are gradually diminishing the vast number of works. Vega, the college where I lecture, is very keen to exhibit some of his works on a more or less permanent basis. Good!
Woza Moya, an economic empowerment project of the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, https://www.wozamoya.co.za/ is a very successful & creative project. They have very happily accepted some of Roy's work which Fibreworks had received unfinished and/or torn or partially damaged by mould etc. (some of Roy's work had been stored in a garage).
Some of our members have claimed some of his work.
If you are interested to see more of Roy's work on line, please see the link below. It's on our website:
https://www.fibreworksart.com/Roy Starke Gallery/index.html.
His biography and more information is also available on his website:
https://roystarke.jimdo.com/
- Fibreworks Biennial Members' Exhibition
Here below are some of the points raised:
Advantages (in no particular order):
- Should this wretched Covid scurge continue, we are all safe and the show is not affected. No shipping costs, either way
- Less labour as there is no hanging in a conventional gallery space
- No gallery payments. No hanging fees, no food and drinks as there is no F2F opening, no payment of a hanging team, no gallery commissions
-
10% Commission sales go to Fibreworks (to be confirmed)
-
No curation by the gallery hosting the show. Since curated shows are invariably better shows, we could get someone outside to curate the artwork so the best work is exhibited
- Online exhibition is not limited by time and place
- International audience
Exhibition can be up and available for a long time, Forever perhaps, as the show could be archived on our website - In keeping with current international trends
- Clear view and a detail of everyone's work
- Zoom and discussion sessions possible
- Social media sites eg. You Tube, Instagram, Facebook and Fibreworks website offer possibilities for advertising and selling our artwork
- Interactive dimension on some of these sites, inviting public comments and feedback
Disadvantages (in no particular order)
- No physical human interaction at all, except online
- The actual, tactile, physical qualities of the artworks will be lost
- All textures simulated
- Much more work on the Fibreworks website for Helga and Rod, initially
Matters that will need to be addressed/things we need to all think about:
- We need to pay someone who is the best at the job to get this kind of show up and running effectively and efficiently. Just until we we get the hang of things. This is new learning.
- Order of presentation of artworks is significant and ought to be able to change so there is a fair viewing of everyone's work, Can it change?
We will need excellent images and details of our work. - Theme? Title? Please send in your ideas to Helga.
There is much homework to be done and any help any of you can give, would be very appreciated. We willl be sending out a letter at some point with regards to sending images and details of your work. The quality of the images is a crucial element of an online show, so if you do not know how to take and send professional photographs of your work, you will have to get professional help. We will update you in due course, but give this all some serious thought and get back to us please!
- TAPE exhibition at the GFI Gallery in Port Elizabeth
Opening date of Exhibition: 27 October 2021
Opening address by Rosalie Dace
Closing date of Exhibition: 23 November 2021
Cell: 083 556 3043
E-mail: info@sewingatthec.co.za
- Rosalie is opening the show on 27 October on facebook. It will also be recorded to watch later.
Achievement of Members
Sue Akerman has some lovely news to share! Here below is her recent story. Thank you Sue!
AND LEAVING A LEGACY AND OTHER THINGS.
I have with my art creating, always sought a reason for doing what I do. It did not satisfy me creating without it being meaningful or useful or to be without purpose. I have no idea why I have always questioned this unless it has been my Calvinistic upbringing! There always seemed that there were more boxes to tick than just satisfying my own creative soul. Always wanting to be effective and leave the world a better place or like planting a tree in whose shade only others would sit under, or just being able to pass one's skills on for the common good.
So, the seasons changed in 2019 and covid came, and Trayci and Stu Thompkins decided to move to France.
Trayci an amazing artist and ceramicist and Stu the businessperson. I felt the loss of them leaving the art world in the area and had always loved their work and especially The Dlamini Figurines. I wondered what would become of them. So, I asked what was going to become of them, knowing truly little about ceramics other than a small amount of tinkering over the years made me feel like it was too slow a process for me. The days went by, and it nagged at me.
This was the beginning of me being reeled in by Stu to catch this massive fish!
It Ticked all the boxes
I had the perfect space
I love helping others
I did not want to see the artists dreams collapse
And most of all, I love the Dlamini story.
THE DLAMINI STORY-was born in a collaboration between Trayci and Tim Dlamini who believe that their eyes are a connection to their soul. The carrier of internal thought that sits on their head and emanates from their soul / heart. These internal thoughts sit on their heads.
They have coffee bean eyes, just like masks. They are totally unconfrontational, respectful and humble and serene.
Together Trayci and Tim watched people and chatted about what everyone must be carrying on their heads and in their souls. These Dlamini's come from a village and each of these faces you would have seen somewhere. They would make these thoughts come alive as an artifact on their heads. Just like the ladies who carry huge bundles of wood on their heads.
Trayci and Stu imparted all their knowledge to me in 2 very busy months, and I am eternally grateful.
And thus, my Dlamini journey began.
This is how my life works now.
I drive along the roads from Hilton to Sweetwater's once a week and first stop with Tim Dlamini as he is the maker of the heads and the beautiful art works that sit on their heads. We discuss what to make for the next week, depending on orders and stock levels.
He is a Quiet, Delightful and Philosophical man who embraces new ideas with relish. We stand at his gate chatting and the goats and cows walk by, and the friends greet as they pass.
So, I pick up his last week's creations and drive on to Tim Buthelezi who is another wonderful man and a priest in his spare time. Buthelezi makes the bodies and fixes the heads to the bodies and the artifacts to the heads. A true gentle humble man.
I collect last week's creations and head slowly and gingerly with green clay figurines back home to start my work. This is the stage that they are most vulnerable to breaking.
First off,
I fire them to bisque.
I then glaze them and dry them for 24 hours and then
They are Raku fired.
Once raku fired, they are scrubbed to get rid of the saw dust and put in the finishing room.
Raku firing is quite terrifying at first. First learning when they are ready to be removed from the kiln by peering into the red-hot glowing orange furnace. It is once that decision is made, they are removed one by one and placed in the sawdust bins and covered with sawdust which bursts into flames. This process has to be completed in 2 minutes or they may crack.
Through all this I have learnt that making mistakes is the best way to learn. One never does it again!!
So Trayci and Stu have left me their legacy to continue on and I truly hope that I can leave it for the next person.
So, my art box and my headspace are very full. Full of exciting new ideas, meeting other artists in another world who are all fabulous people. I find space in between working doing my own work and feel very blessed.
Mostly, I have ignited my passion to learn more and to do more art.
WHY DID I GROW UP SO LATE?
The Amish people have an awesome saying. "You grow too soon old and too late schmart"
October 2021
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- Finances:
Fibreworks Financial Report 2020-2121
Fibreworks finances are in a healthy state.
- Web site and Sales:
Please remember that if you sell any work from the Fibreworks' website there is a 10% commission due to Fibreworks.
Look after yourselves and stay safe!
Jeanette and the Team
