Have a conventional look at textured pottery

Posted Dec 29, 2011 By EMC News

EMC Events - Today, tapestry can represent a remarkable beauty and a kind of textured poetry - a three-dimensional rebellion against conventional outlooks.

Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM) is pleased to present Woven Bridges from Dec. 20 to Jan. 28. A vernissage will be held Jan. 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The Woven Bridges exhibit features a fibre art group with three Canadian artists: Thoma Ewen, Krystyna Sadej and Ixchel Suarez, as well as three invited guest artists - Ewa Bartosz Mazus from Poland, Monique Lehman from United States and Thomas Cronenberg from Germany.

Woven Bridges refers to the strong connection between Canadian, American and European artists who share the same interest and love of tapestry weaving. Exhibition visitors will discover a rich variety of materials, techniques and experimental forms. The work shows a striking diversity and originality, combining humour and seriousness, recycling, and reflections on the nature of everyday life.

Bartosz Mazus creates extraordinary two and three-dimensional tapestries which are personal expressions and reflections of her life. She is an established international tapestry artist and an art teacher who has received many awards. Bartosz Mazus exhibits in Europe, Canada and the United States. She lives in Zaopane.

Ewen has been exhibiting her tapestries nationally and internationally for more than 35 years. She directs community tapestry projects and artist-in-the-schools projects. In addition, she teaches tapestry workshops at the Moon Rain Centre, a community studio in a natural setting which she founded in Val des Monts, Quebec.

From Pasadena, Lehman produces sensational contemporary tapestries of landscapes, people and nature. She has exhibited her tapestries in many individual and group art shows in the United States, China and Europe.

Sadej is an accomplished contemporary tapestry artist, whose use of recycled materials transcends art activism, creating beauty out of environmental waste. Her works of woven art have been exhibited in Asia, Europe, Canada and the United States. She lives in Navan and teaches at the Ottawa School of Art's (Orleans campus).

Suarez creates dramatic woven art that makes a flamboyant impression. She is a talented art weaver, lecturer, workshop leader and teacher who originally came from Mexico. She is founder of the Oakville Tapestry and Painting Studios. Suarez participated in numerous art shows in Mexico, Canada, Poland, France and the United States.

Cronenberg is one of the leading contemporary tapestry artists in Europe today. His works are autobiographical memoirs and technical masterpieces. A many-time recipient of awards and prizes, he has exhibited all over Europe and the United States, and is a long-time contributor and guest editor of the renowned Textile Forum magazine.

Together, they display a lively woven language out of soft and rough textural structures. Their work presents an energetic dialogue of cross-cultural vision that communicates possibility and an open-ended approach to experimental woven art.

MVTM is located at 3 Rosamond St. E. It is wheelchair accessible.