Intermission - Images from Karen Selk

Intermission - Images from Karen Selk

High 5 - Hi Fibre

In response to queries, Saturday Evening at Festival will be a time of FRIENDSHIP, FUN, and FIBRE. The rest is a mystery but 'DESSERT and COFFEE' will be served.

Festival closing will be at 11.30 Sunday 29 April.

Meet the Presenters - Stephenie Collin

In 1987 I spent a year of full-time study learning both on-loom and flax weaving at the Takitimu Arts & Cultural Trust. It was the only fibre-related tertiary training being offered in Hawkes Bay at the time, and it had a strong emphasis on the history and design of the fibre arts in N.Z. On completion, I began focusing on tapestry weaving and design, and I have been weaving tapestry ever since. In 1999 I completed my Certificate in Adult Teaching through what was then called The Waikato Polytechnic.

There are very few tapestry artist/weavers in N.Z, and I am extremely pleased to be one of them. I like to use my craft to express who I am and to tell my own story. Although tapestry lends itself to telling a visual story through its very nature, I believe all fibre practices have the ability to tell a story and give a glimpse into the life and perspective of the person who creates it. We all have the ability to capture, inform and enrich a niche audience of our own and we need to continue to challenge our own creative possibilities if we wish to evolve our work with fibre both as a craft, and as an art form.

Whether I am viewing an object that has been felted, woven or knitted, I am always aware that someone has wanted to share a part of who they are, and what they do with me. Being a Tapestry weaver, my interest in design practice has always been an obvious necessity, but I also believe that all of us can tap into a way of thinking that can inspire each one of us to produce interesting and thoughtful fibre art that gives a glimpse into each crafter’s particular story. It is the possibilities and hidden opportunities of the design process that I believe many would benefit from learning more about. Understanding it is key to understanding why you create what you do, land is the pathway to producing more mature and resolved creative fibre art-works.

Stephanie will present "Expanding Your Creative Response" and her blog is called WarpedArt&Design.

Joan

Meet the Presenters - Mathew Benge

Matthew Benge manages the Rare Yarn Company.

Rare Yarns are for knitters who are passionate about knitting yarns that are beautiful, out of the ordinary and great to use. They have a long commitment to producing dye-free natural boutique knitting yarns using fibre from alpacas, llamas, coloured sheep and goats.

Mathew will present "Designing and working with minority fibres".

Joan

Programme Booklet

Creative Fibre website has been updated and Programme Booklet, National Exhibition Condition of Entry and various forms are now available for download. Here are the pages from our booklet for your viewing pleasure. These pages can also be viewed in our Facebook album. (If the writing is too small, press Ctrl key and + key simultaneously a few times.)

Meet the Presenters - Sue Giller

I am passionate about fibrecrafts! I love to explore the amazing diversity of effects that can be achieved by blending different techniques and colours to create a pleasing garment or accessory.

My garment production process usually comprises five main stages: inspiration, design, selection of fibre, experimentation and execution. Most of my projects start with an interactive process of knit and tink before they settle down into a more productive phase.

My garments are mostly knitted on circular needles and I find it very satisfying when the work is removed and it appears in the correct shape. Once the knitting of the garment is complete it is then washed (sometimes hand-painted with dye) and laid out to dry or blocked. The final finishes are added such as hand-made buttons, belts or embellishments.

Sue was the recipient of the 2011 George Mason Scholarship in Design.

STOP PRESS: Special Notice for people travelling to Festival from the North Island

Creative Fibre Festival 2012 has secured discounted fares with the Interislander ferry. 35 % Off EASY CHANGE fares – booked online only. Promo Code FIB1 to be entered into the promo code box at the payments page online.

Terms and Conditions:
Travel to be between Monday 23rd April to Friday 4th May
35% OFF EASY CHANGE booked online at www.interislander.co.nz
Discount amount has no refund value.
Normal fare conditions apply.
Not available in conjunction any other offer.
Show proof of festival participation at check in.

We are very appreciative of the Interislander support for our Festival.

Introducing our Sponsors and Meet the Presenters - The New Zealand Merino Company

The New Zealand Merino Company acts as a facilitator to bring together the links in the 'High Country to High Fashion' chain. By establishing direct relationships with leading brands in the fashion world and with the pioneering active outdoors brands, it has taken New Zealand merino to the world.

New Zealand merino is whiter, stronger and longer than merino from anywhere else on the planet, and the New Zealand Merino Company was established to promote these superior natural attributes.

In addition to its core marketing role, NZM undertakes significant research and development to enhance all aspects of the merino offering, from on-farm practices to garment production.

See also Zque.

TNZMC will present "The Merino Story".

Chris

Meet the Presenters - Christine Keller

German born New Zealand based artist Christine Keller positions her work between textile design, contemporary art, new media research and innovation. She is interested in the clash of tradition and new technologies, and its social and political implications. As a result of her involvement with the international textiles community she has been living away from her home country for over eleven years. Her work has been exhibited internationally and was featured in the publications, Techno Textiles 1 and 2 (1998, 2005). She is an award winning designer, especially for her woven and felted design work for the 'Handweberei im Rosenwinkel' (1998-2001) in Germany. Since 1994 she has been involved with the Centre for Contemporary Textiles in Montreal Canada. Christine Keller holds a MFA from Concordia University (2004) and a Dipl. Des from Gesamthochschule Kassel (1993), and has taught Textile Design, Weaving and Fine Arts in Germany, Mongolia, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. July 2005 to December 2010 she was Academic Leader of the Textile Section at the Dunedin School of Art at Otago Polytechnic in Dunedin, on the South Island of New Zealand. Presently she works freelance in her studio in New Zealand .

Christine will present "Teaching Textile Art in New Zealand, a personal account" and "Jacquard then and now".

Advanced Notice

Creative Fibre National Exhibition 2011 has recently concluded.

Entries for Creative Fibre National Exhibition 2012 have to be in by 12 March 2012 so now is the time to plan entries.

The Exhibition will be hung in the Millennium Public Art Gallery, Blenheim from 24 March to 29 April 2012.

Download Conditions of Entry and Entry Form from the Creative Fibre website. 

Rose

Meet the Presenters - Susan Ann Broad

A self-confessed craft junkie from an early age, Susan credits her Mother and maternal Grandmother with her inventive approach to manipulated fibre. She learnt to spin, felt and weave in her early 20’s and has enjoyed the supporting influence of Creative Fibre for over 30 years.

After moving from Marlborough to Dunedin several years ago for a life style change, Susan developed her ‘make and make do’ ethic by experimenting with found objects, recycled wire and casting resin. She is now fully occupied designing and crafting her unique range of textile jewelry - ‘Kismet’.

Susan believes extensive experimentation utilising a large ‘library’ of fibre related skills, while holding a clear vision of the desired end product always results in success.

Susan will present sessions titled "Viking Knitting - history and method" and "Wire – Tricks of Successful Manipulation".

Traders

These traders have confirmed they will have a Trade Stand at Festival 2012 in Blenheim. As more register they will be detailed on this blog.

Alpaca Centre

Anna Gratton Ltd

Anna Harris ‘Hand Dyed Fibre’

Ashford Handicrafts Ltd

Blenheim Bookworld

Creative Outlet

Earth Pallette Dyes

Fab Fibres

Fibre2go

Hallblacks

Mecchia Looms

Spinning a Yarn  

Southern Alpacas

Teri Dyes

Shona Schofield / Felt and Fibre

Agnes Hauptli / Fibreholics

Meet the Presenters - Sarah Hornibrooke

Sarah Hornibrooke is a South Island artist living in Golden Bay, New Zealand.

Six of her twenty seven Montana Wearable Art Show exhibits are owned by W.O.W. and her work is often seen in their quarterly displays at the W.O.W. & Collectable Car Museum, Nelson. Her Wearable Art travels the world with the W.O.W. Team.

She has been a finalist seven times and won four awards in the show.

Since first entering with Deb Price in 1990, when they won the 1990 Section, Sarah has created entries using a vast variety of materials.

“For Maui’s Last Stand we used paper mache, fabric, sand, fishing net and paua. Since then I have explored wool, leather, melted toys, natural fibres such as harakeke, hand made paper and pigments, many kinds of recycled materials and brand new silk.

The show has offered me the chance to explore almost any medium and idea. The skills of sewing and stitching, painting, riveting, paper making, dyeing, felting and weaving have all been employed over the years, and many I have continued to use in my art and teaching today. My teaching brings me into contact with a wide range of people, children, adults and the elderly. I work for the Golden Bay Work Centre delivering N.Z.Q.A. units in raranga, teach a variety of creative community classes, and am a regular tutor for the children’s Oscar program.

I like to work mainly with sustainable materials, things that I can grow, or glean. To create a living using plants I have harvested and remnants I have gathered is my most satisfying goal. I feel my self looking more at how can I make a difference to my health and wellbeing and the world around me. This has led my work in different directions, often requiring the invention of new techniques.”

Sarah has exhibited work around N.Z. in galleries and Museums such as Te Papa, Auckland and Otago, and at present work is for sale from MONZA Gallery, Golden Bay and Ora Gallery, Wellington. Google Sarah Hornibrooke to see her art.

Sarah will be presenting "Exhibiting for WOW".

Meet the Presenters - Caroline Crick

Caroline Crick has been a professional photographer since 2007. She has many commercial clients - interiors, advertising, architecture, food, textiles.

Some recent published work :
Textile Fibre Forum (TAFTA magazine) - Changing Threads 2010 (Vol 29, issue 3 No 99 2010) - review and images,.
Homestyle Magazine (March 2010 issue),
Wild Tomato Magazine feature articles

Caroline was the recipient of the Wools of New Zealand Design Scholarship in 2000 [through Creative Fibre]

Of her experience with textiles Caroline says “I have 20 years experience as a handweaver, spinner and knitter, with major awards in CF exhibitions and Combined Textiles so I know textiles and have photographed my own work many times.”

Caroline will present "Photographing our Textiles". 

Meet the Presenters - Ali Brown

Ali Brown's flax weaving incorporates both contemporary and traditional techniques, and draws on an extensive background of practical involvement in craftwork, particularly the fibre-weaving crafts. She tutors flax weaving through her own regular workshops as well as workshops in community and school programmes and at art and craft events.

Ali will present two sessions on Woven Flax Containers.  

Ali’s website includes weaving projects and a popular blog. Her book, Weaving Flowers from New Zealand Flax, features original designs and arrangements, and sells throughout New Zealand and overseas.

Intermission - Felters' Shibori

Recently the Felters Group gave themselves permission to play and learn. Many had not attempted shibori or done much dyeing so the two were put together and they had fun. Silk scarves or felt (both pre felts and finished felt) were used.

Pole wrapped silk scarves being steamed.

A dyed felt sample ready to be heat set

Three dyed articles. Cherrie was very pleased with her felted piece.

Katies stunning scarf dyed using the three primary colours.

Wendy enjoys a coffee at the official 'unveiling'.

Christine

Karen Selk Post Festival Workshop: Silken Kaleidoscope

Silk is the queen of noble fibres, and this is a fabulous opportunity for weavers to gain expertise in weaving with silk under the guidance of an internationally renowned tutor.

Cloth is capable of a wonderful depth, brilliance and richness of colour that cannot be obtained on a painted surface, due to the interaction of fibre structure, weave pattern, colour and light. Through a series of woven samples and colour challenges using yarns we will explore colour as it relates to woven fabric. Participants will work with effective and practical techniques to realise greater satisfaction with your colour and cloth. You will arrive with looms pre-warped (threading provided by instructor) for eight different weave structures appropriate for apparel ensembles. The samples combine silk with a variety of other fibres while investigating different aspects of colour and cloth structure. Everyone will receive a comprehensive binder containing colour, silk and structure information. Intermediate level.

This is a 2 day Post Festival workshop: Monday 30th April and Tuesday 1st May 2012
Venue: St Johns’ Rooms, Seymour Street, [centre of] Blenheim
Workshop fee $150 [includes refreshments] plus $70 material fee paid to Karen at the workshop.

The number of workshop spaces is limited, and preference will be given to Festival registrants, with allocations made in order of registration. Don’t miss out!

Registration forms will be in the September issue of the Creative Fibre magazine. Also, watch the Creative Fibre website.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience a hands-on workshop with a fabulous fibre and a tutor of such vast experience.

Although Karen has sold her Treenway Silks business, the website still presents information about Karen and her work.

Chris

* All photographs used with the permission of Karen Selk. *