Contacts: lestapissiers@totally-hooked.com Exposition du Printemps 2008 Spring 2008 exhibition Été 2008 Summer 2008 Volume 4, No. 1 Dans ce numéro Inside this issue: Expo annuelle 2008 Exhibition Membreship 1 L Offrande du coeur Jocelyn Guindon Cours et ateliers, Automne 2008 2008 Classes and workshops Fall 2008 Site Web Web Site Le Rug Story: Grampy s Oxen Adventure, Annonces / Classified Calendrier 2008-09 Calendar 2008-09 1, 3 2 3 3 4, 5 6 6 Notre troisième exposition annuelle s est tenu du vendredi 18 avril au samedi 26 avril 2008 au Centre Récréatif, Culturel et Social Saint Zotique à Saint Henri. La directrice artistique de l exposition était Susan Alain, artiste peintre qui a une longue expérience des arts textiles et membre fondatrice des Tapissiers de Saint-Henri. Judith Dallegret a offert une formation aux Tapissiers sur l art populaire dans les tapis crochetés. Judith, venant d une longue lignée de Tapis- Scène de Clarence Gagnon sières du Conçu et exécuté par Mary Guay Québec et de la Nouvelle Écosse, a étudiées les beaux arts aux Musées des Beaux Arts de Montréal et de Boston. L exposition nous a aussi permis de voir les 18 pièces de notre exercice d interprétation sur une maison québécoise de Clarence Gagnon. (page 3) Membership Un rappel, notre membership couvre l année académique, de septembre à août. N oubliez donc pas de renouveler votre carte de membre le plus tôt possible. Ces quelques dollars nous permettent d organiser des événements spéciaux et de s offrir quelques outils de travail en partage. Nous ne sommes pas riche, au 31 juillet nous avions $845 en banque. Les frais de membership vont aussi cette année nous permettre d avoir des professeurs invités et des conférenciers (voir page 3). Tumbling Houses, Conçu et exécuté par Terry Ballantyne Exécutif des Tapissiers de Saint Henri: Lucie G. Lambert, Présidente, lamlg@sympatico.ca Mary Guay, Vice Présidente lgi@qc.aibn.com Jocelyn Guindon, Secrétaire trésorier, jguindon@totallyhooked.com Our Third annual exhibition took place from 16 to 26 of April 2008 at the Centre Récréatif, Culturel et Social Saint Zotique à Saint Henri. The show director was Susan Alain, a visual artist with a long experience of fibre arts. Susan is also a founding member of the Tapissiers de Saint- Henri. Judith Dallegret, a fourth generation Québec-Nova Scotian r u g hooker, offered a training session on folk art in rug hooking. Judith studied fine arts at both the Montreal Musée des Beaux Arts and the Boston Fine Art Museum. The exhibition also presented 18 rugs that were completed in the Maison Québécoise interpretation exercise based on a house painted by Clarence Gagnon. (page 3) A reminder that our membership covers the academic year from September to August. Please renew as early as possible. These few dollars allow us to organize special events and to acquire for the group a few basic tools that can be shared. We are not wealthy, at the end of July 08, we had a grand total of $845.00 in the bank. This year, your membership dollars will also allow us to have guest teachers and speakers (see page 3).
Notes de voyage: L Amour romantique et les tapisseries du Moyen Age Par Jocelyn Guindon Cet été, Québec célèbre son 400 ième anniversaire. Un événement phare des célébrations de cet été est l exposition des trésors du Louvre au Musée national des Beaux-Arts du Québec. La Tapisserie «L Offrande du cœur» (Fig. 1) y est présentée. J ai eu le bonheur de voir cette oeuvre au Louvre quelques jours après avoir vue «La Dame à la licorne» (Fig. 2) au Musée national du Moyen Age à Paris. Ces deux œuvres représentent pour les arts textiles ce que Tristan et Iseult, Roméo et Juliette et la Chanson de Rolland représentent pour les littératures germaniques, anglaise et française. On assiste a cette époque à une évolution importante dans les représentations par rapport aux périodes précédentes. Ces œuvres cristallisent un glissement vers une représentation de Fig. 1 : L Offrande du cœur, vers 1400-1410, Paris. Tapisserie laine et soie, 247 x 209 cm. Musée du Louvre, département des Objets d art. Photo : RMN / Droits réservés. l amour idéalisé vers l amour gallant et plus tard vers le romantisme plutôt que des représentations guerrières ou encore des œuvres amplifiants les pouvoirs politique et religieux. En effet, plusieurs œuvres de très grande dimension telle que les 12 tentures de «Les chasses de Maximilien» (représentant les 12 mois de l année tissées pour Louis XIV) exposés au Musée du Louvre, ou encore l immense Tapisserie d Artémise reconstituée récemment au Musée des Gobelins, permettaient de magnifier le pouvoir des commanditaires. Le cœur (siège de l âme) est à cette époque perçue comme un sixième sens. Cette «Offrande du cœur», cet amour, n est donc pas seulement un amour charnel mais aussi un amour chevaleresque. Ce sens supérieur que représente le cœur permet d appréhender ce qui est noble, immatériel, divin. On comprend mieux ici le conflit que révèle la trahison d Ivanhoé et de Gwendoline, qui cèdent au plaisir charnel en dépit du devoir chevaleresque et de son obligation d amour idéalisé. On retrouve les même thèmes dans les six panneaux de la «La Dame à la licorne» qui représentent dans les cinq premiers tableaux les sens du toucher, du goût, de l odorat, de l ouïe et de la vision. Le sixième tableau «A mon seul désir» révèle toute l ambivalence de cette époque où «... l idée selon laquelle il s agit ici en même temps d une apologie de la beauté et du désir, et d une mise a distance par rapport au plaisir des sens, double signification caractéristique d une culture de l équivoque dont on connaît maint exemples à l automne du Moyen Âge.» (Jean-Patrice Boudet) «L amour est miel que cuer desire» Proverbes pour escoliers de Gerson Fig. 2 : La Dame à la licorne, «A mon seul desir», circa 1450. Détail intéressant concernant les couleurs et les teintures. Lorsqu on observe les panneaux de «La Dame à la licorne» on s aperçoit que les teintes de rouge sont moins éclatantes au bas des tapisseries. Lorsque George Sand redécouvre ces pièces au XIX ième siècle, les pièces avaient été endommagées par une inondation. Elles ont été retissées avec des laines teintes avec des pigments chimiques alors que le reste de l oeuvre a été réalisée avec des pigments naturels qui étrangement ont mieux résistés aux passage du temps. J-P Boudet, «La Dame à la licorrne», Collection L esprit curieux no. 3, Le Pérégrinateur éditeur, Paris, 2005. J-P Jourdan, Le sixième sens et la théologie de l amour, Journal des savants, 1996, pp. 137-153é «La dame à la licorne» est décrite au http://www.insecula.com/salle/ms00985.html «Les chasses de Maximiliens» sont décrites au http://www. insecula.com/salle/ms00187.html Page 2
Exposition du Printemps 2008 Spring 2008 exhibition (Suite de la page 1) L exposition a été un succès grace au dévouement des bénévoles, des félicitations et des remerciements à tous sont donc de mise. Le catalogue de l exposition a été produit en collaboration par : Carolyn Ells Conception et production du catalogue Susan Alain Direction artistique Graeme Welch Photographie Christiane Lavoie Traduction Carolyn Mungall Traitement de texte Le CD est disponible auprès des Tapissiers de Saint Henri au coût de $10.00. Site Web pour les Tapissiers / A Web Site for our group Cette année nous voulons développer un site web dédié aux Tapissiers de Saint Henri. Une présence sur le web est des plus importante pour nous faire connaître et recruter de nouveaux membres. Maria et Margaret ont toutes deux offert de nous aider a développer cet outil. A ce moment-ci les noms de domaine «tapissiers.info,.org,.net et.ca» ainsi que les sites «lestapissiers.com,.info,.org, net et.ca» sont tous disponibles. Si vous avez d autre suggestion de nom de site, n hésitez pas a nous le laisser savoir. (From page 1) The exhibition was a success thanks to the attention and support of numerous volunteers. Congratulation to everyone is in order. The exhibition catalogue benefited from the support of the following individuals: Carolyn Ells Catalogue design and production Susan Alain Artistic Director Graeme Welch Photography Christiane Lavoie Translation Carolyn Mungall Word Processing The CD is available for $10.00 at the Tapîssiers de Saint- Henri. This year we would like to create a web site dedicated to the Tapissiers de Saint-Henri A presence on cyber space is essential for us to promote rug hooking and attract new members. Maria and Margaret both offered to help us with site development. At this point, the following domain names are availabe, tapissiers.info,.org,.net or.ca as well as lestapissiers.com,.info,.org,.net and.ca. If you have suggestions for other domain names, please do not hesitate to drop a line and let us know. Cours et ateliers pour l automne / Courses and workshops for the Fall Cours pour débutants Une session pour débutants sera offerte les samedis de 13 à 16 heures les 20 et 27 septembre et les 4, 11(hookin) et 18 octobre. Frais $85.00 plus matériel (incluant le membership). Kit entre $45 et $65 crochet et métier (vous pouvez utiliser ce que vous avez déjà) $35 et plus selon vos choix. Beginners classes Beginners classes will be offered on Saturdays from 1 to 4 pm on September 20 and 27th and October 4, 11 (hookin) and 18. Fees are $85.00 (includes membership) Kit between $45 and $65 Hook and frame (you can use your own) $35 or more according to your choices. Atelier : Événement spécial Atelier sur les Kilim avec Anne Boissinot Les 21 (soirée), 22 et 23 Novembre 2008 $130.00 avant le 30 septembre, $150.00 après + matériel. maximum 15 participants. La soirée du 21 consistera en une présentation par Mahin Shafei sur les Kilims Réservez tôt avec un dépôt Special Event : Workshop Wokshop on Kilim with Anne Boissinot November 21 (evening), 22 and 23, 2008 $130.00 before September 30th, $150.00 after + supplies, maximum 15 participants The Friday night will consist of a conference on Kilims by Mahin Shafei. Reserve your place early by sending a deposit Volume 4, No. 1 Page 3
Le Rug Story: Grampy s Oxen Adventure By Carolyn Ells Figure 1 : Grampy s Oxen Adventure December 1973. In front, Floyd Ells (Grampy) and from left to right on the Wagon Cameron, Carolyn, Joshua and Rufus And the Oxen Lion and Bright From photo to linen The pictures from those early years are in my parents photo albums. One day when I was visiting, I asked Dad to scan a copy of the photo and send it to me by email. On my own computer, I inserted the picture on a Word document and adjusted its size to 8 by 10 inches. The central image of my grandfather in front of the oxen and the wagon load of grandchildren, along the front edges of the field, was perfect. But the field itself was too large and the horizon too small and too far away. I used the options on the drawing toolbar to blot out the top part of the field and redraw the same shape of the lines for the back of the field and the edge of the woods. Taking my artistic license further, I added some extra ridges to the North Mountain, and added more sky. I printed this altered version of the photograph on regular letter size paper. I made a simple line drawing of the revised photo by putting a blank page over what I had printed. Then I held them against the window, and traced the main lines onto the blank page on top. I included some dominant lines from the field and the grass that showed through either because they were much darker or lighter than what as immediately beside them. Then I traced over all the pencil lines with a black marker (medium width tip). I took the line drawing to a printing shop and had it enlarged to 4 times the size. (The cost for that service was less than a dollar!) Drawing was never something that I felt inspired to do. Nor have I painted, or sculpted, or even coloured outside the lines. So, when I wanted to challenge myself by hooking a pictorial mat, drawing my own design or even starting from someone else s design intimidated me. A photograph of a simple landscape seemed easier. The details in the photograph could provide the main lines of the mat as well as guide colour, value and texture choices. A photograph from my childhood showing my grandfather with his oxen and some of us grandchildren on a wagon called out to me: pick me, pick me. The story in the rug I have many fond memories of visits to my grandparents farm in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. One afternoon my grandfather, Floyd Ells, created a special adventure for us grandchildren. He hitched his oxen up to a wagon, loaded on four of us grandchildren and an axe, and off we went to the woods to chop down a Christmas tree. It was a slow plod for Lion and Bright up the dirt road, along the grassy edge of the field, to the woods. We jumped down in delight. There was some running around and then the careful selection of a suitable Christmas tree. Grampy had us step back to a safe distance as he swung the axe. Soon after we were loaded back on the wagon with our prize, and the oxen took us back to the farmhouse. Later we helped to decorate the tree and on Christmas day there was a gift for everyone underneath it. Figure 2 : Grampy s Oxen Adventure Line drawing. To transform my mat-sized paper design to linen required a similar process. I first traced it (using a pen) onto red dot transfer material, lining up the outer borders of the design along a row and column of red dots. I then drew (with a pen) the outer Page 4
borders of the design on the linen. (By putting a ballpoint pen into a hole (space) between the linen fibers, and dragging it down the row firmly, a straight line resulted. I measured with a ruler for how long the edge should be and marked the corner. I repeated this for all 4 sides.) It was tricky to line up the red dot pattern with the marker border of the linen. I used a few pins to hold it in place, so that the design would be straight when it was transferred. With a thick black marker I slowly traced the design, letting the ink of the marker bleed through the red dot material onto the linen below. Because the linen didn t pick up the ink as easily as other material does, periodically I folded back a small section of the red dot while holding the neighboring sections firmly against the linen and drew over the image on the linen to darken it and make it easier to hook. I proceeded in this way until the whole pattern was transferred. I then looked over what was drawn on the linen and filled in a few lines that were missed or not dark enough. Hooking the mat I was impatient to start hooking, and once I started I could hardly stop. I had planned to hook the mat in a 6 cut, but was strongly discouraged by others who pointed out that the details would be very difficult to hook in a 6 cut unless I made the design larger. Having already put the pattern on the linen, I reluctantly decided to hook in a 4 cut. My disappointment didn t last though. Once I started hooking I was thrilled at how easy it is to pull a strip of 4 cut wool through the linen, and how easy is was to hook a row of loops in all sorts of directions to give the impression of wavy clumps of grass. One of my goals with this mat was to mix different wools together to give the effect of painting with different strips of wool. My impatience to start, and my skimpy wool stash, meant that I started hooking the grass with more gold and olive green tones than I would have otherwise chosen. It was fun to hook, but I worried that the effect was too drab. I had only a small amount of bright yellow to brighten it up. I also added some purple that seemed to help. Since I was including small amounts of many colours, I realized that I would need to spread these out across the whole grass surface to give it a balanced look. I hooked the dark green lines in the grass where there were black marker lines on the linen. Then I hooked strips of other wools in a sort of echo higgily piggily style to suggest movement and texture in the grass. at the bottom of the mat that were the same value as what I had hooked in already. The result was a duller, darker, more sedate version of the grass in the foreground. Until you look very closely, you might not believe that all but one of the wools in the back section of grass is also found in the front section of grass. The wool for the distant mountain ridges, the sky, and the border were all chosen with the assistance of Tony Latham, from wool he had dyed. Here I wanted the wool itself to quietly signal an unknown world beyond Grampy s oxen adventure (something over those hills) and frame our adventure to hold it in our memory (the antique gold and dark walnut border). I mention the image of Grampy, the oxen, the children, and the wagon last. These I hooked with trepidation. I pulled out and rehooked much of it. The wagon and the faces gave me the most trouble. I tried to hook a pole wagon like it was in the photograph, but it always got lost in the field (just like it does in the photo!). Finally I gave up and painted the wagon. The yoke, the wagon, decorations on the oxen, and faces were all simplified, much to the distress of my family who prefer realism to impressionism. I don t miss these features when looking at the mat from a distance; when I look at it up close I focus on the landscape part of the mat. At any distance, I take pleasure in the purple snowsuit. While it isn t the actual colour of my childhood snowsuit, by hooking the mat I was able to give it the colour I always wished that it was. The plowed field behind the oxen includes many different brown pieces of wool. To suggest the plowed furrows in the field (waiting for spring planting), I hooked longer, straighter rows. Some shorter, brighter pieces help to suggest the unevenness of the field. The section of grass between the plowed field and the tree line was much more difficult than I expected. Here my lack of knowledge of how to add depth in a picture showed itself. After many failed attempts and much grieving about it at hookins, a friend gave me the remaining strands of perfect wool from one of his projects. As I did earlier, I hooked it in here and there across that whole section of grass to spread its look as far as I could. Then I chose pieces of wool used in the grass Figure 3 : Grampy s Oxen Adventure Hooked and designed by Carolyn Ells, 2007. Volume 4, No. 1 Page 5
Petites annonces Métiers pour tapis crocheté Rug hooking frames (514)937-9458 jguindon@totally-hooked.com Métiers $120.00, Supports $150.00 Les deux ensemble $250.00 for both. Classes ouvertes les dimanches aprèsmidi avec Tony Latham. Instructeur McGown. Vente de matériel. Sunday afternoon open classes and supplies or by appointment. RSVP (514)937-9458 montrealcolors@totally-hooked.com RUG HOOKING Classes (en français aussi) with Judith Dallegret, certified Nova Scotia rug hooking Teacher. Studio: 353 Prince Albert, Montréal Day and Evening classes, all levels. For Information call 514 486 2483. CREATIONS LBM CREATIONS Rug hooking kits for the beginner and not so beginner. Using only Scottish even weave burlap and pre-cut and packaged new wool. 450-692-5853 weekdays 613-273-8347 weekends lbmc@videotron.ca Dates pour les rencontres en 2008-2009 Hookins dates Les samedis de 10:00 à 15:30 / Saturdays from 10AM to 3:30 PM 13 septembre / September 13 18 octobre / October 18 8 novembre / November 8 13 décembre / December 13 17 janvier / January 17 14 février / February 14 14 mars / March 14 18 avril / April 18 16 mai / May 16 Stitches and Strands Unique punch needle kits and accessories Contact: Kathleen Menzies 242 Fairfield St., Greenfield Park, QC. J4V 1Z7 stitchesandstrands@sympatico.ca Finition de tapis crochetés Rug finishing I can whip and bind the edges of your rug for you. Tarif: $20.00 le pied linéaire / $20,00 per foot. Carolyn.ells@summervine.ca 514-482-4883 Classified Site Web : http://www. bolivarcutter. com/ Pour devenir membre / To become a member Les Tapissiers de Saint Henri - Saint Henri Rug Hookers Carte de membre annuelle - Annual Membership Card Nom / Name Adresse / Address Téléphone - Phone Courriel - Email Tarif régulier - Regular membership Tarif étudiant / Student Age d Or - Seniors Cours et Ateliers / Courses and Worshops Tarif/Price $15.00 $10.00 $10.00 Paiement / Payment Contribution volontaire - Voluntary contribution Comptant / Cash Signature Chèque / Cheque Date Total: Envoyez votre chèque - Mail to : 567 rue Thérien Montréal, Québec Canada H4C 3N5 Page 6