Artists of the Month:   You might already know them -

it’s those Sew ‘n Sews!

Beginning as an organization of enthusiastic Peace River quilters in 1997, the Sew ‘n Sews meet weekly at the Senior’s Drop In Centre. Since 1998, the Centre has been the place they gather to share their love of quilting, to learn from and encourage each other and to challenge each other to create special projects, such as, incorporating a photograph into their quilting, creating prayer flags, supporting the Salvation Army Christmas campaign with Bags For Teens or the Slave Lake Relief Quilts of 2012 and they have built and donated over 300 quilts to the local Women’s Shelter. It seems for this altruistic group of artists, that giving your creations away to an appreciative person is often the motivation behind the hours of design and sewing.

The camaraderie of this group of 15 women has taken them on trips together to shop for enticing folds of fabric to the 2015 Quilt Canada show in Lethbridge, Alberta.  

Lois Stranaghan, long time volunteer at the Museum and at the Senior’s Centre, says she sees the quilters at the Centre every week and they seem always to be having a great time together. If you would like to join the Sew ‘n Sews just reach Shonna at 780-624-4125. In the meantime, drop by to view the April Art Wall, sponsored by the Peace of Art club, which currently showcases quilted works from this group of creative and industrious quilters.

 




Terry Alm, Ann Rosin,Shonna Lagace, Lois Laurin  and Teresa Cambridge

Teresa and Ann enjoying watching the curation of the Sew 'n Sews exhibit

The   River   Project   Story        
Members of the Valley Peacemakers Quilt Guild are continuously challenging themselves. From year to year, the challenges are different and unique to the Guild. The creative results are displayed in the Guild’s annual show in the DMI Gallery of the Peace River Municipal Library.

The idea for the River Project quilt artwork now displayed in the Museum, gelled following a sighting in a book and seeing a similar installation in Oregon. What better project, with the rivers that merge in our community, thought Carole Gold, as she issued the challenge to fellow quilters.

They had a year to prepare for the 2014 Guild show. It was the Guild’s first group artwork project. What you see is the work of 13 individual quilters (Danya Frank, Jill Wood, Vivian Massier, Carole Gold, Aralee Tailleur, Hildegard Campsall, Beverly Hafstein Pichette, Lois Laurin, Margaret Stewart, Carol Scobey, Chris Warne, Alice Olson, Elizabeth Daigle). They followed the guidelines set out by the issuer of the project challenge. Each panel is an indication of the artist’s self-expression and creativity. Each has a story behind its creation.

The Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre acquired this work of art through donations made in memory of Robert (Bob) Campsall, as well as a donation from the Campsall family.

Bob delighted in not only living by the Peace River, but also by watching, with wife Hildegard, its many moods from their living room window.



Pictured are: Emily Harris, granddaughter; Erin Harris, daughter; Hildegard; Patti Campsall, daughter, and John Errington. The panel behind Erin was created by Hildegard, featuring an eagle, which the Campsalls used to watch as it and its mate enjoyed the wind currents over the river.

 

Alberta Heritage Quilt Project to visit the Peace River Museum

This coming Monday Peace River and area residents have the opportunity to have their historic quilts documented.

Lucie Heins, Assistant Curator at the Royal Alberta Museum, is visiting the Peace River Museum on Monday, May 27th to document heritage quilts from our area for an online database and share her expertise in this area. She is inviting the public to bring in quilts that are pre-1970 and were made in Alberta or brought to Alberta by immigrants.

Lucie will be documenting these quilts between 1 and 4:30 pm with individuals needing to call in advance to book an appointment. Spots are already filling up so please call soon to book at time. Individuals bringing in quilts are asked to also bring in as much information as they can on the quilter and the story of the quilt. The Museum has hosted two quilting exhibits, one in 2008 and 2010 and we know there are so many beautiful quilts in our area! We hope many will take advantage of Lucie's visit to Peace River and to document our history through textiles.

The same evening, Lucie will be speaking on "Quilts and the Settlement of Canada" between 7 and 8 pm at the Museum. This event is free and open to the public. Quilters and textile artists of all levels as well as history buffs will enjoy Lucie's presentation.

The Alberta Quilt Project

The art of quilting has changed in many ways since the time of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. The Alberta Quilt Project has been documenting quilters, rural and urban, to capture current craft production trends. Discover what makes Alberta Quilters distinctive in this talk by Lucie Heins, the Assistant Curator of Western Canadian History at the Royal Alberta Museum.

Speaker: Lucie Heins
Place: Peace River Municipal Library 9807-97 Avenue, Peace River
Host: Peace River Museum, Archives and Mackenzie Centre
Date: Monday, June 4th, 2012
Time: 7:00 pm
Admission: FREE

For more information contact the Museum at museum@peaceriver.net of 780-624-4261.