The Song of Songs - Encounter art quilt group

The book incorporated Love Songs: between a lover and his wife, among family members and the love of Israel and their God.

Many verses were composed into songs that are an inspiration to feelings and emotions, describes colors and intensity, and glorify landscapes and way of life.

Each quilter chose different symbols she felt expresses the verse of inspiration in the best way: flowers or thorns, fruits (apples, pomegranates and grapes), depicted places, use traditional images and symbols to create colorful, realistic and poetic exciting quilts.

Some of the topics you'll find in this exhibition:

"As the lily among thorns": symbolizes Israel surrounded by a hostile environment.
"My Beloved"; "Doves eyes"; "The fairest of women": an expression of a private love.
"Doves in the clefts of the rock": descriptions of nature viewed from a home window or caves in the desert.
"Refresh me with apples"; "Apple among the woods": the female's voice point of view, seductive, full of love and loaded with Garden of Eden features.
"And the vines in blossom give their fragrance"; "Beds of spices"; "Into the garden of nuts": usage of the seven species to symbolize blessing and abundance, a source for love of nature.

“Encounters” was established in 2009 and it includes 15 Israeli Art Quilt artists. Our meetings are bi - monthly, and the emphasis in each meeting is the exchange of opinions, ideas, mutual enrichment and fertilization, practice new techniques and work toward exhibiting our works together. Group member are: Maya Chaimovich*, Rachel Covo, Eti David*, Rachel Elran*, Niza Hoffman*, Bella Kaplan*, Hava Katzir*, Ziva Keidar, Yemima Lavan*, Shula Liss, Nava Lieberman, Shoshi Rimer*, Shulamit Ron, Orna Shahar, Gisha Wogier*.

The "Song of Songs" exhibition will be held at the Jewish Community Center (JCC), 536 Huron St., London, ON, Canada.

March 28 through April 21, 2016. Opening hours: 10am – 3pm weekdays.

Report by Shoshi Rimer
SAQA members marked with *

Worn Threads - Thames Valley Contemporary Textiles

Worn Threads: an exhibition by Thames Valley Contemporary Textiles in the Henley-on-Thames, UK

For their latest exhibition Thames Valley Contemporary Textiles have made pieces inspired by a garment. Not only is the work innovative in its wide range of textile techniques but the stories behind the garments are fascinating e.g. How does an image of a daughter in a Tyvek forensic suit inspire a colourful Richard 111 cloak?

For more details about the group and the exhibition visit their website: www.tvctextiles.co.uk

Kate Findlay

Sandy Snowden

Dorothy Crossley

Kate Crossley

Well done members of TVCT

Images and Report by Sandy Snowden - Thanks

Fly Me to the Moon Images

Sandy Snowden has found out that she is allowed now to publish photos of her selected work. So here her images of her 'Moonlight Groovin' quilt. Once again - well done, Sandy

Congratulations, Sandy - Fly Me to the Moon

Cool news. My Moonlight Groovin' piece has been accepted into the Fly Me to the Moon collection!
It will travel to various venues as a part of the 50th year celebrations for the Moon landing commemoration. (Or however you put that in proper English!)

Since the quilts have only now been selected, the book part of the project is only beginning. It will be up to the publishers about which quilts go into the book. Still, the collection will be going places like the Space Center in Houston! So that will be exciting!

The list of other quilts and their titles are listed on the author's blog. Susanne M Jones. Possibly there are other SAQA Europe Middle East on the list? We can't show a photo of the work yet, but the titles of the quilts give an idea of the sorts of topics covered.

Well done, Sandy

My Corner of the World - Claire Passmore

A new SAQA member from our region, Europe and the Middle East, Claire Passmore, has had a piece selected for the Canadian exhibition, "My Corner of the World".  Congratulations, Claire.

The quilt is called "Forced Removal", The inspiration comes from South Africa and the forced migration of peoples from their home areas to new townships. Claire has had a home in South Africa for many years and ironically, she has recently been forced by local law to sell up her much loved South African home. She now resides between England and her new home in New Zealand.

 

If you have also had a quilt selected for My Corner of the World and live in Europe or the Middle East, please send Uta or myself, Christine, a photo of your work and some information about it so we can blog it for you.

I hope you have made your resolutions for the New Year and are stitching frantically.

Best wishes - Christine

'Radiation' exhibition in new venue

The international 'Radiation' exhibition with many SAQA members' works included has been opened at a further venue in Germany: a joint exhibition in two museums, one for radiology (Deutsches Röntgenmuseum) and one for textiles and linen (Tuchmuseum Lennep). The perfect combining link for a cooperation between these two museum located near each other!

For a larger view of the flyer, click here.

A view into the exhibition:

The exhibition will be on display until February 29, 2016.

Barbara Lange and Jana Sterbova exhibit in Parliament in Prague

SAQA Europe/Middle East members Barbara Lange (Germany) and Jana Sterbova (Czech Republic) had a joint two week exhibition in the Parliament buildings in Prague recently.

The exhibition was spread out over galleries on three floors, surrounding the inner courtyard. First and second floor were exhibitions of quilt groups from Bohemia, and Barbara and Jana were presented on the third floor.

Congratulations!