Mississippi Valley Textile Museum Presents:

Vernissage: February 12, 2011, 2-4pm

Exhibit: 12 February, 2011 ~ 5 March, 2011 Lower Gallery

Colour and Weave

The appearance of woven cloth is determined by how the weaver manipulates the structure and colour of the “weft” and “warp” (the weft yarn is shuttled across the lengthwise warp yarn). Highly complex patterns and colour fields can be created by the way yarns are dyed and then woven together. My approach to weaving is similar to that of painting, I try to create a palette of colours by plying, overdyeing, and bleaching out areas of commercially dyed yarn and then weave them into rich and stimulating visual fields. One of my goals is to elevate cloth to the status of a work of fine art.

Colour and Weave is an exhibition of the work I have been developing as Artist-in-Residence at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum during the Fall of 2010. My goal for this exhibition was to create work that looks at how colour interacts within different weave structures and patterns and how the viewer reacts to the unique way colours combine in woven cloth. This combining of colours is an effect I refer to as optical mixing and is based on “divisionism,” which is the theory or technique of breaking colour in painting.

Some of my inspiration came from the work of abstract expressionist artists such as Marc Rothko and Barnett Newman, who used large bold colour fields to stimulate and surround the viewer by the “energy” of colour. My work is presented in a format normally used for paintings or drawings. The intent is to create vast colour fields or woven landscapes. The viewer is drawn to the rich and stimulating colours and hopefully captivated by the unique ways in which they interact.

Dancing anyone???

Come Dance With Us!

Where: Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

3 Rosamond Street East

Almonte Ontario

The Friends of the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum are having a dance party at the Museum on Saturday, February 5, 2011. Singles and couples are invited to line dance, contra dance and ballroom dance in the Norah Rosamond Hughes Gallery from 8 to 11 pm. Live music will be provided by the "Fiddleheads", and delicious refreshments will beserved by the Friends. Ticket price is $15. Tickets are available at the Museum at 3 Rosamond Street, on the island, in Almonte or at the door the evening of the dance. If you would like to dance, dance,dance, we'll see you at the Textile Museum on February 5th!

For more information please contact:

Michael Rikley-Lancaster

Executive Director / Curator

Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

613-256-3754

curator@mvtm.ca

www.mvtm.ca

mvtm.ca

Put your best leg forward!

The West Carleton Fibre Guild held a fun filled guild competition. Each participant created their own variation of legwarmers. The " Creator" dawned the woollies as other's were to guess the composition of the leg warmers.

New Addition

We have now added a For Sale area on our website
Located on the bottom of the webpage you will find a listing of articles for sale

Valley Voices Choir

The Valley Voices, Almonte's community choir, invites you to their 'Sing We Now of Christmas' concert on Sunday, November 28, 7:00 pm at the Almonte United Church (partial proceeds going to the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum). Under the direction of Becky Sweizer, the choir has been rejuvenated with a grand group of new singers lending their excellent voices to the group. The selection of music is outstanding – beautiful songs to put you in the mood for winter and for the Christmas season - songs such as ‘The Snow Begins To Fall’ and ‘Winter, Fire and Snow’. You’ll love the calypso beat of ‘The Stars’. There’ll also be several familiar Christmas carols that will get you humming along.

Invite a friend - invite several. We guarantee an evening you’ll enjoy. Five Dollar tickets are available from choir members or at the door. For information call Amanda 613-256-0134.

The Valley Voices will also be performing ‘Brother Heinrich’s Christmas’ along with the Valley Players at the Mill of Kintail on Saturday, December 11 during the day.

"A Tribute to Canada's Military - Textiles and Artifacts from members of the Ottawa Valley Guild of Stitchery"

The MVTM invites you to an exhibit that will be a tribute to the men and women of the Canadian military in war and peace, with the focus on remembrance of the two World Wars. The textiles include the sampler on loan from the Embroiderer's Association of Canada Heritage Collection,samplers and other stitching with a patriotic theme from members of the Ottawa Valley Guild of Stitchery, and other textiles, such as cigarette silks and other printed textiles included in tobacco products at the time, all owned by the Ottawa Valley Guild of Stitchery members.

To provide context, there are also a number of other items owned by Guild members and their families such as artwork, military helmets,china, books, commemorative plates, photographs and much more.

This exhibit will demonstrate how textiles played an important role at times of crises and should prove to be an excellent reminder of sacrifices men and women made for Canada during the World Wars.

Exhibit on display at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum from:
Saturday November 6 - December 18th, 2010
Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
3, Rosamond St. E.
Almonte, Ontario
K0A 2X0
613-256-3754
Tuesdays through Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Admission $5.00
Children under 12 are always free and museum members are admitted
without charge

Celebrate Christmas with Mr. Fezziwig!

MVTM Offers a Victorian-Themed Holiday Gathering with Character(s)!

Come and Experience a holiday party in a venue just like Mr. Fezziwig’s workplace: a Victorian factory akin to the one in which the kind, jolly man entertained his workers and friends. As we know, it made Scrooge reminisce longingly for the joyous times of Christmas past and helped to rehabilitate his character!

Building on the success of last year’s event, organizers of Mr. Fezziwig’s Christmas Celebration are getting ready for another great party on November 27 starting at 6 pm at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (3 Rosamond Street East in Almonte). Last year party-goers out did themselves by turning up in period party attire. There was much merriment and singing along with the Valley Voices, who appeared as Victorian carolers, and The Barley Shakers, who kept everyone’s toes tapping. A most amazing array of Dickenson characters, including Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig and Father Christmas, enlivened the festivities. Like last year, this year’s party will include a groaning board of old-fashioned party treats and the biggest, most inspiring Christmas tree you have ever espied.

In addition, there will be a dramatic presentation of a classical Victorian holiday story. The audience will feel like they have stepped into a pop-up book as the Little Match Girl involves everyone in her story.

Enjoy a cup of good cheer while you celebrate the holiday spirit. Tickets are $25 each and can be reserved by calling 256-3754 x11 or emailing info@mvtm.ca As a Fezziwig party goer remarked at last year’s celebration: “This event is destined to become a much anticipated holiday event in the Valley.”