In the Garden - Exhibition

Varied Thrush, Kirsten Chursinoff 2013

 I'm pleased to invite you to:

"In the Garden" 

A two-person fibre art exhibition:
Kirsten Chursinoff & Vanessa Thackray Cunningham
May 31-June 18, 2013

Opening Reception: Thursday, May 30, 5-7pm

Circle Craft Gallery

1 - 1666 Johnston Street
Net Loft, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Tel: 604.669.8021
http://circlecraft.net/Gallery-Exhibitions

Open 10am to 7pm daily

Fashion and fibre art with a focus on the birds found in B.C.  Both Kirsten and Vanessa are alumni of the Textile Arts Program at Capilano University in North Vancouver, BC. The exhibition is in celebration of Circle Craft's 40th Anniversary, along with the other exhibitions listed on the Circle Craft Website.

If you've been wanting to attend one of my shows but haven't had a chance to yet, I'd recommend coming to see this one. With a second baby on the way I'm not sure when my next show will be.  I'll have my hands full for a while! I hope to see you at the reception on May 30th from 5-7pm.
Thanks,
Kirsten

Kirsten:
http://www.chursinoff.com/kirsten/

Vanessa:
http://thrumsca.blogspot.ca/

Goldfinch, a Short Wrap in yellow with scrabble tiles, Vanessa T. Cunningham

Catching Up Spring 2013

Even though I only seem to work one day a month, I've managed to line up a number of events this spring.

My fibre art is currently on display at the Secret Garden in Kerrisdale, and has been extended until April 9th, 2013. This is a wonderful and cozy tea house nestled at 5559 West Boulevard between 39th and 40th, Vancouver BC.
http://www.secretgardentea.com/

A couple of my pieces have been accepted in the group show "Cherry Blossoms: A Textile Translation" at the Silk Purse Gallery,  1570 Argyle Ave. Ambleside, West Vancouver. April 2 - 21, 2013. This is the fourth time I've participated in this show. Each year there is new work to see!
http://silkpurse.ca/
See also:
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival for more events
http://www.vcbf.ca/

Stitching on tissue paper.  Trying something new for my cherry blossom pieces this year. The tissue paper is coated in a gloss medium for strength, and then hand embroidered.

Coming soon:
Info about my bird themed show with weaver Vanessa Cunningham at Circle Craft Gallery. May 31-June 18 2013.
Info about my slide show and lecture hosted by the Sunshine Coast Quilters Guild, in Sechelt BC, April 20th.

Virtual Gallery 2012

If you missed seeing my Marine Life show in person you can see it here:

Marine Life Pictures
or
Marine Life Slideshow

Red Tube Worms 2, detail

Ramp Gallery, New Westminster Public Library, 2012

This display area is literally along a ramp. As I mentioned in a previous post, it's a real challenge to hang the pieces at eye-level along the length of the ramp.

The show is over now. Thanks to those of you who visited!

Mushroom Show 2012

Yesterday, I attended the Vancouver Mycological Society Mushroom Show at the VanDusen Botanical Garden. There were hundreds of actual mushrooms laid out on tables for viewing. It was fascinating to see so many of them in one place.

Mushroom Show

Mushroom Show

Since it's the season for mushrooms, I like to share these mushroom pieces again. They're from earlier in 2012:

Amanita Muscaria 3, Kirsten Chursinoff, 2012, 9"x11"framed $196

Amanita Muscaria 2, Kirsten Chursinoff, 2012, 12"x15" framed $395

Amanita Muscaria (Fly Agaric) Richmond Nature Park

Happy mushroom hunting everyone!

You might also like this post:
Amanita Muscaria

Positively Petite Miniature Show 2012

Berries 2, Kirsten Chursinoff, 2012

I'm pleased to announce the following show. I have 8 pieces in this group show, including the "Berries 2" piece pictured above.

November 15-December 21, 2012
"Positively Petite"
Place des Arts Annual Miniature Exhibition and Sale
Opening Gala: Thursday November 15, 7-9pm, everyone is welcome
Place des Arts, 1120 Brunette Avenue
Coquitlam, BC, Canada
604-664-1636
http://www.placedesarts.ca/

More studio news:
The Marine Life show at NWPL comes down on Tuesday evening, October 30.
New work is being framed for Crafthouse. More news soon.
New lecture date coming soon: Sunshine Coast Quilters Guild 2012.

North Shore Needle Arts Guild 2012

I enjoyed meeting the talented members of the North Shore Needle Arts Guild yesterday. There were both familiar and new faces and everyone gave me a warm welcome.
It's such a treat to share my art with a group who understands the time and patience required to make such time consuming work. Thank you NSNA!

Garden Impression, hand embroidery with couched yarn and glass beads. Kirsten Chursinoff.

Detail, Floratopia, machine and hand stitching with hand embroidery, couching and beads. Kirsten Chursinoff.

Detail, Honeysuckle Sunshine, machine and hand stitching with hand embroidery and couching. Kirsten Chursinoff.

I visited some pieces from the past as I described my transition from exclusive hand-embroidery to my current work which combines hand and machine stitching.

My goal is to blur the line between hand and machine embroidery. This kind of machine embroidery is very much an art tool, such as drawing or painting, and is very different from the type of machine embroidery where a pattern is programmed and sewn automatically using a computerized machine.

The show is up - October 2012

NWPL event listing for my artist talk

The show is now up and will run until the end of October.

The Ramp Gallery is quite literally on a ramp. So the challenge is trying to keep the pieces at eye level as viewers walk or wheel up and down the ramp. With rectangular frames the pieces become steps on the wall. I'm sure there's probably a complex mathematical formula for installations of this type, but I used the good old eyeball-it method.

My artist talk/slideshow is on Thursday, October 4th, at 7pm.
New Westminster Public Library
716  6th Ave. (near 8th Street)
Call the library at 604-527-4667 to pre-register
There is no fee for this event
Come and find out more about my creative process!

Barnacles detail "Painted Sea Stars"

Brittle Star Designs, Kirsten Chursinoff, 2012

Marine Life 2012, Ramp Gallery, New Westminster Public Library

Big mess in a small studio

Instead of tidying my studio, I'm going to tell you why my studio is such a mess!

Everyone is welcome to visit my upcoming show:

Painted Sea Stars, Kirsten Chursinoff, 2012

Marine Life Art Exhibition

Ramp Gallery

New Westminster Public Library

716  6th Avenue

New Westminster, BC, Canada

http://www.nwpl.ca/

Showing for the month of October 2012

I will be giving an artist talk/slide show presentation, Thursday October 4th at 7pm in the auditorium at the library. For pre-registration call NWPL 604-527-4667. There is no fee for this event.

The library has great hours:
Monday - Friday 9:30 am - 9:00 pm
Saturday 9:30 am - 5:30 pm
Sunday (except holiday weekends) 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Closed Sunday, October 7th
Closed Thanksgiving Day, Monday, October 8th

Please note, there is no opening reception. All sales from this exhibition will be handled directly by me.

I've lost many hours of sleep to bring you Marine Life 2012. We all make sacrifices for our passions don't we? My journey continues as I carry on from the Low Tide theme of 2010. Looking back I'm surprised I've been able to make so many new pieces with a little one underfoot.

There are two familiar pieces from the Low Tide show, some remakes on similar themes, many entirely new pieces and at least one piece that was published in the book Hoopla: the art of unexpected embroidery, by Leanne Prain. If you haven't seen the book yet, I'll have a copy of Hoopla at the Artist Talk/Slide Show Oct. 4th. Three of the four jellyfish and octopus pieces from my article in Quilting Arts Magazine, issue 46, are sold but there are similar pieces to choose from.

See you soon!
Kirsten

In Stitches vol.8

Published

In Stitches is an e-magazine and the fine staff at Quilting Arts Magazine have decided to include my piece "A Fruitful Harvest" in Volume 8. This piece was previously published in my article Autumn Jewels, issue 28 QAM.

I still love print magazines, but I can understand the appeal of digital versions. I wonder how fast this is catching on with the tactile fabric loving public? I love looking at people's blogs and websites, but printed books and magazines are still my faves.

Summer 2012 with Flowers

What are these called? I can't remember.

Ansel stops to smell the flowers. Seawall park, Vancouver.

Garden 4, Kirsten Chursinoff, 2011.

One of the pieces on display at Crafthouse, the Crafts Council of BC, on Granville Island. Garden 4 measures, 3 ½” x 4 ¾”, and 9 ½” x 12” in a blonde wood frame.
(9 x 12 cm, and 2 x 30 cm frame)

Detail of Garden 1, currently in the studio.

 

 

 I had to take a moment to "smell the flowers" around here.  I love the marine life/seashore theme I've been working on, but I miss the bright colours of flowers. I made this series while I was pregnant with Ansel.


Now, the following pictures are not mine, but I had to share them!

Marjorie Blamey

Marjorie Blamey

Recently, I lucked out and found a Wild Flowers book illustrated by Marjorie Blamey at a second hand shop.  I can't believe what a great reference this will be for me, specially in the winter months. Of course I never copy the work of others, I only use it as a starting point. I take my own photos and when I do use references I make sure to change and 'translate' the images so that they become my own.

I'm planning to show some flower and garden pieces at the exhibition at the Secret Garden in 2013, so I'll be going back and forth between the marine life and flowers. I think that should give me a nice creative balance and I can work on pieces as different moods come and go. The theme for the two person show at Circle Craft is brewing (incubating) as well, but I'll get back to that another time...

By the way, I'm thinking of re-naming my blog and business to be "When Ansel Sleeps". People are asking me if I'm back to work now that he's over a year old.  The answer is yes, but I'm also a full-time mom, with no daycare, so yes, I'm back to work, but only "When Ansel Sleeps" (or when he has a nice visit with his Danish Grandma).