The Festival of Wreaths has come to an end and the vacant space has been filled by a traveling exhibit called Hi-Fibre Content.
The exhibit pulls together the work of seven Saskatchewan artists and features hair embroidery, hide art, cross stitch, knitting, needlepoint, and fabric sculptures.
“I am so excited for it,” said Annah Gullacher, who is putting the exhibit up. “As a fibre artist myself, it’s so exciting to have it here and I think it is going to be exciting for our community as well, as there are so many other talented fibre artists here.”
It’s not the first time the gallery has exhibited fibre pieces – they had a display of quilt blocks in the upstairs portion before.
The exhibit is curated by Zoe Schneider and is traveling all over the province – the gallery has it until Dec. 23.
“It’s (Schneider’s) understanding of the theme and the story that’s being told with the pieces and the art that’s being celebrated,” Gullacher said. “She makes sure they go together well and then we put it up on the wall in a way that complements her work.”
But figuring out how to display the pieces may not be that simple.
“There’s one sculpture … that I know I have to hang it from the ceiling somehow, so that’s going to be interesting.,” Gullacher laughed.
Prior to its arrival in Humboldt, it was in Prince Albert, Shaunavon, Melfort, and more. After Humboldt, it will be displayed in Yorkton, Langenburg, and the Battlefords, among others.
Gullacher said the winter is also a good time to have the exhibit.
“It’s the time of year when the weather is so cold and we hibernate in our houses and that’s the time when you start quilting and knitting and sewing,” she said. “In all seriousness, you get right down to it in the winter time.”
In conjunction with the exhibit, staff at the museum will teach interested members of the public how to do different forms of fabric art such as knitting sculptures and embroidered samplings of witty sayings and drawings about the weather in Humboldt. Gullacher plans to fill a room with them in a weather-themed installation. The education program begins Dec. 9 with school groups, though members of the public are welcome to try their hand at some art.
“I am really excited that we get to see the fibre art celebrated as fine art … that people will see the work and appreciate it as fine art, to think about sewing and quilting and knitting in a new light,” Gullacher said. “Even if it just makes you appreciate the work that your mom or your grandma or whoever is the sewer in your family … just the work that goes into it and the skill. For me, that’s what I’m hoping will happen.”
