Textile treasures: growing art by hand

By JUDI KOSKI

The textile art by Glenna Treasure is exciting, varied and complex. This is never more apparent than in her impressive works titled Textile Illusions featured at the Stopciati Gallery in Sudbury.

Treasure portrays local landscape by stitching images of the past and present to create realistic interpretations on fabric. She brings a storyteller's wit and a historian's passion to her multi-dimensional textile art. Careful stitching and blending of the fabric's colour and texture turn new and recycled cloth into memorable portraits of everyday events.

She began honing her creative abilities 18 years ago at Walden Growers, a family-owned garden centre near Lively.

Treasure, a long-time quilter, was introduced to textile art about five years ago while on vacation. Soon this new-found passion became a budding new career.

"I have always enjoyed quilting and I first saw textile art by an amazing artist, Karen Colbourne-Martin, featured in a Newfoundland art gallery " recalled Treasure.

"It took me three years to e-mail her to ask if she could mentor me in her craft. By 2006 I was able to spend three days with this remarkable lady. She really is my idol."

Contemporary textile artists explore individual approaches and ideas through a range of techniques including appliqué and hand  and machine embroidery and quilting.

"I create my art from photos of places I have visited or that have special memories for me, and sometimes from archival photos,"said Treasure.

"Then I have to find that key piece of fabric that gives the texture of the actual image.

"Once I get the whole picture designed or put together, then I quilt it to give that three-dimensional look. Part of the character of the work is for it not to be perfect, so it becomes almost surreal in depth and colour," she explained.

Most recently Glenna Treasure was selected as one of 45 artists who has been asked to submit new artwork for the Willisville Mountain Project. A Northern Ontario multi-disciplinary art project, this artistic endeavour celebrates the four seasons of the La Cloche mountains by artists who have been inspired by its natural beauty. The collection of works will be on display in July and August 2009 and then will be on tour around other Ontario art galleries in 2009-10.

Glenna Treasure's show, Textile Illusions, is featured at Stopciati Gallery, 153 Applegrove St., until June 21. For gallery hours or further information call 673-4443.