World of Threads Festival
Oakville & Toronto Ontario, Canada.
The festival is an international showcase of contemporary fibre art. We are a not-for-profit initiative with charitable status organized by dedicated volunteers. We exhibit innovative fibre based art from around the world and highlight the strength of our local talent. Beginning in 1994 as a single exhibition, the festival continues to grow in size and ambition.
For the 2012 festival we will be expanding into Toronto and inviting commercial and public galleries to join the festival. We will continue to be based in Oakville, Ontario. The galleries will have the opportunity to curate exhibitions out of a "pool" of hundreds of submissions from around the world. They can also mount solo exhibitions of fibre artists represented by their gallery.
In the past, the festival encompassed a variety of exhibitions for which the Common Thread International exhibitions were the most prominent. Work was displayed throughout the town of Oakville, Ontario, Canada. It is located on Lake Ontario 45 minutes west of Toronto, the largest city in the country.
The festival draws visitors from across the region.
2012 Upcoming Festival
- Expansion of the Festival into Toronto.
- Weekly Artist Interviews starting in Jan. 2011 highlight fibre artists around the world and make the festival website a regular stop for fibre art lovers.
- Curated exhibitions will replace juried shows. We continue to have an open call for submissions.
- Contemporary Fibre Art becomes the emphasis. We will exhibit work from around the world.
- Festival Chair is Dawne Rudman, quilter and Oakville's 2007 Volunteer of the Year.
- Festival Curators: Gareth Bate & Dawne Rudman.
- Gareth Bate Design creates new website.
- Oakville Venues: Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, The Gallery at Sheridan Institute, Abbozzo Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Park Community Centre Gallery, Appelby College (Outdoor Venue), Oakville Towne Hall, O’Connor MacLeod Hanna, Halton Regional Centre, Ristorante Julia.
- Toronto Venues: Gallery West, Sculpture Society of Canada, Mon Ton Window Gallery.
History:
2009 Festival
- The Festival becomes international in scope with a more ambitious emphasis on contemporary fibre art. New galleries join the festival.
- 14 exhibitions, and 190+ artists from 13 countries and 8 provinces make the 2009 festival the most sucessful to date and international in scope.
- Countries Represented: Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, USA.
- Canadian Provinces Represented: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswich, Newfoundland,
Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan.
- Submissions for the Common Thread Internatioanl Juried Exhibition were so impressive that the show was expanded to 3 venues. 215 entries came in from 16 countries.
- Award Winners: Ulrikka Mokdad of Denmark, (Best of Show), Fuyuko Matsubara of USA (Best Traditional), Patricia Seaton Homonylo of Toronto (Best Contemporary).
- Jane Coryell remains as Festival Chair, Dawne Rudman is Exhibitions Coordinator.
- Gareth Bate Design creates new website and uses online social networking to bring the festival to an international audience.
- Reviews in Fibre Quarterly & Fibre Focus Magazines.
- First Fibre Earth Works installation takes place at the Oakville Museum.
- Grants from Ontario Trillium Foundation and Town of Oakville Cultural Grant.
- Venues included Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, b42 Gallery, Towne Square Gallery, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Towne Hall, The Gallery at Sheridan Institute, O’Connor MacLeod Hanna, Halton Regional Centre, Ristorante Julia, Timothy's Cafe.
Festival Comittee
- Jane Coryell: Festival Chair. Grants Applications Coordinator, Oakville Arts Council, assisting Sponsorship Team.
Dawne Rudman: Exhibitions Coordinator: All Common Thread Venues, Salon, Threads That Bind, website.
Marda McLean: Exhibitions Assistant Coordinator & Volunteer Coordinator.
Cathy Shaughnessy: Secretary, Guilded Threads Exhibition
Co-ordinator.
Ixchel Suarez: Publicity and Promotion Coordinator, "nine lives" exhibition Coordinator, Oakville's fibre Arts Guilds Liason
Helen Barnes: Sponsorship Coordinator
Vivienne Jones: Treasurer
- Gareth Bate: Website, Social Networking, Photography, Graphic Design.
Common Thread Jurors:
Carol Goddu, Dorie Millerson, Judith Tinkl.
2007 Festival
- Festival is Winner of Oakville's prestigious "Community Spirit Award for Volunteerism in the Arts".
- Dawne Rudman, dedicated volunteer wins "Oakville Volunteer of the Year" for her work organizing festival exhibitions.
- Charitable Status is achieved.
- 8 Exhibitions including Common Thread (featuring 22 pieces), "Threads of Remembrance" (embroidered postcards from WW I), First Salon Des Refuses (works refused by Common Thread jurors), New Directions - New Ideas (work by Sheridan Textile Arts students).
- Formation of the first Steering Committee with coordinators responsible for specific portfolios.
- First website is designed by Mary Kroetsch.
- 5 workshops and 1 lecture are held at Sheridan Institute.
- Second Collaborative Fibre Recreation by Oakville's five fibre guilds sees each guild work to make multiple parts of "The Mill on the Sixteen" (1856) by Frederick Verner.
- Grants from Community Foundation of Oakville, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and Oakville Grants to Cultural Organizations.
- Reviews: Oakville Beaver, Arts About Town, Oakville Today, Snap Oakville.
- Significant donations are made by local individuals, businesses, and organizations.
- Venues: The Gallery at Sheridan Institute, Oakville Museum, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall and Ristorante Julia.
Festival Comittee
- Jane Coryell: Festival Chair, Oakville Arts Council Liason.
Nancy Fischer: Common Thread Exhibition Coordinator, Workshops
Dawne Rudman: Exhibitions Coordinator & Common Thread Assistant
Bernadette Ward: Publicity & Promotion Coordinator
Ruth Fawcett: Treasurer
Margaret Ballantyne-Power: Secretary & Guilds Liasion
Susan Crane: Oakville Museum Representative
Mary Kroetsh: Speakers & Workshops Coordinator
Janice Joyner: Fundraising Coordinator
2005 Festival
- World of Threads Festival becomes the new festival name.
- Common Thread Exhibition attracted 187 entries.
- 7 exhibitions, three technique demonstrations by local guild artists at Oakville Museum, six introductory techniques workshops, a fundraising raffle, and two lectures.
- Jane Coryell noted community organizer becomes Festival Chair.
- First Collaborative Fibre Recreation by Oakville's five fibre guilds sees each guild work to make multiple parts of Charles Demuth's "I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold."
- Grant is received from Community Foundation of Oakville.
- Reviews: Oakville Beaver, Oakville Today, AAT, Snap Oakville, Our Town Downtown.
- Venues: The Gallery at Sheridan Institute,Oakville Museum, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall,
Silver Thimble Needlepoint, Ristorante Julia, Cicada Gallery, Red Thread Gallery.
- Workshops & Demonstrations: Oakville Museum, Wool Bin, Oakville Town Hall, Oakville Sewing Centre, Jilly Bean's Pride, Haberdashers Bead Boutique
- 2 Lectures: Oakville Town Hall
Festival Comittee
- Jane Coryell: Festival Chair
Oakville Stichery Guide: Nancy Fischer, Marda McLean, Leslie Masters, Margaret Perry, Ali Thompson
Oakville Arts Council: Helen Barnes, Grace DeLottinville,
CJ Martin, Rena Sava
Oakville Handweavers & Spinners Guild:
Helena Asikainen, Bunty Yeoman, Aija Zichmanis
Oakville Stichery Guild: Marda McLean
Oakville Musuem: Susan Crane
Marjorie Carberry Hooking Guild of Oakville:
Donalda Fordham
Oakville Ring of Tatters: Anne Harrison, Julie Verma
Oakville Quilters Guild: Kim Kernohan, Dawne Rudman
St. Ignatius Loyola High School: Joan MacDonald
Common Thread Jurors:
Patricia Bentley, Sharon Epstein, Lorraine Roy
2002 Festival
- "Fibre Festival" becomes the new festival name. It expands into eighteen exhibitions, two lectures and eleven workshops.
- The Common Thread exhibition featured 32 textile artists from across Canada. It attracted 160 entries.
- Helen Barnes becomes Festival Chair.
- Award Winners: Valerie Garnett & Robin Muller (Best of Show), Judith Fielder (Best Traditional), Lisa Leahey-McIsaac (Best Contemporary).
- Canada's Quilt of Belonging is displayed at Oakville Centennial Library. The Oakville Quilters Guild adds a block to this historic national quilt.
- Afghan Women's Resource Centre sold textile crafts to help Afghan women.
- Demonstrations are held by local artists in downtown
shop windows and at exhibition sites. Children's hands-on activities at local malls.
- Reviews: Oakville Beaver, ArtsScene, Burlington News.
- Exhibition Venues: The Oakville Museum, Sheridan College Gallery, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall, O'Connor MacLeod Hanna, Greening's Art Gallery, Glen Abbey Public Library, MacGregor Gallery, Ms. Emma Designs, Cannington House Gallery, Anastasia Gallery, Silver Thimble, Sovereign House, Oakville Arts Society, Bookers, Appleby College, Iroquois Ridge Library, Oakville Library Main Branch Auditorium.
- Workshops & Lecture Venues: Oakville Public Library, Sheridan College, The Oakville Museum, Oakville Galleries' Gairloch Gallery, St. Pauls United Church, Joshua Creek Studio, The Silver Thimble, Sovereign House, Hopedale Shopping Centre, Haberdashers, Native Art Gallery.
Festival Comittee
- Helen Barnes, Chair
Rena Sava, Oakville Arts Council Board
Ingrid Sevels, Oakville Arts Council Board
Bunty Yeomans, Oakville Handweavers and Spinners Guild
Barbara Rennick, Marjory Carberry Rug Hooking Guild
Donalda Fordham, Marjory Carberry Rug Hooking Guild
Dawne Rudman, Oakville Quilters Guild
Jane Coryell, Oakville Stitchery Guild
Brenda Austin-Phinney, Oakville Stitchery Guild
Phyllis Paris, Oakville Ring of Tatters
Anne Harrison, Oakville Ring of Tatters
Susan Warner-Keene, Sheridan College
Deborah Hudson, Oakville Museum
Edith Dunn, Cannington House Gallery
Grace DeLottinville, Oakville Arts Council
Liz Prescott, Oakville Arts Council
Guild Liasons
- Brenda Austin-Phinney, Oakville Stichery Guild
- Phyllis Parish, Oakville Ring of Tatters
- Barbara Rennick, Marjorie Carberry Rug Hooking Guild
- Bunty Yeomans, Oakville Handweavers & Spinners
Common Thread Jurors:
Jeanne Bellavance, Judith Tinkl, Sarah Quinton
2000 Festival
- "Oakville Festival for Fibre Arts" becomes the new festival name. The festival includes exhibitions, lectures and workshops. The second festival organizing team of 10 includes OAC staff, Oakville guilds representatives, Sheridan Textile Studio head, Oakville Museum staff. The festival expands events and venues.
- Common Thread Exhibition is juried by proposals from artists who then have one year to complete the work. The proposal is then exhibited with the finished piece giving the viewer an insider perspective on the creative process.
- Traditions in Lace exhibition at the Oakville Museum.
- Reviews: Hamilton Spectator, Toronto Star, Oakville Beaver, Surfacing Journal, Abbey Oaks News.
- Exhibition Venues: The Oakville Museum, Sheridan College Gallery, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall, O'Connor MacLeod, McLaren-Barnes Gallery, Greening's Art Gallery, Native Art Gallery, Green Gables Art Studio, Oakville's Pauper Boutique, Glen Abbey Public Library, MacGregor Gallery, Ms. Emma Designs, Cannington House Gallery, Archival Cottage.
- Workshops & Lecture Venues: Oakville Public Library, Oakville Place Mall, The Oakville Museum, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Galleries' Gairloch Gallery, St. Pauls United Church, Crackpot Studios, Sheridan College, McLaren-Barnes Gallery,
Festival Comittee
- Gillian McIntyre, Festival Chair
- Helen Barnes
- Jane Coryell
- Dawne Rudman, Quilters Guild Liasoon
Common Thread Juror:
Andrew M. Tomcik
1998 First Festival
- "Fibre Arts Festival" becomes Oakville's first festival of fibre arts. Christel Wille and Oakville's five fibre arts guilds initiate the festival with the intention of celebrating local artists. This includes exhibitions, workshops, and lectures.
- Venues: The Oakville Museum, Oakville Galleries' Centennial Gallery & Gairloch Gallery, Sheridan College Gallery, Abbozzo Gallery, Silver Thimble, Oakville Municipal Building, The Wool Bin, To Set A Table, O'Connor MacLeod, McLaren-Barnes Gallery, Greening's Art Gallery, Native Art Gallery, Green Gables Art Studio.
Festival Comittee
- Christel Wille, Festival Chair.
- Helen Barnes
- Jane Coryell
- Herb Vandewall
- Kara Wille, OAC staff Liason
Common Thread Jurors:
Jean Johnson, William Hodge.
1995 Exhibition
- Second National Common Thread Exhibition is held at The Gallery at Sheridan College. The show is juried by proposals from artists who then have one year to complete the work. The proposal is then exhibited with the finished piece giving the viewer an insider perspective on the creative process.
- "As the title indicates, this exhibition aims to promote the common threads that link production of fibre works in Oakville."
- "Fibre exhibitions often separate traditional and contemporary works but this does a disservice to both forms of expression. Works drawing on traditional techniques are created within contemporary contexts while contemporary works attempt to push the ever changing boundaries of what is considered traditional. In all works there is a tension between innovation and tradition and it is important to investigate this tension." Christel Wille
Common Thread Juror:
William Hodge
1993 Exhibition
- Celebration of Craft '93 is the first exhibition of fibre art in what would eventually become the World of Threads Festival. The show was held at The Gallery at Sheridan College.
- Christel Wille (noted Oakville weaver) and the Oakville Arts Council, inaugurates the first biennial Common Thread National Juried Exhibition in coordination with Sheridan Textile & Design Studios.
"It has always been my vision to exhibit contemporary and traditional works side by side and within a community context. Since Oakville has six active fibre guilds and a vital textile program at Sheridan, Oakville is an ideal place to organize this celebration." Christel Wille
Celebration of Craft '93 Juror:
Jean Johnson