Reflections of Ourselves – Call for Participants
We are seeking one representative of each Indigenous, settler and immigrant group in Canada to create a textile leaf in honour of their heritage. Many have already signed up. However, a few are still needed. Check the list below to see if we are looking for someone to represent your culture.
What:
Create a leaf made of your choice of fibre in the shape of a maple leaf template (approximately 7″ wide by 6″ high). It could be a smaller shape of 4″ by 3″ and placed within the central area of a felt leaf, for example. The orientation is important, your leaf will hang with the stem end at the top and points down. Both front and back will be visible. If it suits your design, use typical leaf colours (i.e. green, yellow, orange, red, or brown) though this is not mandatory. Make the leaf durable, so it can travel for exhibition. Finish it in a technique that is appropriate to your design. Affix your label with your name and cultural group on the back. Finally, describe how your design links to your ancestral group in your artist statement.
How:
Create a design that represents your connection to your heritage. It may be your own original design or be based on traditional designs of your cultural heritage. Please avoid commercial patterns, political symbols, and flags. Choose your preferred technique, which could include: quilting, embroidery, lace, beading, printing, stamping, felting, weaving, knitting, crochet, surface design on fabric, or others. Choose materials appropriate to your design and that won’t be too heavy to hang. These might include: fibre, cloth, thread, yarn, paper, beads, sinew, quill, bark, feathers, fur, etc. The important thing is that the leaf represents a personal connection for you to your ancestral/cultural group.
Watch:
short overview video here
Deadline:
New leaves must be received by November 15, 2024.
Acknowledgement:
We will recognize each leaf artist’s contribution through:
– your label with your name and cultural group
– your name in a master list of contributors
– an artist statement of up to 120 words which will be exhibited with the artwork
– an honorarium
Upcoming Exhibition:
January 11 – March 1, 2025. King Heritage & Cultural Centre, King City, Ontario.
Future exhibitions are planned and will be announced.
Who:
Over 100 participants have already signed up representing French, English, Scots, Irish, etc., etc. cultures. See the list of cultures represented here. We are seeking representatives of the cultural groups listed below. If you don’t see your cultural group on either list, contact us.
Indigenous:
Abenaki, Algonquin, Assiniboine, Atikamekw, Cayuga, Dakelh, Dakota, Denesuline, Dunne-za, Haida, Haisla, Huron-Wendat, Kaska, Ktunaxa, Kwakw’ala, Musqueam, Nakoda, Nisga’a, Nlaka’pamux, Nuu-cha-nulth, Nuxalk, Okanagan, Oneida, Plains Cree, Saulteaux, St’at’imc, Sto:lo, Swampy Cree, Tlicho, Tlingit, Tse’khene, Tsilhqot’in, Tutchone, Woodland Cree
North American:
Amish/Pennsylvania Dutch, United Empire Loyalist
Caribbean, Central American, South American:
Cuban, Bolivian, Dominican, Grenadian, Guatemalan, Haitian, Honduran, Indo-Caribbean, Mayan, Nicaraguan, Paraguayan, Salvadorean, Vincentian
European:
Albanian, Basque, Breton, Luxembourger, Macedonian, Moldovan, Roma, Spaniard
Asia Pacific:
Burmese, Cambodian/Khmer, Fijian, Gujarati, Indo-Fijian, Jatt, Kashmiri, Laotian, Maharashtrian, Nepali, Pakistani, Rajasthani, Sikh, Taiwanese, Tamil, Tibetan
Middle East, African:
Algerian, Berber, Burundian, Cameroonian, Cape Verdean, Congolese, Cypriot, Eritrean, Ethiopian, Israeli, Ivorian, Jordanian, Lebanese, Libyan, Mauritian, Moroccan, Rwandan, Senegalese, Somali, Sudanese, Tigrinya, Tunisian, Yemeni, Zimbabwean
Questions?
Use this contact form to get in touch with me if you have any questions.
Interested?
Is your heritage one of these groups? If so, I’d be delighted to have your participation. Tell me your ancestral/cultural group on this registration form and if it is not already represented, I will send you the maple leaf template.