Together: Jean Weller . Pamela Westhaver

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Jean Weller and Pamela Westhaver

Theme / concept Holiday in Venice

Jean Weller

Fibre Art Piece: Venice

Venice has many faces – not for nothing is it renowned for its masks. Some faces are light, ethereal, joyful, dreamlike. Others are not far below the surface, are dark, decadent and voluptuous – full of intrigue, mystery and death. This piece, set among the ancient crumbling mosaics, golden stone and quiet piazzas, reflects the secretive and dark side of Venice.

Pamela Lyle Westhaver

Handmade Book: Venetian Dreaming

All my life I had been yearning to visit Venice, the beautiful and mysterious city by the sea. My trip with Jean Weller, to celebrate my 65^th birthday, fulfilled this dream. One week in Venice allowed us to explore to our heart's content. We walked every day, everywhere – down narrow, claustrophobic streets and across bridge after bridge. We looked up at building facades and ornamentation, we looked down at water, boats, and reflections. We looked ahead and back, with the excitement of an adventurer who wants to go forward but who also wants to find the way home again. We got lost and we discovered new wonders at every turn.

The creation of my book “VENETIAN DREAMING” allowed me to revisit my photos, journals, and memorabilia to re-experience Venice and the wonders I had seen there. As I reflected back on my time in Venice, I tried to recreate both the look and feel of the city. I painted papers and used words and imagery so that each page of the book would recapture a memory, and provide the viewer with an anticipation, of this city that is like no other on earth.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Jean Weller and Pamela Westhaver

We will have an exciting show with artists working in a variety of media! Jean and Pamela have created two projects using two very different media ... both based on the theme of 'Venice'.

News from Pamela: My piece will be a book, or books, on the theme of Venice.

I have made paste/painted papers to use as pages for the book. I have been trying various methods of transferring images to papers, and have made some mock-ups/drafts by subject matter. Dec. 6 news ... here are photos of my Venice Book! The covers are on, so it is virtually finished!

I may continue to embellish in the time between now and the exhibition. Size is 11 3/8" x 8" x 2 1/2". I will also be making a container to hold the book.

A little more about Pam: she showed her work with an Artist Trading Group http://www.artisttradingcards.org/groupshow05.html

And, Pamela taught at the Gibson's Fibre Art Festival 2010: Pam has studied art in various forms over the past 20 years, discovering papermaking in 1984 while at Emily Carr College of Art and Design. This was the start of her very successful business of "Pam's Papers", which she ran for 12 years. Her art works and books have been exhibited across Canada and the US.

We look forward to seeing Jean's fibre art piece. The last message is that it is on the design wall, awaiting more attention.

March note from Jean: Finally I have mastered getting a photo onto the computer and ( I hope ) off to you. My new camera needs Windows 7 and I have xp so had some complications with that . I have done a little more since this photo was taken but in essence this is it. Pam has done a dreamy, ethereal version of Venice while mine is more the darker side.The orientation is portrait with the light coloured mosaics (log cabin ) blocks at the bottom.