Sacred Stitches

The Pomegranate Guild is delighted to be participating in the exhibition, Sacred Stitches: Beauty and Holiness in the Needlework of Many Faiths, from October 24 – November 2 at St. James Cathedral. We will be exhibiting the Bigdei Ha’Kohen Ha’gadol, as well as several mezuzot that were part of our exhibition. In addition, there will be Judaic textile work submitted by individuals, some of whom are also Guild members.

An article in The Star describing the display says “Other pieces in the exhibit are textiles different faiths use in birth, marriage or death ceremonies. There’s a delicate christening gown of handmade lace that’s been worn by several generations of the same family, and a wimple, a Jewish ceremonial textile embroidered with a mother’s hopes and prayers for her son, that’s about 400 years old.”

Toronto Holocaust Education Week
 The Guild is co-sponsoring a screening of “through the Eye of the Needle” as part of Toronto Holocaust Education Week.

Through the Eye of the Needle

Melanie Siegel

Last, but certainly not least, Guild member Melanie Siegel is participating in what looks to be a gorgeous show and sale in Cambridge, ON.

Closing Soon:

See how fibre artists from across Canada and the UK are pushing the boundaries during Higher Ground, an exhibition at Guelph Civic Museum by Connections, a group of contemporary fibre artists who explore the many diverse styles of contemporary textile art.

Guest curator Helen Hughes, a Guelph textile artist, has gathered together 40 pieces representing the group’s 28 artists, including five Guelph area artists. The featured artworks are diverse in style and push traditional boundaries of both process and subject matter in textile art.

Started in 1999, Connections is a group of fibre artists who wish to combine their various experiences and knowledge of different techniques, styles and mediums to create unusual and challenging textile-based work as individuals and also in collaboration. Following their mandate, the group “hope to combine our experience with experimentation to continue to develop and widen the boundaries of stitchery and fibre art, expressing our individual ideas and feelings in the process.”
Higher Ground is on display until October 20. Civic Museum is located at 52 Norfolk Street.
The Museum is open daily from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Admission: $4 Adults, $3 Seniors & Students. Free for Guelph Museums members.
For more information, call 519-836-1221 or visit guelph.ca/museum

Last Stop:

This is the last opportunity to see Kippot for Biblical Figures by members of the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles, Toronto is currently on exhibit at
Beth Tzedec Reuben and Helene Dennis Museum
1700 Bathurst Street
Toronto, ON
The kippot are on display in two cases outside the main museum doors. This will be the exhibit’s last stop.

Coming in November:

The Annual Oshawa Fibre Art Show will be held at the Centennial Retirement Residence, 259 Hillcroft Street, Oshawa, Ontario. Nov. 7th – 10th from 10 – 5 pm daily .

Over 100 original fibre artworks created by several Ontario artists will be on display and most will be available for purchase. A boutique of fibre art gifts and a supply shop for all kinds of fibre art enthusiasts are also part of the show.

Free admission! Any questions, please email Marilyn Whitbread at Elegant.Silks@sympatico.ca

Happenings of interest at TMC (the Textile Museum):

Maya Textiles from Guatemala has been extended to January 12 2014.

Farandole: Perspectives on Western Canadian Metis Culture is on until November 14 2013

Origins of Judaic Symbols: artifacts from collection of The Morris and Sally Justein Heritage Museum

Opening October 20-30 2013

The Origins of Judaic Symbols exhibition surveys recurring symbols found on the art and artifacts in the collection of The Morris and Sally Justein Heritage Museum. These images provide a concrete representation of abstract ideas – divinity, identity, and culture – silently communicating significant meaning to the viewer. Artifacts from the Museum’s permanent collection will be on display, ranging from Torah ornaments and ceremonial objects, to personal artifacts and symbols found in the home.

– See more at: http://www.baycrest.org/care/culture-arts-innovation/art-the-environment/current-exhibitions/#sthash.x6jkvadg.dpuf

The first meeting of the year offered an opportunity for members of the Pomegranate Guild of Judaic Textiles, Toronto to show off Judaica from their personal collections. Seeing and hearing about these treasured objects and reconnecting with the members of the guild was a great way to start the year and fire up our creative juices for the year ahead.

September 30th was the opening of our exhibit “Jewish Ritual Objects: Traditional and Contemporary” at the Apotex Centre at Baycrest. In November this exhibit will move to Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda.