April 23rd – May 8th
Out of the Box
Out of the Box is a diverse group of artists from Ottawa, Ontario who make innovative and exciting works of art from fibre and textiles. Our love of texture and colour draws us together in support of each others’ artistic development.
To learn more, visit www.out-of-the-box.org, or follow us on our Facebook and Instagram pages, where you are also invited to leave comments about the show.
Celebrating 25 Years of Creativity!
In 1997, a small group of textile artists from Ottawa formed ‘Out of the Box’ to broaden their creative use of fibre as an artistic medium. The group continues to support this goal through monthly meetings, group challenges, workshops, and local exhibits (virtual and/or hybrid). Twenty-five years later, the result is a flourishing mutually-supportive community of textile, mixed media, and fibre artists.
In 2011, the Stephen Lewis Foundation ‘Grannies’ Group at the Kitchissippi United Church invited Out of the Box members to display some of their art during their annual ‘Spring Tea’ fundraiser for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Eventually, this fundraiser became Out of the Box’s annual ‘Fibre Fling Show and Sale’ which has raised over $30,000 for charity over the last 10 years.
Some of the group’s original and/or early members:
Joanne Batchelor: (Out of the Box member from 1997 to 2007)
Joanne was invited to one of the first gatherings and quickly took a leadership role in organizing activities and recruiting volunteers for the growing group. Although she retains an interest in quilting and supporting local arts and charities, Joanne is currently focused on her real estate career.
“I love going to Fibre Fling and seeing how much members have grown and to meet a whole new crew of people.”
Web site: joannebatchelor@royallepage.ca
Mary Pal: (Out of the Box member from 2004 to 2012)
Mary is a fibre artist best known for her cheesecloth portraits. Her work has been exhibited internationally, purchased for private and museum collections throughout North America, as well as published in numerous books and magazines and featured on television.
“I always enjoyed the creativity and adventurous approach to fibre art of OOTB members, and especially participating in challenges and exhibitions. It was one of the few places that fibre lovers who created original works of art could gather to discuss our passion.”
Web site: https://marypaldesigns.com/
Elaine Quehl: (Out of the Box member from 2002 to 2010)
Elaine is a quilt artist, teacher, and fabric dyer/designer who is best known for her dramatic and colourful nature-themed art quilts featuring luscious foliage (particularly hosta leaves), flowers and trees.
“Being an Out of the Box member freed me from following rules. It provided a community of like-minded individuals, while at the same time exposing me to a diversity of textile arts.”
Web site: www.elainequehl.com
Blog: www.elainequehl.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/elaine.quehl/
Wendy Feldberg: (Out of the Box member from 2000 to 2010)
Wendy is an internationally published artist and teacher who creates painted, eco printed, and stitched textiles, papers, and books that are inspired by landscapes and plants. She makes her own dyes, inks, and pigments from the native plants and other materials in her garden and foraged from Ottawa’s boreal eco zone.
“As a member of OOTB, I learned to expand my understanding of textiles as art. Because of members’ generosity, I gained the courage to share my own work and to dare to believe in myself as an artist.”
‘Threadborne’ Blog: www.wendyfe.wordpress.com
Instagram: @wendy_feldberg