A Room Of My Own

Dorothy Winter  “These quilts, these time honoured traditions, certainly hold their place in history.” The Seasons (Hildegard von Bingen) The art of quilting holds more history, in particular that of women, than one might initially imagine. We traditionally view quilts as functional bedding, which are decorative and commemorative, even historical, however, the value in the artistic expression of the quilter is often overlooked. We know quilts to be a source of warm comfort, an heirloom perhaps, but most do not think of them as holding historic messages. In times and cultures where women held a quieter place within the family unit, quilts provided a clever medium for females to articulate ideas and to tell a story. To Dorothy Winter, who, for over 20 years, has dedicated herself to producing meaningful works of art, quilts matter. She began making her quilts for practical purposes for her family when they lived in a farmhouse. These family treasures made ...

Lucy Manly 'On Location' “When you take up painting, you really learn to see. You see patterns, light, dark, colour, and harmony; you see the painting.” To see what the artist sees, we must try and see the world through their eyes; what do they see, how did they get there? A natural place to start to see as the artist sees is to learn about them, who they are and where they came from. Lucy’s Ukrainian mother and Polish father met at a work camp during the war and were married shortly after the war ended. Lucy and her brother were born in Germany, and the family emigrated to Canada in 1950. Her father started work as a labourer with Brampton Brick, where the family initially settled. Following that, they made a move to Toronto living near High Park. Lucy recalls her early interest of art and trips she made to the park sketching the landscapes there. Her skill came naturally, and her talent was recognized by her teachers, who frequently put her artwork on display. Yell...