HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-10-30, Page 23For the first time ever, renowned
area rug hooker Patti Armstrong will
show all her rugs which have been
hooked under the theme Mother and
Child. These rugs will hang
throughout November at the
Goderich Co-op Gallery.
Throughout her childhood and
adult years,Armstrong drew, painted
and made crafts. She always thought
that she would be a plein air painter,
toting an easel wherever she went.
However in the summer of 2001,
shortly after Armstrong married, she
became very ill with a neurological
disorder which left her with
diminished motor skills. She could
barely hold a cup of tea let alone a
paintbrush.
In November of 2001 her aunt
taught her how to rug hook.
Armstrong found that she could hold
a “fat” hook and pull the loops
easily. Having an allergy to wool
was another source of
disappointment but her aunt showed
her how to cut and hook with nylon
stockings and the rest is history.
Armstrong now uses the skills honed
as a painter in her rug hooking.
In 2004 a call for entries came out
from the Bruce County Museum for
a Memories of My Mother exhibit,
and Armstrong decided to hook her
mother’s portrait. This rug is
currently touring the province’s
museums, along with 59 others and
will also be touring western Canada.
Growing out of this show,
Armstrong is creating a whole series
of portraits. Ten rugs have been
completed and 14 more are planned.
Images of all will eventually be
compiled into a book entitled
Mothers, Daughters and Women that
I Admire.
She has recently received
permission to do a portrait of Maud
Lewis the great Canadian painter.
One rug entitled Mother and
Child, was created to honour a
neighbour Lori Dickens. It won the
2007 Rowan Award as the best of
show at the annual convention and
show of the Ontario Rug Hookers
Craft Guild. Another rug entitled For
They Love Their Children Too, was
chosen for the international
publication, A Celebration of Hand
Hooked Rugs XVII. This rug also
won an award in 2008 at the last
OHCG annual.
A working artist is always on hand
at the gallery, Monday to Saturday,
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Gallery is
located at 54 Courthouse Square,
Goderich. For more information go
to www.gcgallery.ca
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008. PAGE 23.Entertainment Leisure&Area playwright finalist for Gov.-Gen’s. Award
Prize-winning artist’s work
featured at Co-op Gallery
Playwright
Paul Ciufo is one
of five finalists
for the Governor
General’s Award
for his 2007
script, Reverend
Jonah.
The play was
commissioned
and developed by
the Blyth
Festival, where it
premiered in
2007. Ciufo, who
lives in Grand Bend and works full
time as a financial advisor, is an
unlikely candidate for this year’s GG
awards, up against such seasoned
veterans as Judith Thompson.
Ciufo is suitably excited by the
nomination. “This is the stuff
dreams are made of for a writer,” he
said. “When I heard the news I was
quite moved, and my life-long
writing journey flashed through my
mind in an instant -- all of the
striving, sacrifice, joys, set-backs.
All through that journey I'd dared to
hope I would create something
meaningful, of quality, that would
connect with others, and perhaps
receive some recognition…”
Seven years in development,
Reverend Jonah is the story of a
young United Church minister who
challenges the board of his small
town congregation by taking sides
with a lesbian who desperately
wants to return to the fold.
When it was produced in Blyth,
there was no mistaking certain
similarities between Ciufo’s
fictional town of Gilvray and the
rural communities in Huron
County.
Eric Coates, artistic director of the
Blyth Festival, says of the
production, “It was a real risk to put
these issues on stage for a
conservative community that is
deeply invested in its Christian faith.
But it turned out to be one of the
most unifying experiences we’ve
ever witnessed here. People came to
see the play and cheered its message
of inclusion.”
He adds that the Ciufo’s
nomination, “is our proudest
moment.”
Funded, administered and
promoted by Canada Council for the
Arts, the awards provide the winners
with $25,000 and a specially-bound
copy of the winning book. The
publisher of each winning book will
receive $3,000 to support
promotional activities.
Non-winning finalists will each
receive $1,000 in recognition of
their selection as finalists, bringing
the total value of the Awards to
approximately $450,000.
The five finalists in the drama
category for this year are: Catherine
Banks, Halifax, Bone Cage; Ronnie
Burkett, Toronto, 10 Days on Earth;
Ciufo, Grand Bend, Reverend Jonah;
Marie Clements, Galiano Island
(British Columbia), Copper
Thunderbird; Judith Thompson,
Toronto, Palace of the End.
The winners will be announced on
Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. EST at
the McCord Museum of Canadian
History in Montreal.
YOU CAN MAKE A BIG
DIFFERENCE TO A PERSON IN
NAMIBIA, AFRICA BY DONATING
YOUR USED BICYCLE
Your bicycle can help the poor
and AIDS sufferers.
Don’t leave those bikes lying around in your
basements, garages and sitting outside.
DONATE THEM!
From October 21 to November 1, 2008
Bicycles can be dropped off at
Spring Breezes Greenhouses
83189 Scott Line, R.R. #1 Auburn
If you have a bicycle to donate, but cannot get to the collection site or
wish to make a financial donation to cover cost of container and
shipping call Rev. Gary Clark at 519-523-4380 manse, 519-523-4224
church or Jack and Sylvia Nonkes at 519-523-9456.
Thank you for your support.
This is a project of Bicycles for Humanity, Huron County chapter.
Visit www.benbikes.org.za/namibia
www.bicycles-for-humanity.org
Walton United Church
Annual Turkey Supper
Wednesday, November 5
at the BMG Community Centre
from 4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Adults: $13.00;
Children 6-11: $6.00
5 & under: free
Advance Tickets call:
519-887-6482, 519-887-9381,
519-527-1943, 519-527-1877
CREATIVE MEMORIES
CROPTOBERFEST
COME CELEBRATE WITH ME!
Friday, November 7 • 5:30 ~ 11:30 pm
Cavan United Church, Winthrop
• Scrapbooking • Laughs • Draws
• Food & fun • Prizes • $25 per person
R.S.V.P. Please call or email 519-527-1939
lbernard@tcc.on.ca
Ladies’
For an evening of
Fun, Shopping, Demonstrations
and Relaxation
Thursday,
November 6
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Catholic Church Hall,
Carling Terrace, Wingham
FOOD DONATION for
FOOD BANK or $3.00 admission
All proceeds to
COMMUNITY LIVING ASSOC.
• Many vendors
• Gift Bags to the first 25 ladies
• Light refreshments and cash bar
• Door prizes
Happy 75th
Birthday
Mabel Willis
October 30
Love your family
Blyth Legion
Branch 420
invites you to
our
Harvest Dance
November 1
at the Blyth Memorial Hall
Dancing 9 pm to 1 am to
The Riverview Band with
band member Peter DeJong
• Age of majority
• Lunch provided
• Cash bar
$7.00 per person
PAUL CIUFO
Nominee
The Ethel euchre was held on
Monday, Oct. 20 with six tables in
play.
Winners were: share the wealth,
Earl McNaughton, Leona
McDonald; high, Dorothy Martin,
Adrian Verstoep; second high, Beryl
Smith, Helen Cullen; lone hands,
Marguerite Beirnes, Allan Martin,
Florence Holmes.
Tally winners were Bush
Whittard, Myrna Burnett, Neil Hatt,
Shirley Verstoep, Lloyd Smith,
Grace Stewart, Marion Harrison
and Leona McDonald.
The next euchre will be held on
Monday, Nov. 3 at 8 p.m.
6 tables
in play
at Ethel
Classified advertisements
published in
The Citizen
are now available on our
website at
www.northhuron.on.ca