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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-08-26, Page 5TT'S YOUR RiJSTNFSS Exeter artist Finding her way through quilting Times -Advocate, August 26, 1992 Page 5 By Ray Lewis TA -Staff EXETER - When most think of a quilt, they consider it only for its functional value. They assume it to fulfill the criteria of what nearly everyone has always understood a quilt to be; a warm, padded, bed cover. But for the more than 5,(XX) visi- tors expected to attend the Huron County Museum's 8th Annual Quilt Show, functional is beautiful. The quilt show was opened Au- gust 7 at the Goderich museum by president of the Canadian Quilter's Association, Kathleen Bisset and will continue daily until September 20. Among the many interesting dis- plays in this years' show, are sever- al pieces which have been created by Engelina Van Essen of Exeter. We have to say created, because Van Essen more than anything is an artist. For anyone who has ever had a creative inkling, she or he would be completely mesmerized just by the way Van Essen uses colour to create original designs with intri- guing titles. Her quilting involves not so much the stitching of Materi- al, as it does the piecing together of feelings and emotions. "1 enjoy traditional work but 1 Engelina Van Essen's hobby has become more of a creative outlet for the artist as well as a profitable business. She is shown here with an antique quilt which she restored from a piece of material sewn together years ago by her grandmother. It was given to her by her sister-in- law in Holland who had been using what was left over a tea caddy. New material wouldn't match the garment correctly, so Van Essen bleached it and then dyed it in tea before hand sewing it, tuming it into the antique quilt now shown. Two of Van Essen's I creations which can be seen on display until September 20 at the Huron County Museum's 8th Annual Quilt Show. Celebration With Pain Kiosks to help business EXETER - Entrepreneurs wish- ing to develop their own business opportunities now have an addi- tional source of information to help them get started. Three wall -sized information kiosks have been placed at central locations through- out Huron Coun'y. "It was actually an idea that came from the South Huron Develop • - ment Committee," said Paul Nich- ol, community development co- ordinator for the Huron County Planning and Development Office. "And then they linked up with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology to place the kiosks." Each kiosk contains resource ma- terials designed to assist entrepren- curs in starting up new business ventures. Information on where to] find investment capital for new ventures is also provided. Kiosks have since been placed in three locations throughout Huron County, including the ureter Mu- nicipal Office, the Huron Country Planning and Development Office inGwerich, and the Wingham Town Hall. The kiosks will be circulated throughout municipal offices in Hu- ron County to ensure that informa- tion is available to all interested en- trepreneurs. The information kiosks have be- come a joint project of the South Huron, Central Huron. North Hu- ron and West Huron Community Devoa,pment Committees in co- operation with the Ontario Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology. • prefer more contemporary pieces," said Van Essen. "1 don't like to ropy things. 1 like to design my own." In her work, Van Essen seldom uses a sketch. Quite often she has a rough idca of what she expects, and then just starts playing. But the end result is never anything less than extraordinary, and what is more surprising is the fact that Van Essen is practically self taught in her craft. She started quilting in 1975 while at church with a group of la- dies. Having been trained in dress making, tailoring and fashion de- sign the sewing came naturally. She became more interested in the hobby, and soon began borrowing books from the Exeter Public Li- brary. "1 read until I knew what was in- volved and then just started out," said Van Essen. "From then I have been really going. I just got hooked on it 1 guess." Since that time she has completed more than 30 quilts, investing at least 100-150 hours on each, de- pending upon size and the amount of actual quilting that need be done. As her passion increased, she en- rolled at St. Lawrence College in Brockville where she obtained a Ceramic Certificate and in 1990 earned her Fibre -Art Certificate. Fibre art involves anything made from fibre. It can range from tree bark to flax to cotton to paper. "But it's funny working with ma- terial because there are certain col - ow s you would never wear togeth- er without saving, 'that's awful," commented Van Essen. "But when you put it all together on a big piece of material the colours The Desert Shall Rejoice and Blossom, 1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUUIInIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Canon ice/ CIJLORLASEFI CL7PIEB INSTANT COLOUR COPIES it+++ Enlarge family or team photos to8 1/2x 11 or even 11 x 17 instantly with outstanding results Ideal for (business presentation materials . evert colour transparencies 424 Main Street Exeter 235-x.331 il�ai <, �l ������ � ���IIIIItIIllliiilllllllllfllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillUllllllllllllllllllflllllllllllllllllllllllllllll blend." Vali Essen has since attended several workshops with internation- ally known quitters and herself has exhibited extensively at many ju- ried shows. She also quilts on com- mission, and recently completed three pieces for a home in St. Jo- seph's. In addition, several of her quilts arc in private collections in North America and Europe. Currently, she has a quilt selected from the juried show in St. Catha- rines to travel. At the moment it is on display on the west coast, and will -gradually make its way across the country to Halifax. Most of her work is dont in an upstairs sewing room of the Huron St. home she shares with husband Henry, now that the four children have gone on, but admits she has been known to take her work on the road while on vacation. When asked if she had a favour- ite piece, Van Essen said she al- ways finds it hard to part with a quilt because so much of her is in it. There are two she will not pan will. One, African Violets, is a hand pieced quilt put together while travelling by car through Holland to visit relatives. The second piece, Liberation, marks Holland's rise from the ashes of WWII with cherry and other fruit orchards reminiscent of Van Essen's hometown near Arnheim. It also marks the joy of the libera- tion of Holland by the 1st Canadian Division, and Van Essen sell re- members climbing on her roof to watch the paratroopers land. "When you work on a quilt, there is always the tension of whether or not it will work. Work meaning that the composition is nght and the colours do what you want them to," said Van Essen. "It usually works out, but you can't always see that while your working on it." When working on a quilt, she will lay it on her bed and look at it through binoculars. She explained that this diminishes the work giving her a much better perspective. Much of her inspiration stems from nature and architecture. While travelling, Van Essen is ever the optimist always finding beauty in what she observes. As for her future, she is beginning to lean to- wards the abstract, and believes that is where she is heading. Said the artist, "I'm still finding my way." BEST RATES on your G.I.C. Exeter 235-2420 Galser-Kneale Grand Bend 238-8484 r[mi_zu©nu CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Kime, Mills, Dun/op. Chartered Accountants - Dane/ B. Daum. B.A.. M.Acc.. C.A. Manager 412 Min SL, P.D. Box 2405 Exeter. Ontario NOM 1S7 (519) 235-0345 Fax: (519) 235-3235 e• John A.M. Noma CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 497 Main Street South. Exeter. 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