L.A. Beat

Textiles Surface design is more than just tie dyeing t-shirts.

“ Tie dyeing is so ’60s,” said Lynn Stevens, one of the founding members of the Lethbridge Textile Surface Design Guild, which celebrated their thirtieth birthday in 2011.
“Anybody can tie a knot in a short and dip it into a bucket of red dye,” added Lynne Hunter-Johnston, another long standing member of the guild.
“There is more complexity now,” she observed.

“We used to meet at each others houses,” reminisced Stevens, who recalled in the beginning there were seven members.

 Thirty years later, there are close to 40 diverse members who vote on each year’s program and utilize a variety of different artistic techniques from around the world.
 For the uninitiated, Hunter-Johnston summarized textiles surface design as a kind of art involving making marks on a variety of textiles including silk and cotton using a variety of different techniques.
“It’s about mark making,” she said.

“We use a lot of traditional techniques and techniques from around the world like Japanese shibori and arashi,” she said, indicating her blue and white scarf featuring shibori and arashi designs.

 She noted many of the members are interested in “distressing” materials which includes techniques like pounding, bleaching and tearing material.

“And we do silkscreening and batik,” she continued noting they also use more modern techniques like digitally  transferring images to material.

 A lot of the members’ current works incorporate multiple techniques.
You can see some of the Guild members’ more recent works at the Bowman Arts Centre, where  their exhibit “Journeys In Surface Design,” runs until Jan. 14.
“It shows the diversity of our members we have in our guild,” said Hunter-Johnston.

“And it is only about half of our members because some members either didn’t want to show their works or  didn’t get their pieces in on time.
It exhibits some of the variety possible in surface design including quilts, wall hangings, hand dyed collages paintings, clothing, books and sculpture created over the past five years since their 25th anniversary show at the Bowman Arts Centre.

“This one shows my history with textiles, making costumes,” she noted, indicating her work “Textiles Memories on Grandma’s Chair,” which is literally her grandma’s chair adorned with a variety of strips of cloth including pieces of Hallowe’en costumes and even a piece of her daughter’s pyjamas.
“It may have even been her grandma’s chair,” she observed.

 Stevens noted technically even painting can be considered surface design as it is making marks on canvass, though the Guild enjoys expanding their horizons and the boundaries of their art form.

The members range from those as young as 12, though younger members need to come with a parent or older member to members into their 70s. Members also come from a  wide range of educational backgrounds from BFA students to people just interesting in surface design.
 While all of the current members are females, men are also welcomed.

 Hunter-Johnston observed several benefits of being a Guild member include the sharing of knowledge and experience, advice, guidance and encouragement with each other as well as techniques.

 There is also an expense benefit as guild members share the cost of materials, dyes and guest speakers.

 In addition to shows, they are also involved in a variety of community events including participating in an inter-provincial Inuit doll exchange and several workshops at the Galt in 2011 about topics including felting, traditional indigo dyeing and doll and card making. They have also hosted seminars and speakers at the Lethbridge public Library. They have also done Artists in Schools programs about doll making and Grade Exchange at Agnes Davidson Elementary School for the past two years.

 This past year they have also been involved in the Healing Arts Program at  Chinook Regional Hospital.
 They also participate in global events like world felt day.

“ For some years textiles art was looked at as ‘women’s work’ and it was denigrated, now it is shown in art galleries all over the world,”  Hunter-Johnston said adding surface design has evolved into more complex pieces including sculpture, felting and  practical items like shirts and pillowcases.

“You don’t have to be an expert to  join,” she emphasized. They will not only bring in experts to teach workshops, but there are several within the group itself.
“It’s the shared knowledge and skills and a huge sense of community,” Hunter-Johnston said.

The guild meets twice a month, usually at the Bowman on the  second Wednesday of each month  from 7-9 p.m., and  the fourth Saturday of Each month from 1-4 p.m. Though updated times and locations are posted on their website http://www.surfacedesignlethbridge.ca/.

A version of this story appears in the Jan. 4, 2012 edition of the Lethbridge Sun Times