2024, Set up for 75th Anaversery exhibition at the ALmonteTextile Museum
Was it last week, that I showed you the Mer’s and their pets, wanting to go off to the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum? Friday I had a quick medical procedure with a different anaesthetic (that worked better for after-affects!) and then the car needed a trip to her Doctor on Monday, for new back brakes but the timing was great since I was not really feeling up to driving. By Thursday, both the car and I were feeling much better. I also found out that the showpieces were going to Almonte that afternoon and volunteered to go up and take pictures to document the guild show set-up and then the Vernissage on Saturday. (as you probably have found out, it is easier to have someone else document the work and not have to stop and take pictures while you work!)
1.1) The museum, which was the old mill office and attached stone building
1.2) the other old stone mill building has been turned into expensive condos.
I have told you about the wonderful textile Museum, (3 Rosamond St E, Almonte, ON K0A 1A0). It is open Wednesday to Sunday 11am to 4pm, in case you are dropping by. Almonte was a Mill town, the Mississippi River runs through it with useful drops in height, which makes it perfect for the proliferation of mills. This was a textile complex, (there is an old flower mill on another part of the river). In the picture above, you can see the Old mill building on the Left. It has been turned into expensive condos, with either a fabulous view of the river or the parking lot and the old mill office, which is now the museum.
Our original exhibition organizer had a sudden change in workload, now expected to do 3 people’s work, for the pay of 1 and had to back out of his Guild work. Liane took over late in the process and quickly pulled together a small team to help with the remaining prep work and the installation. Unfortunately, one of her installation team had a major family health problem and was unavailable. So I went from Photographer to part of the installation team, and photographer. I hope you will find I still took enough photos to document the show!
There were 3 components to the show, the history section was the 75th-anniversary slide show I had made for our anniversary party (921 jpegs) running in a loop. Work from guild members and some of our members who were pushing the boundaries in their fibre arts. There are examples of Weaving, Spinning, Felting and Basketry, all of which needed to be transported to the museum, and then grouped together for display.
1.3) the sign for our exhibition “Remembering/Reimagining: Celebrating 75 Years of the Ottawa Valley Weavers’ and Spinners’ Guild”
On Thursday afternoon, set up day 1;
Pieces were brought to the museum and unpacked. At that point, Liane organised what was going were and we started to hang the show. We had an amazing assistant from the Museum helping pull display equipment and assisting us. I have a background in picture framing and installation and have also helped with art shows at University, so this was not totally new to me. Unfortunately, Lug and Hall are not my best abilities, so I switched back to Photo documentation while the work came in.
2.1) the back hall where the work was coming in, before being moved to the exhibition space.
2.2) Kieran carries in a well wrapped piece to the display space.
2.3) Liane unwrapping pieces and making notes
2.4) the Guild Tapestry project has arrived!
2.5) this is not really a “Vanna White” moment, it is to document the packaging of each piece.
To make sure everything got back into the correct packaging, I tried to get a shot of each item, as it was unpacked.
The next was organizing the exhibition into groupings for the panels. As things emerged from their packing Liane told us where they were going. Thus the show started to take shape. We kept sending our fabulous museum worker, Maybe (whose name I misheard and kept referring to as Mavie, Sorry!!!) off to find plinths, easels, hanging bars……
While the others were grouping pieces and draping display manikins, I got to work with a needle and some fishing line and prepared the Mers for their big day.
2.6) grouping pieces to hang together.
Ann’s Helmet is having trouble staying on its stand. After years of going out to Demos, the hole in the foam heads’ “neck” has increased in size and now self-decapitates at unexpected moments. I asked Ann for repair suggestions and she calmly said to “just add a nail or two”. We added 2 nails to the base and no more headless stump problems!!! You will see the fixed version in a few pictures. The Styrofoam head also was losing some of its grey finish so I added 2 pairs of black knee-high nylons over it and it fixed the uneven colour perfectly.
2.7) Maybe and Liane take a moment’s break (I brought chocolate cookies and rice crackers)
While the others were grouping pieces and draping display manikins, I got to work with a needle and some fishing line and prepared the Mers for their big day.
2.8) the Mer’s are ready to go for a swim around the museum.
While Mr Mer is perfectly capable of holding his quatrefoil, (triad with one more sharp part added) but it might be better if he didn’t go hunting Museum visitors so I switched to his tennis ball and racket. Maybe he can get Mrs. Mer to play with him.
2.91) oh no the museum will be closing shortly, so we will be back tomorrow to continue working.
Oh no, the museum will be closing shortly and we will have to continue on day 2.
End of Day 1 and time to head back to Ottawa, I hope the traffic will be better! Let’s enjoy the fall colour before we head home.
2.92) Fall colours by the Museum
When I got home on Thursday night I did a quick bit of layout to give Liane signage for the Group Guild tapestry project, which I showed you in an earlier blog post(https://feltingandfiberstudio.com/2024/07/04/ovwsg-75th-anniversary-party-and-tapestry-project/). I got all the info to fit on a legal size page! It’s interesting to see what we each started with as an image and then how we interpreted it.
3.1) the list of artists, their image, square number and the technique they used.
3.2) the Guild Tapestry project. Liane has added the cool brass plaque
Friday, Day 2,
ok, I know it’s the Thanksgiving long weekend but this is the second day of horrible traffic and really bad driving, is there a problem with the moon I don’t know about? Yesterday a little odd lady in a small car crept onto the highway and got up to the frightening fast speed of 60 kilometers per hour in a 100 zone. Today it was cars weaving and random unsignaled lane changes and sudden decelerations for no apparent reason. (Alright, I’ve ranted and feel better, let’s get back to the show!)
4.1) This is the back door to the Mill office/ Museum, it has a ramp which is easier than the front steps if you have a walker.
Maybe and I started work on hanging things including the Mer’s. I switched out Mr. Mer’s Quodradent (it could impale someone) for his tennis racket and a tiny dry-felted tennis ball.
4.2) getting this panel of scarves hung required more ladder work and the big level.
4.3) The Mer family and pets are having fun swimming around above the show.
We added more blankets to the coverlet stand and slowly worked our way around the space putting things up. while Maybe was called away I tried to use the short ladder to hang one of the panels. I heard about that as a bad idea later that evening while I tried to fall asleep. (Sorry, no shot of me up the ladder!) I do have good ladder shots of both Maybe and Liane though.
4.4) Hanging on a long woven tapestry of Iceland required a much taller ladder
4.5) Liane hanging the elephant weaving
4.6) Elephants, copper and parliament with the edge of one of the coverlets on the right. There are cookies
4.7) Oh no the Museum is closing, but we can stay a bit longer!
4.8) just a bit more to do but it’s looking good!
OH no is already time to leave? No, today there is work going on downstairs on the other exhibition, so we will be locked in but can stay until about 6 pm. We had most of the exhibition placed. A couple more to put up then signage and the slide show but that will be for tomorrow before the Vernissage starts!
Saturday, Day 3!
More slow traffic today, you would think it’s a long weekend, oh yes it is a long weekend! The big day is finally here, the last pieces must go up, so let’s get back to work (then we can party!!) Liane and Maybe have been busy and have more up by the time we got through the oddly heavy traffic!
5.1)almost ready, that blanket needs a bit of straitening but this end of the exhibit is looking good!
5.2) the nuno felted shawl just got straitened we have to get the ladder away and put that pile of packing stuff away for later.
5.3)Maybe got the Slide show going
There is still the signage to add to the wall but Liane will be focusing on that, while I try to do the documentary photography. Liane moved the packing material out and Glenn gave the space a final sweep and we were ready for people!!
5.4) getting ready to put up the signage for the pieces.
We do not have a T-square or sharp exacto so all the info is going by the Exhibit sign and it will be a bit more interactive.
5.5) the signs are up and we just have to clear the table away
5.6) Glenn gives the exhibit a quick sweep
The folding table is about to disappear and we will be ready for the show to start! You have seen the set-up. So, please remember to get a glass of Red or white wine and a few nibblies and join me next week where I will give you a privet tour, and show you the pieces, particularly the felting. Then finally, I will show you a few shots of the Vinasage.
Have fun and keep Felting!
