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2020 Conference - Full Schedule  

 

DetailsSpeakers Spotlight AuctionFAQ

Thursday (March 19)

All times are US/CAN Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -4) Time Zone Converter

7:00 pM - 9:00 PM 

Welcome and Ice Breaker

SAQA President Lisa Walton will open our first ever Virtual Conference, and we will go to small conversation rooms for meet & greet, sharing thoughts, addressing some topics of mutual interest, and more.  You'll be whisked into three of these rooms - virtual speed dating!  The Spotlight Auction will open, and we'll talk you through the process to bid. 

New to Zoom or just have questions? Then join us early (starting at 6:15pm) to get more details and a chance to test your technology. We do encourage you to read our FAQs first as we cannot troubleshoot all video/audio problems remotely.  

This event takes place in the Meeting Room and will not be recorded.   

 

Friday (March 20)

11:00 aM - 11:15 AM

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Grab a cup of coffee and join Executive Director Martha Sielman for our first full day of the Virtual Conference. We'll find out how the auction is going and give you the line up for the day.

 

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM 

Mother Tongue, Motherhood, and Transculturation - Shin-Hee Chin

Shin-hee Chin will reflect on how a diasporic artist perceives, negotiates, and articulates her cultural identity as an Asian American female artist. Utilizing reclaimed quilts as canvases and stitching as mark making, her work is an effort to re-valorize women's labor and work by reinterpreting them as a positive creative act.

The slow nature of these techniques seems to reenact the creative process of birthing. Indeed, the process testifies that the cultural phenomenon often referred to as transculturation has always been part of our mundane life and activity as exemplified by varied culinary and musical practices.

 


15 Minute Break


12:30 pM - 1:30 PM

The Zen of Threads  - Consuelo Jimenez Underwood

In her keynote address, Consuelo Jimenez Underwood will examine the creative process of the fiber artist. How does one find and construct ideas with beauty, grace, AND instill a powerful message to the viewer? How do you decide? What form? Which material? What process? Should you pierce? Intersect? Wrap? These questions and more will be discussed.

 

1:30 pM - 2:15 PM 

Community & Conversation

Join other SAQA members in the Meeting Room to talk about what we've seen during the first part of the day, find out how it's going for you, and get in a little networking.


This event takes place in the Meeting Room and will not be recorded. 


15 Minute Break

 

2:30 pM - 3:30 PM

Handwork, Heartwork, and Homework: Adventures in Long-distance Collaboration

In 2016, friends and established artists Penny Berens and Judy Martin engaged emerging curator Miranda Bouchard to co-develop an exhibition of new works. This lecture explores their collaborative, intergenerational process.

Miranda's sensibility and artistic training/background lend a knowledgeable, contemporary perspective to the process that broadens and encourages the individual practices of these senior artists. This is a unique, intergenerational project that extends beyond looking at and appreciating the work into stitching together, passing knowledge and appreciation on through direct and immersive mentorship, and experience in the process of making.   

 

3:30 pM - 4:30 PM

Are You a "Green" Fibre Artist? - Bridget O'Flaherty

Are you environmentally aware and looking for green options? Join Bridget for an in-depth look at what your options are and let's discuss the costs of being green. From organic fabric and recycled content threads, to natural fibres and dyes, there are a lot of options, but where do you find them and how do you know what to look for? Find out how to reduce your environmental impact as an artist, crafter, or a business owner. Learn how and why you should do your part to help save the planet, one stitch at a time.

 


15 Minute Break

 


4:45 pM - 5:45 PM

Brand Yourself by Learning About the “U” in You - Dan Mariani

You and your Art are inseparable and complementary. You reflect your Art and your Art reflects You. Attend this presention to get a better understanding of who you are, and how to promote yourself - your personal brand - your target, how you differ from other artists. This knowledge will help you reach your career and artistic goals.

Supplemental reading: 

What Colour are you?
Left Brain / Right Brain Exercise
Worksheet for Attendees


5:45 pM - 6:45 PM

Tracking Your Artwork Using GYST - Kris Sazaki

Keeping track of your artwork is a critical aspect of exhibiting and selling your work. In this session, Kris Sazaki will demonstrate how she uses the software program GYST (Getting Your Sh*t Together) to document all the pieces the Pixeladies create (size, date, price, etc.), their exhibition records, and their availability. She will also show you how she creates inventory lists for exhibitions, maintains artist statements, and records buyer information.

Even if you do not plan to use this specific software program, you will gain a better understanding of what to consider when documenting your own artwork.

 

6:45 pM - 7:00 PM

Closing Remarks

We'll briefly recap the day's activities and preview the evening fun.



 

7:15 pM - 9:00 PM   

Friday Night IN 

Drop into the Meeting Room to share what you experienced today with other attendees. Let's check in on the Spotlight Auction, where the first four tables will close. We'll cover some topics of mutual interest & entertainment, take a couple of critical polls (apolitical!) and network.  

This event takes place in the Meeting Room and will not be recorded. 

 

Saturday  (March 21)

11:00 aM - 11:15 AM

Announcements

Start the day again with Martha Sielman and prepare yourself for another day of excellent speakers!


11:15 aM - 12:30 PM

Purposeful Quilting: Communities at Work

Four activist artists, each with a strong background in community projects, will share their experiences on the art, organization, and passion it takes for meaningful community projects. Berene Campbell (Toronto Love Project), Andrea Tsang Jackson (The Here and Elsewhere Bee), Tina Struthers (Indompté/Untamed), and Laurie Swim (Hope and Survival Memorial Quilt) will give insights on this challenging and impactful process. Their combined experiences showcase how awareness and social change can be promoted through collaborative art that celebrates of our diverse communities.

 


15 Minute Break


12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Making a Life

Melanie Falick will speak to us about her experiences researching her new book Making a Life: Working by Hand and Discovering the Life You Are Meant to Live, which involved traveling to meet makers across the world, and how that journey clarified her understanding of the human instinct for handwork and energized her to promote its power to give our lives authenticity and meaning in ever-widening circles. 


1:45 pM - 2:30 PM

Community & Conversation

Join other SAQA members in the Meeting Room. Bring your lunch!


This event takes place in the Meeting Room and will not be recorded. 

 


15 Minute Break

 

2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

Lightning Talks

Each speaker creates a presentation of 20 slides and then speaks about each slide for 20 seconds. This results in a fast-paced informative presentation that is six minutes and 40 seconds long.

  • Gunnel Hag - Extraordinary Prints from Ordinary Objects
  • Christine Hager-Braun - The Alchemy of Resilience - from Personal Growth to Artistic Voice
  • Maggy Rozycki Hiltner - Every Stitch Counts/Count Every Stitch 
  • Jenny K. Lyon - The Quiet Beauty of the Imperfect 
  • Regina Marzlin - The “Dress (de) Code” Project – Empowering Young Women through Textile Art   
  • Sue Sherman - Penguins! 
  • Nancy Turbitt - Hanging by a Thread: Using Art to Advocate   

Since this session is prerecorded, we won't have time for a Q&A. However, you can contact the presenters (view list) after the conference to find out more. 

 

3:45 PM - 4:45 PM

Colour with a U Virtual Slideshow

Colour with a U is a juried exhibition of art quilts created by Canadian members. Thirty-five artists have reflected on the theme of diversity and inclusion to give “colourful” representations of the Canadian cultural identity. Each offers an individual perspective on how we as Canadians see ourselves in our social, historical and physical landscape.

 


15 Minute Break


5:00 PM - 5:45 PM

Cut up your Quilt: Application of kirigami approaches to fiber art - Shannon Conley

Kirigami is the Japanese paper art that employs cutting in addition to folding. Shannon Conley has recently begun applying kirigami approaches to her three-dimensional art quilts. In this presentation, she will show you how she has been utilizing kirigami-inspired ideas, share challenges and solutions, and provide resources for you to learn more about this topic. 


5:45 PM - 6:30 PM

SAQA: Today and Tomorrow - Deborah Boschert  

Learn more about OUR organization! SAQA Board Vice President Deborah Boschert will talk about the exciting SAQA programs of today, including: exhibitions, regional highlights, member education, and publications. She will also provide an overview of SAQA's strategic initiatives for tomorrow as she steps into the role of SAQA President after the Toronto conference.

 

6:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Closing Remarks   

Join SAQA president Lisa Walton as she passes her crown to our next president Deborah Boschert.

  

7:15 pM - 9:00 PM

Conference Finale

Last chance to bid on beautiful pieces from the Spotlight Auction. Be ready to watch the fun and slip your winning bids in. We'll network and hear from each other in a comfortable relaxed finale to our conference.

 

This event takes place in the Meeting Room and will not be recorded. 

 

BONUS PRESENTATIONS

All registered attendees will get access to the following pre-recorded presentations after the live event:

Selections from HERstory: A Celebration of Strong Women - Susanne Jones
Meet Susanne Jones and hear about why she created this amazing exhibition and book celebrating strong women from around the globe.

Art Quilt Elements: History and a sneak peek at this year’s event - Cindy Friedman
Cindy Friedman was one of the founders of Art Quilt Elements and has run it for over 20 years.  Hear about how it started, see highlights of the exhibitions, and find out what their plans are for this year’s event.

New Acquisitions at the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska - Carolyn Ducey
IQM has launched an exciting acquisition program to build their collection of art quilts. The launch involved award winners from Quilt National. See the amazing treasures that they’ve added to their collection and what their plans are for the future!

 


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