No February Blues

February has been bright inside our Sunday workshops this year. 

We have been experimenting with different dyes for our canvases. The results have brought a greater visual depth to our backgrounds. Here the red dye brought the life force energy for Gwen's Fire element artwork.

Sharing this beautiful studio with the sunlight beaming in is the punctuation in my working week.

Having four hours together allows much to get much accomplished.

Sometimes we can even squeeze a little break of tea and toast.

These workshops can establish a strong discipline and awareness for people's creative journeys.

In Atelier Gwendolyne the mind, spirit and self gets involved. As a guide the sharing of my knowledge, materials, and tools supports my students creative decisions and actions.

I am always accepting new students. Feel free to contact me and see if you can be part of this year's workshop series.

Join and create

Embroidery floss of many colors waiting to be stitched into ones thoughts

for lasting beauty to be celebrated through time.

For more information about our class series read past blog posts to get a feel for the course. I am accepting student enrollment for the 1st 2012 series running Jan through to the end of April. To register a non refundable deposit of $50 is required to reserve your place.

 Register today by CONTACTING US

Connection of Time and Stitch

I like to capture as many moments possible during our workshop hours. Each person's journeys is so unique and capturing their moments of process allows me to share with others the creativity that happens in Atelier Gwendolyne.

Choices, conversations, challenges and resolutions on many levels of the art and life happen in Atelier Gwendolyne.  I get excited to prepare the studio for my students as they open their creative energy into our world.

My library of Needlework books often are useful for stitch inspiration and layout direction.

Margaret is inspired by the Victorian era and the early 20th century energy.  She is an artist / lawyer who cherishes the love of texture, color and detail.

She used a rich palette of greens and contrasted them with the hues of red and blue.  I enjoyed seeing her art evolve every week. She was able to enjoy the stitch outside of the Atelier Gwendolyne hours.

I often like capturing the backside of people's canvas as it reveals the thoughtful tying of ends. Every line created needs a good securing I prefer the small double knots.

When the foreground was finished Margaret felt it still needed something more.

Choosing a thread color several hues lighter than the canvas she created a textural background with running stitches to form vines. The effect brought depth to her artwork and she knew it was finished.

I must confess that whenever I looked over her shoulder at those strawberries she had stitched I was inspired to eat one.

Margaret's Earth Element spoke about her love for beauty, art and the love of mindful needle work. Everyone was inspired by her artwork. I can just imagine how wonderful it will look on one of her walls in her Victorian home.

Needle work's dance of time

This has been a wonderful year for us in the studio.  Our classes began later in the Spring due to our long winter.


A perfect way to celebrate Spring and bring on the summer with some creativity of life.


We were fortunate to have some of needlework treasures brought to class. One of Margaret's first beauties was this embroidered tea cozy. Even though it had seen the wear of time, the brilliance of the silk thread work still shines on today. Having retired from it's earlier function it is now appreciated only for it's beauty. The creator's color palette is cool and fresh even 100 years later. I love the idea that it is still giving pleasure to the eye. If only it could talk, I am sure it heard many a good story.

Nancy brought this Bakers Lake embroidered duffel wool bag to share in class. The repeating embroidery details combined with larger applique motifs are typical in the Baker Lake designs. Each creation I have ever seen shares the joyful interaction with nature and animal life.

Change is constant yet the pace of life is probably the same.  People fill up their lives with activities that they feel have importance. In the past community was one of those things. Sharing your life with your neighbours and friends creating a blanket with your husbands silk ties.  Crazy ~ I do not think so.  Yet this Crazy Quilt still speaks the energy that brought people together to share.

Like this Crazy Quilt, Atelier Gwendolyne is a creative space bringing lives together with the soul purpose of bringing the needle and thread into the creative realm of art. I am happy to be part of it.

Thankyou Margaret and Nancy for sharing your treasures.