Submitted by Gail Erickson (pictured at left)

Members of the Guild are looking forward to activies involving various fibre crafts at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre Studio from June 27 to June 30.

Thanks to the sponsorship of the Oliver Community Arts Council, the Guild has been able to enlist Coby VanDerGaast as an instructor for June 28 and 29. Coby has had many years of textile practice in weaving, dyeing, knitting, spinning and basket making. Coby’s interest in naturally derived colourants has led to reconnecting with colour formulations of past usage which gain new relevance in current fibre practice. She is an instuctor in the fibre program at Kootenay School of the Arts at Selkirk College in Nelson, B. C. She is also an organic farmer and is currently growing dye plants for Earthues, a natural colour company based in Seattle and has collaborated with them on dye projects.

During the the workshop, Guild participants will work with Coby and member, Hilary Robertson in applying natural dyes and eco dyeing to yarns, cloth and raw fibre.

Paper making will be in progress on Monday, June 27 as well as eco dyeing and Thursday, June 30 will find members involved in various felting projects. The public is welcome to observe on any of the above days at the Quail’s Nest from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Photo Credit: Penelope Johnson (on file)