Members of the Colborne Art Gallery
Veronica Derry
"Growing up in Roseneath amidst a family of women who sewed, quilted, knitted and did crochet, I developed an early interest and appreciation of textiles. After high school, after a year in a factory, then more happily, four years as a florist, I was prepared for further education.
"I chose Sheridan School of Crafts and Design for its textile studio. In my second year I chose to major in weaving. The weaving process really appealed to me. It was also the year Sandra Brownlee-Ramsdale filled in as the weaving instructor. The studio was infused with her contagious energy and it was with her guidance my love for tapestry and inlay took root.
"In 1985, for three months, I had the fascinating experience of working with a team on a series of large environmental weavings for "The Settlement Area" of the Ontario Pavilion for Expo '86. The centre pavilion was constructed by artists, craftspeople, carpenters, theatre costumes, set designers, electricians etc. under the direction of a team of designers. It was then dismantled and reassembled in Vancouver.
"I settled into working at Flamboyant, in Cobourg, part time, then full time (I now manage it), and over the years it has supported me and my weaving.
"Cotton rugs and runners were my focus for a number of years. Occasionally the need to create something more individual, more challenging, would result in a series of tapestries, small fibre assemblages, and most recently, soft sculpture.
"Tapestry weaving is a slow process. Depending on the complexity of the design, an hour can pass by and the piece will have progressed one inch. But it captivates me. To translate an inner vision into a finished piece by taking yarns and creating not only an image, but the very structure of the cloth, is very satisfying.
"Another technique I enjoy is "inlay". It is more spontaneous and immediate than tapestry. By laying an extra weft into specific areas while weaving, simplistic images much like line drawings can be done. Off loom, these are then stitched together with other fabrics, papers, bits of lace … the choices are endless, creating small assembled scenes. These fulfill a need to work in a more playful manner.
"Soft sculpture is another way to express ideas and allows me to explore, through fibre, a three dimensional way of working.
"It's so easy to bump along in a comfy little rut, safe to stay with the known but by leaving oneself open, a shift can occur which allows for growth and learning … and work turns into play.
"It's such a delightful experience to begin a piece with on idea and somewhere during the creative process is almost evolves on its own!"
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A sampling of work by
Veronica Derry
(click icons for larger view)
'Abandoned House'
'Winter Fun'
'Selves'