'Hands in Motion'

'Hands in Motion'

Featured Fibre Artist: Gertie Hollis 

By Joan Beswick

Gertie (in red) and Joan Ralph discuss embroidery stitches.

 

Gertie Hollis delighted and amazed visitors to her embroidery demonstration at festival headquarters. She’s been doing fibre arts for quite some time, and you name it, she can do it - tatting, embroidery (including hardanger), crocheting, hooking, felting, making bobbin lace - and so much more.

Tatting 

Hardanger

Her aunts did needle work, and beginning at an early age, Gertie demonstrated an aptitude as well. And she has continued to refine her skills and learn new techniques. Her hardanger pieces have been grand champions at the Atlantic Winter Fair, and she continues to make lace for dresses, tatted earrings, and crocheted necklaces.

Sample of Tatted Earrings

Sample of Crocheted Necklace

At the demonstration, Gertie chatted amiably with visitors, pointed out stitches in a revered stitchery book she’s had for many years, and moved her hands so quickly it was impossible for the camera to focus on them.

Gertie's 'hands in motion'

‘Hands in motion’, Gertie made it all seem so effortless even though her productivity and creativity are remarkable. Watching her, I was reminded of a quote by PBS interviewer, Charlie Rose, who said that ‘knowing a lot .... is a springboard to creativity’.  Gertie sure does know a lot – and that knowledge inspires her to keep learning, creating, and sharing.  We are so fortunate to be able to learn from her, and we truly appreciate her contribution to the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival.  

 

A Versatile Fibre Artist

and Her 'Grand Grad Trip'

 

By: Joan Beswick

 

Fibre artists come in many varieties, or as they say in the old Newfoundland song, in ‘all sizes and figures’, and many of them are as versatile in what they produce as they are variable in their personnas. And Carol Oram is one such versatile fibre artist.

 

Knitting is Carol’s passion these days. She offered a beginning knitting course at the 2012 festival, and will offer it again at the 2013 festival.

However, knitting is only one of the fibre arts Carol does so well. Over the years, she has made  wonderful rope wreaths

beautiful baskets,

fabulous felted bags,

unique hooked mats and decorative pieces,  

   

and all manner of one-of-a-kind clothing from recycled materials. She has also designed and created quilts for her family, the most recent being a beach-themed quilt for her four-year old grandchild, Libby.

 

Although Carol’s fibre artistry is amazing, it doesn’t define her – she also involves herself in many community activities, dotes on her three children and four grandchildren, and continues to pursue formal education. In May of this year, Carol will graduate from Mount Allison University with a B.Sc. in Psychology, an accomplishment that will complement her previous degrees in arts and education, and serve as testimony to her commitment to life long learning. And to celebrate, Carol plans to do a ‘grad trip’, except in this case, it will be a ‘grand grad trip’ because she’ll be travelling to Cuba with her two granddaughters – 20 year old Mackenzie who is graduating from the pastry chef course at George Brown College in Toronto, and 17 year old Katarina, who is graduating from Three Oaks High School in Summerside, P.E.I.

What better way to celebrate these milestones than to make memories together, and since it is February , to do so amidst sun, sand, and soft breezes! Our congratulations to Carol and her granddaughters – may you travel well, enjoy fully, return safely – and find new inspiration for continued creativity and life long learning!