LAST DAY (4) Many thanks from Edmonton FAN (& friends) for your participation

Day 3

Day 2

 

 

Day 1

 

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/fibre-studios-tour-tickets-1014076900307?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

posted June 24

Walkers and sightseers! Recommended for Friday or Saturday afternoon breaks is the easy 10-minute walk down Jasper Avenue to the Fairmont Macdonald Hotel.  Enjoy the fabulous view and a beverage at this historic landmark featuring the best patio in the city.

While you’re there, look around this historic chateau style hotel built in 1915 as part of the sumptuous CN hotel chain. Declared a historic site in 1984, it was renovated to its former glory and re-opened in 1991. Check out the balustrades, cornices, and the refined Wedgewood Room. Might you interpret this prairie version of an iconic French Renaissance style building in a fibre art project – maybe for your art exchange piece?

More walking can be had by zipping around the hotel’s SW corner to the 100 Street Funicular. Enjoy the view as you ride half-way down the hill to the promontory. From there walk along the promenade and take the stairs down to the North Saskatchewan River for a voyageur’s view up and down the valley. Retrace your steps as you work up an appetite on the return walk to the Coast Edmonton Plaza in time for supper.

Post by Sharon Rubuliak

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June 20th,

Whew, we made the registration numbers to ensure that our conference room and facilities would be guaranteed and we can got ahead with the conference as planned. But don’t despair if you have not signed up yet,  you can still register and join us in September.  Next hard deadline is August 19th when conference registration closes and  to ensure you get the FAN discounted accommodation rate.

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Time flies! June 15^th is fast approaching. Hard to believe there is not much time left for FAN conference registration. If you have not already done so, think about coming. There will be so much happening this September.

5  Reasons for attending

• Feed your curiosity. Choose to be young, silly and gaze at the world with wonder on our field trips with your sketchbook. (…. And try the Toto Washlet electric bidet seat in your room!!)
• Embrace absurdity, discover new opportunities. Widen your river, not narrow it. Dress for Blenderz Day. Let’s all wear, or bring, a repurposed item.
• Pass the torch. Help share the light that lives within all of us. Make a presentation. Participate in the art exchange.
• Rekindle friendships and make new ones in this creative community.
• Embrace ME time. Unplug from the world. Eat, Laugh, Relax, have a glass of wine with friends. Use the spas salt water pool and steam room.

I am sure you can think of more reasons.

See you soon,

Yvonne BW

 

______updated May 8th__________________

If you’re able to travel to Edmonton prior to the FAN Conference, or stay longer, be sure to take in FAN’s ‘On the Bias’ exhibit at the Visual Arts Studio Association (VASA) in St Albert which runs from September 5 – 29, 2024. We couldn’t include this exhibit in the 2024 Conference schedule, but you can visit on your own from 11-4pm Tuesday-Saturday.  The gallery is located at 25 Sir Winston Churchill Avenue in St Albert, a small city abutting Edmonton to the northwest. A 30-minute car or cab ride will get you there. In addition, bus service is available on St Albert Transit from downtown Edmonton; however, it takes 1 hour for each direction including a transfer.

Go as a group and make an afternoon out of it by visiting the historic St Albert downtown for lunch. Stroll along Perron Street and visit the Art Gallery of St Albert (AGSA) and The Bookstore on Perron Street. Learn about this original Metis settlement at the Musée Héritage Museum in Douglas Cardinal’s graceful St Albert Place.  Or work off lunch calories while taking in views of the Sturgeon River along the Red Willow Trail or The Founders’ Walk.

More posts coming soon about walking routes in Edmonton’s river valley and other activities.

__________________________Updated  April 29______________________________

Thought I would share a sneak peek at some of the goings on, in preparation for the upcoming conference. …..

The conference elves, (Dianne, Cindi and Pat) have been busy lately making special items for the Edmonton conference attendees. What is special is that most of the materials used, are recycled or repurposed.

Dianne Firth recently became the proud owner of a big bag of lining and heavy denier textile from a group that acquired materials from an equestrian sewing business that was closing down. This indestructible, water-resistant material was otherwise destined for the dump! She then sleuthed out heavily discounted strapping to finish off the bags. On recycled scrap paper (ever resourceful) a suitable pattern was drafted. She currently has cut fabric to make enough “Dianne” bags for the 1st 50 people that register! She tells me ten beautiful and happily made conference activity bags are completed. She will let us know when she is able to see her studio sewing table again. Maybe she will even share her pattern with us.

Cindi Plant also has been busy assembling ephemera, largely from her stash but also some paper and fabric squares from Darlene Bayley. Currently, there are 10 treasures in each pouch; sizes are varied and suitable for 5” sketchbooks we will be using! Not one of these packages contain identical contents. That means papers can be swapped with each other if desired. More fun to be had! I love surprise packages.

Finally Pat Moore has been busy felting bowls for the centre of the tables. Maybe they will hold chocolates (please!). The challenge will be to figure out who takes these home. Like the Oscars, I think she will be keeping it a secret as to how to win them. Pat is the queen of making felted vessels, so looking forward to seeing them.

Hope to see you in less than 5 months. Remember conference registration closes June 15th.

Yvonne BW

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January 31 , 2024

I can’t believe it is less than 9 months till our conference! The team has been really busy putting looking at meals plans, getting ready for art exchange and conference registration and of course program plans. There will be a lot of information coming your way shortly. Questions are good if you are wondering about something. Chances are if you are thinking about it, others are also. So don’t be shy, we would love to hear from you.

If you are thinking about coming early or staying after the conference, or bringing a spouse check out Things to Do in Edmonton | Explore Edmonton

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Is it really almost Christmas.

I thought I would share the 3 bridge illustration that was part of our holiday greeting (minus the felines). These bridges are just down the road from the conference hotel. The arched Walterdale bridge is the newest bridge. Cross that bridge and you are not far from the Indigenous Art Park ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11 (pronounced EE-nu ). Just to the west of this bridge is one of the oldest bridges in Edmonton. The High Level bridge used to have a train running over top of the pedestrian and car decks! Thankfully now there is only a historic trolley that operates part of the year. It’s a lot of fun to take but only if you are okay with heights!  This bridge was critical to joining the communities on both sides of the river together. The 3rd bridge is a LRT and footbridge only. Just around the corner from the hotel is an LRT station. The last stop before you cross the river is the Edmonton Legislature. The stop after that is the University of Alberta. Take the train or walk across the high level bridge and explore the grounds around both these old institutions.

 

_________________________Dec 19 2023_____________________________________________

Logo’s are a challenge. How do you to reduce a physical nature of a place and thThe purpose of a  conference into a few colours and lines!

When I think of Edmonton, the steep shape of the valley came to mind, representing both physical and mental challenges. The other thing, that is so important to this city, is its many bridges. In Edmonton’s history, bridges provided not only a safe way across a dangerous river but also an easier physical way across from one bank to the other. It solved a lot of problems by connecting the communities on both sides. Just like a physical bridge, FAN conferences are intended to provide a bridge to connect artists spread all over western Canada.

So, when you see the Fall inspired logo colours, gold, green and blue, please be reminded of our upcoming conference. More important , I hope the valley outline and the stitched “bridge” will remind you of the connections you will make next September, that will perhaps make your artist journey easier. I hope you are inspired, as I am, by this river city.

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And don’t forget to check out FAN on Instagram for conference highlights. Darlene is feeling lonely and would like more friends following her!

________________________________Nov 11 2023____________________________

This blog area will provide updates about Edmonton FAN 2024 conference events, plus other “nice-to-know” things we think you might find interesting.

To help you find information, the blogs are organized by topic: Art Exchange, Venue, Program, Registration and What’s New.

They say it takes a village to raise a child. The FAN 2024 Edmonton conference-planning villagers have been working hard to bring you the next fabulous gathering of fibre artists.

Here is our family.

Art Exchange – Cindy Plant (Vermillion AB), Darlene Bayley

Communications – Cassandra Cartmell, Yvonne Bilan-Wallace

Program – Judy Weiss, Sharon Rubuliak, Pat Moore (Yellowknife NT)

Registration – Debbie Tyson

Venue – Hermina Joldersma, Kelly Moore, Darlene Bayley

Welcome Planning Crew – Dianne Firth, Dawna Dey Harrish, Susan Lett, Donna Stockdale (LaRonge SK)

QR postcard

A quick way to access the information is to post our QR Postcard on your reminder board. That way you can (electronically) remind yourself of dates to remember or art entry details. Then all you need to do is use your QR app or the phone camera to find out the latest updated information. No second guessing or wondering if you have missed anything. Details will be in the blogs on the FAN web page.

Conference Video

We would like to share the video we made for the Penticton conference with all FAN members. This is a sneak peak of what is happening at the Edmonton conference 2024.

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If you have any comments or questions, you can use the comment section at the bottom of this blog page or you can contact people above directly.