Size 29.5″ hx 40″w Artist Statement During a visit to childhood haunts along the Tay I recalled how the river influenced my formative years. The Tay, the river where I learned to swim at the age of five was a favoured canoe route between Christie Lake and the town of Perth, Ontario. An unfulfilled dream of a red canoe still survives! The family sugarbush hugged the shores of the river and provided a place to daydream and relive the...

Name Granny Alice 1888 – 1974. Medium Flour bag fabric, hand crochet lace, quilt block, hand stitching, embroidery, sewing basket artifacts. Description quilted fabric, crochet glove, wooden motto plaque, woollen quilt block, hat pins, hat brooches, antique buttons, hair catcher, lace samples. Created 2016 for Travelling Exhibition (TREX) under curatorial direction, Art Gallery of Alberta. More information available on blog. Size...

Name Grandma Bella 1891 – 1965. Medium Woven burlap and denim, fur, tie, small bottles , blotter, fountain pen, twigs Description quilted fabric, crochet glove, wooden motto plaque, woollen quilt block, hat pins, hat brooches, antique buttons, hair catcher, lace samples. Created 2016 for Travelling Exhibition (TREX) under curatorial direction, Art Gallery of Alberta. More information available on blog. Size 16″ x16″ mounted...

Name Mom Evelyn, 1922 – 2010. A part of the ‘The Tie That Binds’ series created for a TREX exhibition. Medium quilted fabric, gingham ‘chicken scratch’ embroidery, cross stitch, petit point, crewel, needle/net weaving, crochet, smocking, various personal pins/brooches Description woven fabric, hand stitching, applique, assemblage. Created 2016 for Travelling Exhibition (TREX) under curatorial direction, Art Gallery...

Name Dad Ernie: Diane Duncan 2016. A part of the ‘The Tie That Binds’ series created for a TREX exhibition. Medium Woven burlap and denim, fur, tie, small bottles , blotter, fountain pen, twigs Description woven fabric, hand stitching, applique, assemblage. Created 2016 for Travelling Exhibition (TREX) under curatorial direction, Art Gallery of Alberta. More information available on blog. Size 16″ x16″ mounted and framed...

I am the third generation to appear in this series and what do I say about this piece and myself? For me the series has been about family traditions and memories and the richness to be gained by passing these on to subsequent generations. In previous posts I have talked about Grandmothers and the legacy they left me, my parents and how they influenced my view of the world. This fifth piece is about the synthesis that occurs when that ingrained...

Name Me: Diane Duncan 2016. A part of the ‘The Tie That Binds’ series created for a TREX exhibition. Medium A variety of faux fabrics from paper and plastics, memorabilia, foam impression, eco-printing,quilting, beading Description Created 2016 for Travelling Exhibition (TREX) under curatorial direction, Art Gallery of Alberta. More information available on blog. Size 16″ x16″ mounted and framed to 20″ x 20″...

Although Dad didn’t participate in needle crafts, he inspired my work in many other ways. I chose to include him in ‘The Tie That Binds’ because we shared an interest in genealogy that led to my desire to record family history in a variety of ways.  In this piece, I even included one of his favorite ties! Early Life JRE Miller (Ernie) was born at Glen Tay during WW1, attend Glen Tay Public School (SS#3 Bathurst, also my alma...

Evelyn Mather was an only daughter and grew up on a farm near Balderson ON with her three brothers. She didn’t talk a lot about her childhood but based on information from Uncle Gord, her early childhood may have been greatly affected by her Mother’s farm accident. She seems to have had a love of needlework all her life and was probably inspired by her Mother’s work. Mom was a star pupil in SS#9 Bathurst and went on to do well...

Grandma Bella was a little more of an unknown to me when I undertook this series for the TREX exhibition. Although Grandma and Grandpa Mather were frequent visitors, especially for Sunday evening supper, they did not play as large a roll in my life as Granny Alice. As youngsters, we stayed with these grandparents for short periods during the summers and it was during these stays that I was able to take a few swimming lessons at the Perth...