Art in Public Places
In the Window of Greg Oakes’ Office, Geddes Street
For the Month of August
JAMES LOREE REED
Artist Statement
In Elora , an attitude to art in a variety of mediums developed. Generously, Corbett Gray, a student of Lemoine Fitzgerald, Hans Hoffman, and the Arts Student’s League, shared his Mill Street studio for a period of ten years. Studying at the prestigious contemporary art facility, Villa Arson, Nice, France, and working with Dan Boles in Somerset, England (Japanese influenced) gave breadth to my interests. Peter Covielo (British Museum) Edward Auer, pianist in our shared show, and James Hill had an effect with my internalizations.
Awards in several mediums have been gratefully received! Shows at Langdon Hall, Yorkville, Supreme Court bldg. Ontario Superior Court bldg. Museums, concerts with Edward Auer, pianist and a chamber orchestra in New York, all contributed to spiritual connections and making time stand still!
The Artist
Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, Céleste Compion comes from a family of sewing and knitting enthusiasts. She started learning needlecrafts from the age of 5 and was introduced to quilting in 1985, when she joined the Pine Needles, a small quilting group started by Hazelmay Duncan, who went on to spearhead the formation of the South African Quilters Guild.
In 1999 Céleste started the Attic Quilters group. She taught quilting and patchwork both at home and in a sewing store and then in 2001, she and her family moved to Canada. They have lived in beautiful Elora on the edge of Mennonite quilting country since their arrival, and she became a member of the Elmira Needle Sisters and Royal City Quilters’ Guild (Guelph) at that time. She is currently a member of the Grand Quilt Guild in Fergus and the Grand River Modern Quilt Guild in Waterloo.
For several years, all handcraft took a back seat to the demands of settling and making a new life as an immigrant, but now she is immersing herself in the world of textiles and creativity as never before. Driven by her passion for the beautiful creativity of South Africa, she aims to teach more people about it, by importing- and distributing Three Cats Shweshwe fabric to North America.
Shweshwe fabric is sold online
and from the studio at 248 Geddes Street, Elora
Studio visits are by appointment.
Classes are taught online
Art in the Boardrooms of the Fergus Sportsplex
The projection images for Jane Eyre stage production by
Peter Skoggard
The projections for The Secret Garden by Peter will be displayed in the venue after the early July production.
