Quilt Atlantic stitches Fabric Artists from Atlantic Canada Together
Hookers, quilters, fabric artists, knitters, felters and more are all heading for White Point Beach Resort April 1 – 3 for the 3rd Annual Quilt Atlantic Retreat. The impressive collection of instructors coming from all over Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will have participants in stitches, literally.
Based on its name, you’d be incorrect in assuming that the retreat is only about quilting. In fact the Retreat is a celebration of all forms of fabric art, but organizers say it all began with a quilt, as it so often does for fabric artists. Bev Crouse, a fabric artist herself, has been working with White Point Beach Resorts’ Donna Hatt since they came up with the event four years ago. While the pair say there will always be a quilting component to the retreat, the program reaches well beyond quilts giving participants a chance to sample and try new art forms with fabric.
Crouse says the line-up this year has expanded beyond Nova Scotia’s border, giving beginners and experienced artists a chance to learn some new tricks and applications that keeps their work fresh and inspired. “We are particularly excited to have Landscape Artist Juliet Nowlan with us this year,” says Crouse adding, “Juliet is coming to us from New Brunswick where her 3-D Landscapes have been admired by collectors and artists all over Canada.” In addition to her full day workshop, Nowlan will also host a Trunk Show that demonstrates the dynamic and accomplished size and scope of her work.
The roster of instructors for the 9 workshops over the 3 days includes a mix of both modern and traditional approaches. From hooker and designer Jane Steele, quilting and fabric artists Donna Veinot, Adrienne Klenck and Bev Crouse, along with knitter Andrea Thomas and felter Carolyn Langley, the combination of half day and full day workshops enables everyone to participate in at least 3 classes. With instructors staying at the Retreat, guests also have the chance to really get to know the instructors and gain extra pointers and insight while gathered around a bonfire, or at the Show and Share Socials.
In addition to showcasing the talents of amazing artists in the region, new for 2016 Retreat is a Pop-Up Shop. Open to the general public, White Point has invited fabric shops, studios and fabric designers to participate in Shop on Saturday April 2 from 9am – 5pm. For one day, shops from all as far away as Brier Island are coming to the beach. Exhibitors include Hooking by the Sea, Lynn's Quilting Service Studio, Sheep to Shore Yarn and Craft Shoppe, Mahone Bay Quilt Shop and A Needle Pulling Thread Quilt Shop and they are all promising to bring a variety of fabric, wools, tools and more.
Now in its third year, the Retreat was inspired by a ‘Show & Share’ at Quilt Canada when Crouse and Hatt were invited to present ‘Stitching White Pointers Together’, a crowd sourced quilt that now hangs in the Main Lodge at White Point. Donna Hatt says it was during the creation of the new White Point Quilt to replace the original lost in the Main Lodge fire of November 2011 that she realized the need for a Retreat. “Working with Bev as we created our new quilt, I soon realized the volume of talent, work and time that it takes to make handmade quilts. As some 500 White Pointers added their stitches, stories and memories to our quilt, it also became evident that people valued these works of art and wanted to know more about the tradition of quilting and that’s when we stitched together the idea for Quilt Atlantic.”
Much like quilting, it’s now a tradition for White Point to work with Crouse and her colleagues from the local area Queens Quilters Guild to create and host the annual 2016 Retreat. With more than 40 overnight and daytime participants from all over Atlantic Canada, many of whom are repeat retreaters, it’s expected that there will be many new stories, smiles and memories sewn together again this year. For more information of the Retreat, overnight and day registration and the Pop-Up Shop, visit whitepoint.com.
Donna Hatt
White Point’s Marketing & Product Development Manager
At the beach: 902.354.2711 ext 369
On the road: 902.521.7319
For reservations: 1.800.565.5068
White Point Beach Resort
75 White Point Beach Resort Rd, White Point, Queens County, Nova Scotia B0T 1G0
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