After the launch there will be a dinner.The dinner will be a fun event with Bev Brock kindly agreeing to MC the  evening and there will be a few surprises in store. The dinner will consist of a two course meal with coffee at $45 a head ( a small portion of this goes towards the fundraising-otherwise the evening is for everyone to simply enjoy the fun and games!)

The fun and games  have been boosted by a wonderful donation from Embroidery Source in Thornbury- so a big thank you to them, and if you are in need of any machine and embroidery threads or anything else to do with machine embroidery please visit them!

And once again thank you to all our sponsor and grant givers:

Ozquilt Network Inc

Nillumbik Tourist Association

Upfront Pictures

Embroidery Source

Samson Hill Winery

 and for the France leg the Australia France Foundation

Things are coming together for the Sense of Place Fundraising Dinner. There are still some places available but it looks as if it’s going to be a good function with lots of fun and we now have a MC for the dinner,who is known to many people, Bev Brock. Bev is the author of “Peter Brock- Living with a Legend” but Bev’s also known for her wholistic and organic approach to life.

There will also be an auction of an art to wear jacket by Robina Summers which Gail Blackwood will auction . Gail has been kindly provided by Morrison Kleeman Real Estate There is also a silent auction of a quilt by Olga Walters .There will also be a drawing of the raffle for a wrap I have made- see the picture!

Part of the reason doing this fundraising is the fact that whilst I have received sponsorship by way of a scholarship grant from Ozquilt Network Inc, a grant from the Nillumbik Tourism Association and in kind sponsorship from Samson Hill Winery and Upfront Pictures- the travelling of an exhibition takes quite a lot of money. Even though I organise things on a shoe string there are all sorts of incidental expenses to be met. Sponsorship money is very valuable as is the goodwill of the many people involved with the project.

Part of my commitment  to the exhibition is to organise  private fund raising so I hope those of you who can attend will be supportive in this regard. There will be surprises during the evening, and it will all in the spirit of fun with a two course dinner giving hints of middle eastern food and a door prize. The fundraising dinner wil be $45 a head which i think is very reasonable.

We spent Wednesday and Thursday installing the exhibition at Samson Hill Winery and it looks terrific. I took these photos on Wednesday so we did further tidying up on Thursday.Click on the images for a larger image.

 The exhibition will run until 7 February 2007  when it willbe launched by the Syrian Ambassador  His Excellency Mr Tamman Sulaiman followed by a fundraising dinner.

Pago and Stephen , the owners of the winery are absolutely delighted with the atmosphere the work creates. The winery restaurant has one wall that is all glass and has brilliant views towards Melbourne. The other wall is all solid and this is mostly where the work is installed- so where ever you are seated in the restaurant you still have a view!

There are still places available in the workshops on 17 january and 24 January- these are going to be fun and we will be exploring a number of technques and fun things to make. If you are interested please contact me on dcevaal@hotmail.com We have two great tutors ( Olga Walters and Robina Summers) and me on deck so there will be lots of individual attention!

So I need to say a big thank you to the sponsors who  have joined into the effort of travelling Sense of Place to far flung places.

Firstly i was the inaugural winner of the Ozquilt Network Inc.  scholarship , the funds of which I am using to meet some of  the travel expenses  such as airfares to Syria and France and  accommmodation. So a big thank you to Ozquilt for having the vision to support projects such as this!Ozquilt is Australia’s  premier organisation for  art quilters, and their website features many of Australia’s leading quilt artists and  articles from the very informative newletter which is sent quarterly.It is well worth a visit and if you are an Australian aspiring art quilter well worth joining.

Then there is the Nillumbik Tourist Association- who have come on board with a contribution towards the launch and publicity. So a big thank you there as well.

I also  need to thank the Australia France Foundation which has contributed towards exhibition expenses in France.

Then there is Samson Hill Winery for allowing us to use the space to launch the exhibit and to run workshops. And last but not least Upfront Pictures who have done a lot of the photography and  banner and  brochure design.

Without sponsoship from these organisations and  people, our artists would not have the opportunity to have their work seen overseas.Unfortunately art quilts do not attract funding like some other areas of the arts- though art quilts have built bridges and created friendships where others have failed. So a heartfelt thanks to each of the sponsors!

The Exhibition

A Travelling Exhibition of Art Quilts

World Premiere Showing

Jenny Bowker, Dijanne Cevaal,  Sue Dennis, Dianne Firth, Helen Gray, Gloria Loughman, Beth Miller, Beth and Trevor Reid, Robina Summers, Olga Walters, Fiona Wright.

Sense of Place will have its world premiere in Australia, then travel to the prestigious

 Al Baáth Gallery in Damascus and on to

Le Paliseau in Paris.

From January 4^th to February 7^th 2007 the exhibition will be showing at Samson Hill Estate in Kangaroo Ground, where Melbourne meets the Yarra Valley. In keeping with the holiday season there will be lighthearted workshops with a spirit of giving.

Holiday Workshops for grown ups  - 2007

Bandanas, bags, brooches, bangles, bits of art collage & more…..all in air conditioned comfort & surrounded by wonderful views.

 Make one item as a gift of goodwill to travel overseas with the exhibition, make one or more to take home.

.

Join in the holiday spirit of giving, fun and adventure with  – Dijanne Cevaal, Robina Summers & Olga Walters – choose to spend the day (9-30 til 3) with one or swap around  during the day. 

There will be a maximum of 10 people with any one tutor at any one time Techniques include printing, painting, texturing, manipulation, mark making , big stitching,  bondaweb appliqué, beading, collage, and  gooey fabric sculpting. 

Holiday fun for textile addicts, art lovers,

mother & daughter, husband & wife or just friends!

Workshops

Jan 10,17, 24, 31, 2007

All workshop materials, morning tea, lunch, tea, coffee, water & juice are included in the cost of  $70 per day.

Book for all four workshops and at the end receive a surprise showbag to start you on your way at home.

For workshop bookings and enquiries    dcevaal@gmail.com or Robina@wildscarves.com.au

A confirmation email will be sent on receipt of a non-refundable deposit of $20 (to cover the cost of materials).

Please make workshop cheques payable to

Dijanne Cevaal

65 Old Beech Forest Road

Gellibrand Victoria  3239

The Launch

Feb 7^th –6 pm

His excellency Mr Tamman Sulaiman , Syrian Ambassador to Australia will launch  the exhibition

all welcome, rsvp  9712-0715

The Gala Dinner

Feb 7 -7.30pm

This will be a gala dinner packed with surprises and fun including the auction of an artquilt donated by Dijanne Cevaal.  $45 includes two courses,  tea & coffee, drinks at bar prices.  

Limited places so book early

Bookings 9712 0715,  www.samsonhill.com.au

Proceeds from the dinner, workshops and the sale of artworks will go towards the travelling costs of this goodwill exhibition.

                Thanks to our supporters

Ozquilt Network inc

Samson Hill Estate

Upfront Pictures

Join in the holiday spirit of giving, fun and adventure with  – Dijanne Cevaal, Robina Summers & Olga Walters – choose to spend the day ( 9-30 til 3) with one  or swap around  during the day.   There will be a maximum of 10 people with any one tutor at any one time. Make one item to keep and one as a gift of goodwill to travel overseas with the exhibition. Techniques include printing, painting, texturing, manipulation, mark making , big stitching,  bondaweb appliqué, beading, collage  and more. 

Wednesday 10^th January  – Brooches – zany art to liven even the dullest Tshirt

Wednesday 17^th January – Bags of Fun -  to wear for fun

Wednesday  24^th January – Bandanas – fabric fun to make your  hair curl

Wednesday 31 January – Belts – hot colours, crazy ideas

All workshop materials, morning tea, lunch, tea, coffee and water & juice are included in the cost of  $70 per day. 

Book for all four workshops and at the end receive a surprise showbag to start you on your way at home.

For workshop bookings and enquiries    dcevaal@gmail.com or Robina@wildscarves.com.au .     A confirmation  email will be sent on receipt of a non-refundable deposit of $20 (to cover the cost of materials).

Please make workshop cheques payable to

Dijanne Cevaal

65 Old Beech Forest Road

Gellibrand Victoria  3239

Wednesday 10^th January  – Brooches – zany art to liven even the dullest Tshirt

Wednesday 17^th January – Bags of Fun -  to wear for fun

Wednesday  24^th January – Bandanas – fabric fun to make your  hair curl

Wednesday 31 January – Belts – hot colours, crazy ideas

All workshop materials, morning tea, lunch, tea, coffee and water & juice are included in the cost of  $70 per day. 

Book for all four workshops and at the end receive a surprise showbag to start you on your way at home.

For workshop bookings and enquiries    dcevaal@gmail.com or Robina@wildscarves.com.au .     A confirmation  email will be sent on receipt of a non-refundable deposit of $20 (to cover the cost of materials).

Please make workshop cheques payable to

Dijanne Cevaal

65 Old Beech Forest Road

Gellibrand Victoria  3239

Wednesday 10^th January  – Brooches – zany art to liven even the dullest Tshirt

Wednesday 17^th January – Bags of Fun -  to wear for fun

Wednesday  24^th January – Bandanas – fabric fun to make your  hair curl

Wednesday 31 January – Belts – hot colours, crazy ideas

All workshop materials, morning tea, lunch, tea, coffee and water & juice are included in the cost of  $70 per day. 

Book for all four workshops and at the end receive a surprise showbag to start you on your way at home.

For workshop bookings and enquiries    dcevaal@gmail.com or Robina@wildscarves.com.au .     A confirmation  email will be sent on receipt of a non-refundable deposit of $20 (to cover the cost of materials).

Please make workshop cheques payable to

Dijanne Cevaal

65 Old Beech Forest Road

Gellibrand Victoria  3239

Wednesday 10^th January  – Brooches – zany art to liven even the dullest Tshirt

Wednesday 17^th January – Bags of Fun -  to wear for fun

Wednesday  24^th January – Bandanas – fabric fun to make your  hair curl

Wednesday 31 January – Belts – hot colours, crazy ideas

All workshop materials, morning tea, lunch, tea, coffee and water & juice are included in the cost of  $70 per day. 

Book for all four workshops and at the end receive a surprise showbag to start you on your way at home.

For workshop bookings and enquiries    dcevaal@gmail.com or Robina@wildscarves.com.au .     A confirmation  email will be sent on receipt of a non-refundable deposit of $20 (to cover the cost of materials).

Please make workshop cheques payable to

Dijanne Cevaal

65 Old Beech Forest Road

Gellibrand Victoria  3239

The exhibition will start its life at Samson Hill Winery, Kangaroo Ground , where the Yarra meets Melbourne from 4 January until 7February 2007 with an official launch by the Syrian Ambassador to Australia his Excellency Mr Tamman Sulaiman on the evening of 7 February 2007. Thereafter it will be shown at Al Ba’Ath Gallery in Damascus ,Syria from 24 February-17 March 2007 before it travels on to Le Palaiseau, Paris, France from 24 March -9 April 2007.

As curator I decided to approach this as a journey of goodwill , and there will be activities in the month of January with this in mind- it is about giving and sharing our art , feelings and friendships . With this in mind I decided to create a blog that will accompany the exhibition on its travels, we will also be creating a Book of Thoughts. Over the next day I will list all the activities planned in Australia. Over the next few weeks I will be profiling each of the artists and hopefully share some of their work and hopefully enthuse you the public with their art .

As the journey unfolds I will share photos and experiences of the exhibitions’ travels. And if anyone is interested in hosting this exhibition please contact me!