Whales on my mind

Grey Whale, 2019, Kirsten Chursinoff (embroidery, fabric art)

The Story

I've embroidered the tiniest flowers and now I'm embroidering the largest animals. The embroidered whales are taking up a big space in my brain right now. The blue and grey colours are soothing to stitch with, and all the small stitches add up to a big picture.

Several of my scheduled events were cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19. The exhibition of the whale pieces will have to wait, but the stitching will continue.

Growing up on the West Coast of Canada has influenced my textile art. I've never boarded a whale watching ship, but I've visited some very special coastal areas. For most of my life, the Vancouver Aquarium displayed whales: orcas and belugas. They can no longer do this and I understand some of the issues about whales in captivity. It did bring me close to the great marine mammals, and I'm honoured to have had the experience.

The Techniques

This Grey Whale is hand-embroidered on fabric. Some yarns have been sewn to the surface to make waves as the water parts to expose the breaching whale. French knots are used to depict the barnacles and other texture of the whale skin. The baleen is embroidered using satin stitch.

December 2019 Events and Shows

Hello. I've been busy stitching up some landscapes, butterflies, moths, birds and nests this year.

Listed below are four places to find my work this December. All events and locations are free to attend or by donation. Sales are handled by gallery staff. Pieces can be taken home as purchased. No need to wait until the end of the exhibitions. Re-stocking happens throughout the shows so the work is always fresh.

Kirsten Chursinoff, 2019, selection of framed embroidery

Kirsten Chursinoff, 2019, detail "Wild Coast"

Seymour Art Gallery, Deep Cove

1. Winter Gift Gallery
Seymour Art Gallery
4360 Gallant Ave
North Vancouver, BC
In the heart of Deep Cove
604-924-1378
https://www.seymourartgallery.com

November 5 – December 24, 2019
Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Open late Thursdays in December until 8:30 p.m.

"We have assembled a wonderful group of artists to help inspire your holiday shopping. Buy from local artists and help support the arts in your community. From scarves to paintings, jewelry to pottery, we have your holiday gifts here – along with the perfect card to place on top!"

Great gifts by local artists:
Lea Abubo, Kristian Adam, Adele Maskwa-Iskwew Arseneau, ArtPen Studios, Billy Would Designs, Megan Bennett, Katy Biele, Chi Cheng Lee, Tony Chotem, Kirsten Chursinoff, Liz De Beer, Carolyn Di Pasquale, Karole Doucette, Matthew Freed, Connie J Goldhawke, Suzanne Goodwin, Jodi Heinhorst, Beryl Hickinbottom, Heather Johnston, Himali Kuwabara, Sonya Labrie, Joan Leslie, Barb Matthews, Hilary Morris, Emilie Nunez, Tamara Phillips, Sarah Ronald, Minori Takagi, Tannis Turner, Liane McLaren Varnam, Christine Waldie, We Mumble, and Kate Whitehead

Positively Petite Exhibition

2. Positively Petite: 30th Annual Miniature Exhibition

November 15-December 19

Place des Arts
1120 Brunette Avenue, Coquitlam, BC

604-664-1636
https://placedesarts.ca

Mon – Fri 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sat 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sun 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm


2D and 3D Miniatures in the Atrium Gallery
Positively Petite is an annual exhibition unique to Place des Arts that showcases miniature artwork created by local artists. This year, to celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the exhibition, the maximum size dimensions for artwork are multiples of 30! All two-dimensional artwork on exhibit is 30 square inches or smaller and all three-dimensional artwork is 90 cubic inches or smaller.
This years’ show features small artworks in various mediums including painting, ceramics, fibre arts, sculpture, etching, mixed media and drawing from over 30 artists.
The quality handmade pieces in this exhibition make truly unique gifts for the art lover on your list or those you want to introduce to the beautiful world of art, just in time for the holiday season. All purchases directly support cultural programming at Place des Arts and the exhibiting artists.

There is a gift shop and Christmas Boutique as well. I have work in the exhibition and the artisan gift shop.

Craft Council of BC, Granville Island

3. Craft Council of BC Shop 
(formerly known as Crafthouse)
Granville Island

1386 Cartwright St.
Vancouver, BC

Mon - Sun 10:30 - 5:30
604-687-7270
https://craftcouncilbc.ca/shop/granville-island/

I have been selling my framed embroidered art at this location for 20 years now. It is a fantastic showcase of fine craft from BC and beyond.

West Vancouver Arts Council

4. West Vancouver Arts Council
Art Box Gift Shop
Silk Purse Arts Centre

1570 Argyle Avenue
West Vancouver, BC
604-925-7292
https://www.silkpurse.ca/

12-4pm Tuesday-Sunday

My work is for sale in the Art Box gift shop, year-round.

Also see the exhibition: Artistry in Stitch (same location)
November 26, 2019- December 19, 2019 This is a curated exhibition of 41 works of art by members of the North Shore Needle Arts Guild. I'm not a member of this guild, but the show is always worth a visit.

Cheers,
Kirsten

Start with Art, Art for Kids, closing party

 https://www.seymourartgallery.com/

It has been a great pleasure to be a part of the group exhibition Start with Art at the Seymour Art Gallery in Deep Cove. If you haven't seen the show there is still time to visit. The show is on until June 1, 2019.


From the Seymour Art Gallery:
"Start with Art focuses on encouraging young people to appreciate, collect, and curate their own art collection – with a special price list just for kids 16 and younger! Exhibiting artists also offer advice for budding artists and frequently spark the idea in kids that one day their work could be shown in a gallery, too."


The show has been so much fun, the gallery has decided to host a Closing Party!

Start with Art Closing Party and Free Drop-In Animation Workshop for Families
Saturday June 1, 2 – 4 p.m.
Couldn’t make it to our exhibition reception? Join us for a fun closing party in celebration of our 15^th annual Start with Art exhibition for young people! To make saying goodbye to this special exhibition a bit easier, you are invited to get inspired and be creative during our free drop-in animation workshop for all ages. Families can bring their drawings to life by filling a small flip book; work solo or as a team to create your animation!

Artists: Kristian Adam, Tara Lee Bennett, Katy Biele, Sandra Bowers, Kirsten Chursinoff, Shima Itabashi, Sarah Leckie, Ron Love, Liane McLaren, Emilie Nunez, Robin Reid, Sarah Ronald, M. A. Tateishi, Kate Whitehead, Nellija Zi, and Graeme Zirk

Start with Art group exhibition

I'm excited to announce that I'm participating in the Start with Art exhibition at the Seymour Art Gallery. Join us for the reception April 21, 2019 2-4pm. I will have 12 embroidered pieces, mostly bird portraits and a couple of butterflies.

https://www.seymourartgallery.com/2019/01/01/sunday-march-24-2-p-m/

*Note: the artwork featured in the promotion is embroidery by Katy Biele

Painterly Stitches Textile Exhibition June 2 - July 25, 2016

Top: detail of Hollyhock Garden. Bottom: detail of Little Chickadee, by Kirsten Chursinoff.

My Painterly Stitches exhibition is now open!

With a painterly approach, and a full spectrum of needle art techniques, Vancouver artist Kirsten Chursinoff presents her nature-inspired textile art.

Birds, flowers and landscapes are depicted using hand-embroidery stitches, or expressive free-motion machine sewing. The base fabrics are quilt-like, needle-felted, or altered paper.

Location:
West Vancouver Memorial Library
1950 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC, Canada
Website

Dates:
June 2 - July 25, 2016
Free admission
Family-friendly and accessible location


Hours:
Monday - Thursday 10am to 9pm
Friday 10am to 6pm

Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday (September – June) 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
We are closed Sundays from July through Labour Day.
- See more at: https://www.westvanlibrary.ca/visit/library/location-hours#sthash.krJUjobY.dpuf

Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday (September – June) 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
We are closed Sundays from July through Labour Day.
- See more at: https://www.westvanlibrary.ca/visit/library/location-hours#sthash.krJUjobY.dpuf

Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sundays (in June only) 10am to 5pm
Sundays closed in July
Closed Friday July 1 for Canada Day

Over 30 pieces displayed on the main floor and lower level of the library. Use elevator or stairs to access the lower level.

Slide show and artist talk at the West Vancouver Memorial Library, Welsh Room, June 22, 7-8pm.
Please call the library at 604-925-7400 for more info about the venue
https://www.westvanlibrary.ca/visit/library/location-hours

Please contact Kirsten to purchase artwork in the exhibition
kirsten@chursinoff.com
604-874-1827
www.chursinoff.com/kirsten

Cherry Blossoms: A Textile Translation, group exhibition, 2016

***I will have 2 pieces in this exhibition. My demo is scheduled for Sunday April 3, 1-3pm and is titled "Breaking the rules with hand stitching."
Silk Purse Gallery at the West Vancouver Community Arts Council
http://www.silkpurse.ca/
-Kirsten

Save the dates! 2016

Garden Glow, detail, Kirsten Chursinoff 2016

 

Garden Glow, Kirsten Chursinoff 2016

I'm excited to share some of the events on my calendar this year!

2016  Canadian Events

March 8

Slide show/artist talk for the Ridge Meadows Quilters, Maple Ridge, BC

March 22-April 10

Cherry Blossom: Textile Translations, juried group exhibition, Silk Purse Gallery, West Vancouver, BC

Demo at Silk Purse, date to be confirmed soon.

April 13-15

Group Exhibition at the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, Westin Bayshore, Vancouver BC

June 2 to mid-July

Solo exhibition at the West Vancouver Memorial Library Gallery

June 22, 7pm

Slide show/artist talk at the West Vancouver Memorial Library

2016  American Events

2 group shows to be confirmed soon!

Feathers and Wings

Kirsten Chursinoff 2015, framed art for NWPL show

Feathers and Wings
An exhibition of embroidered birds, butterflies and moths by Kirsten Chursinoff April 1-30, 2015

Ramp Gallery

New Westminster Public Library

716  6th Avenue

New Westminster, BC, Canada

604-527-4660

http://www.nwpl.ca/

The library has great hours:
Monday - Friday 9:30 am - 9:00 pm
Saturday 9:30 am - 5:30 pm
Sunday (except holiday weekends) 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Easter weekend closures:

Good Friday	Friday, April 3: CLOSED
Easter Monday	Sunday, April 5: CLOSED
	Monday, April 6: CLOSED

Please note, there is no opening reception. 

All sales from this exhibition will be handled directly by me.

Kirsten 604-874-1827

kirsten@chursinoff.com

Buckeye butterfly, hand embroidered on needle-felted wool, by Kirsten Chursinoff

Q and A for the student in Northern Ireland

Chickadee, Perched by Kirsten Chursinoff 2014

Q and A interview for the student in Northern Ireland

You can read my answers below.

What do you like most about embroidery?

I love how embroidery is so versatile. There are endless stitch
choices especially when combining hand and machine embroidery. Simple
materials can lead to a complex outcome depending on your approach.



Where do you gather most of your inspiration for your work?

Nature, both wild and cultivated, provides most of my inspiration. I
also think it’s important to look outside the textile art world for
inspiration. I have used embroidery books for stitch and technique
instructions but then I look to books on painting or photography for
ideas about composition and ways of seeing the world.



What is the main challenge you face when beginning a piece?

Facing a blank page, or a blank piece of cloth, can be a challenge for
all creative people. When designing, I find it’s best to start with
something other than a blank page: layer some textured paper; sponge
on some paint; or scribble with a pencil just to get rid of the
blankness. You can build your design from there. The first marks may
not even show in your final design, but it gives you a starting point.
I highly recommend collage as a way to develop imagery, especially if
drawing is not your strongest skill.



What are your goals for the future (as an artist)?

I have some ideas for illustrating a children’s book with embroidery
and fabric art. I’d also like to share some techniques in a how-to
textile art book for adults. In the near future I hope to continue
exhibiting my work and speaking to embroidery and textile art guilds.



What are you working on at the moment?

I have two small children, so hand embroidery is my passion right now.
It's easy to pick up and put down when I have a few moments to spare.
I’ve been hand embroidering a lot of birds lately. I love the feathers
and markings and feel that stitch is a perfect medium for depicting
birds. For many years I was focused on machine embroidery, so it's
nice to come back to hand embroidery with fresh ideas. I'm taking some
time to experiment with some new stitch ideas as a way to expand my
creative toolbox.


Kirsten Chursinoff
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
www.chursinoff.com/kirsten

Q and A for the student in Manchester

"Inflorescence" detail, Kirsten Chursinoff

I’m often contacted by students, and sometimes I don’t have the time to respond, but this time I found the time to answer a few questions for a textiles student in Manchester:

“Hi, I am a textiles student based in Manchester and I am really interested in your work and what processes are involved with your work. We have been asked to speak to artists that will be potentially further influencing our work which will go towards an essay. If it is possible could I ask you a few questions for my research?

I am really interested in your use of surface texture on all of your pieces of work. Is it both hand embroidery and machine embroidery that you use on your work and what kind of imagery inspires your work? Also what artist originally inspired you when you began making work of your own? Is there a particular shape or pattern that has influenced the way in which your work forms? Lastly, what media do you use on a regular basis and what do you use to create your original surface before embellishing it?

Thank you for your help and time.”

 Q and A

Is it both hand embroidery and machine embroidery that you use on your work?

Yes. I try to blur the boundaries so that you really have to look closely to see where one ends and the other begins.

What kind of imagery inspires your work?

Primarily nature. Occasionally I drift into the abstract realm.

What artist originally inspired you when you began making work of your own?

Kaffe Fassett was a huge inspiration, especially for colour use. I stumbled upon his early needlework and knitting books at my local library. This was before I knew about the wonderful world of textile art.

Then it was the work of Jan Beaney and Jean Littlejohn. They stimulated my passion for combining many techniques in one piece of art, and fed my hunger for texture.

Is there a particular shape or pattern that has influenced the way in which your work forms?

I love early textiles and tribal patterns, but you won’t see much evidence of that in my work. Texture, more than pattern, is an important element for me.

What media do you use on a regular basis?

Cotton quilting fabrics, embroidery floss, sewing thread, decorative yarns, cheese cloth/scrim, wool for machine needle felting and sometimes beads. I avoid some of the trendy materials, with the exception of water-soluble material for lacy effects.

What do you use to create your original surface before embellishing it?

Tiny scraps of quilting fabrics come together with machine free-motion stitching onto a base of cotton canvas (duck), or I sometimes needle-felt by machine to create a textured base for hand-embroidery.

Kirsten Chursinoff