World of Threads Festival
Oakville, Ontario, Canada.
The World of Threads Festival is a leading international showcase of contemporary fibre and textile art. We are a not-for-profit initiative with charitable status. The Festival is run by mother and son team, dedicated volunteer Dawne Rudman (Festival Chair and Curator) and Gareth Bate (Festival Curator, Photographer, Web and Graphic Designer). We believe that some of the most exciting and compelling artwork being made today is happening in the field of fibre arts. Through our initiatives we've discovered some remarkable artists and brought them to the attention of Canadian and international audiences.
We began in 1994 as a single Oakville exhibition, expanded to a full festival in 1998 and then became international in 2009. Our last Festival featured 303 artworks by 65 artists and attracted over 60,000 visitors. The festival draws visitors from across the region and internationally and many participating artists and visitors travelled from around the world to attend.
During the Festival we make a lot of effort to connect the artists for networking opportunities with each other. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow fibre artists from around the world in person. Some you may know only from social media. Bus tours bring in visitors from Toronto to Oakville for the opening reception.
Our website has become a central hub for lovers of fibre art with our Fibre Artist Interview series. We have a following in 97 countries. To date have conducted over 135 interviews with Canadian and international artists.
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History
2023 - Festival Revival
- Festival 2023 will be the first festival in five years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Receives Cultural Grant from the Town of Oakville.
- Festival 2023 Chair: Dawne Rudman
- Festival 2023 Curators: Gareth Bate and Dawne Rudman
- A new website designed by Gareth Bate is in the works. Content written by Dawne Rudman and Gareth Bate. Photography by Gareth Bate.
2022 Festival Cancelled for Covid-19
- Festival 2022 cancelled due to the on-going global Covid-19 pandemic.
- Our Greatest Hits email series introduced providing our subscribers and audience with regular virtual shows featuring artists from past exhibitions.
- Subscriber base remains increases to a following in 97 countries.
- Embarked on an extensive promotion of the Festival on Social Media featuring artists and their work from previous Festivals.
- Grant: Town of Oakville Cultural Grant
- Sponsorship held over: Fibre Art Network.
- Donations received from the public.
2020 Festival Cancelled for Covid-19
- In March cancelled Festival 2020 for the Fall due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. This turned out to be the right move!
- Our Greatest Hits email series introduced providing our subscribers and audience with regular virtual shows featuring artists from past exhibitions.
- Subscriber base remains steady with a following in 96 countries.
- Embarked on an extensive promotion of the Festival on Social Media featuring artists and their work from previous Festivals.
- Grant: Town of Oakville Cultural Grant
- Sponsorship held over: Fibre Art Network.
- Donations received from the public.
2018 Festival
- The Festival displays 303 artworks by 65 artists from Canada, Denmark, England, Hungary, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and USA.
- Festival 2018 focused on Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre (QEPCCC) in Oakville, Ontario. The major show Flow was held in the Gallery. A massive floor installation In Between Presence and Absence was held in the Display Area Gallery. Exhibitions in the Corridor Galleries: Solo Shows and Installations, Cat Walk II, Botanical Realm and Fibre 3D.
- Over 300 artists from around the world, with thousands of art works submit to the International Call for Submissions. Curating of exhibitions continues using Synchronistic Curating method with exhibitions developing entirely out of submissions received – there were no preconceived ideas or themes. One-third of participating artists were alumni and two-thirds were new to the Festival.
- Forty-one of the participating artists attend the Festival.
- Art Bus tours from Toronto to Oakville again arranged for the Festival opening weekend.
- Over 60,000 visitors recorded as having attended the Festival, coming from the region, across Canada and around the world.
- Special Tours of Festival organized for visitor groups from Toronto.
- Subscriber base continues to grow with subscribers now in 96 countries.
- The Festival welcomes volunteer Melissa Bieman as Vice Chair.
- Festival 2018 Chair: Dawne Rudman
- Festival 2018 Curators: Gareth Bate and Dawne Rudman
- Festival Photography, Website and Graphic Design by Gareth Bate.
- Grant: Town of Oakville Cultural Grant.
- Sponsors: Business for the Arts, Fibre Art Network, MasSpec Consulting Inc. and Spun Fibre Arts.
2017
- Subscribers continue to grow with a following in 95 countries.
- Received Cultural Grant from the Town of Oakville.
- Planning and preparations begins for next Festival 2018.
- Festival obtains sponsorship and welcomes sponsors for Festival 2018.
2016 Festival
- Festival 2016 with 314 artworks by 134 artists from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, England, France, Hong Kong- China, Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Ukraine and USA.
- The main venue for Festival 2016 is Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre. Shows will be in the Main Gallery, the Display Area and throughout the entire building in the Corridor Galleries.
- Oakville Galleries joined on again – they will have a show in the Gallery at Centennial Square, in downtown Oakville.
- For the second festival in a row, there will be a group exhibit at the Gallery Space, the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga.
- Dawne Rudman is the recipient of Oakville’s 15th Annual Community Spirit Arts Award, recognizing an individual that, through their volunteerism, has made an invaluable contribution to the Oakville community and contributed to nurturing and enhancing the arts in Oakville.
- Art Bus Tours from Toronto to Oakville and Mississauga, will again be arranged for both days of the Festival opening weekend.
- Curators for Festival 2016: Gareth Bate, Dawne Rudman, Megan Press and Matthew Hyland.
- Over 300 artists from around the world, with thousands of art works submit to the International Call for Submissions.
- Curated exhibitions develop entirely from what is received – there are no preconceived ideas or themes.
- Subscriber base continues to grow, with a following in 90 countries.
- Receives Cultural Grant from the Town of Oakville.
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World of Threads Festival, Gareth Bate and Dawne Rudman receive the Oakville Arts Council 2015 Community Impact Arts Award, for bringing global attention to Oakville and elevating the fibre/textile art form around the world.
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Subscribers continue to grow with a following in 80 countries.
- Fibre Artist Interview series continues.
- Received Cultural Grant from the Town of Oakville.
- Planning and preparations begins for next Festival 2016.
2014 Festival
- Festival 2014 is our 20th Anniversary!
- Organized by Festival Chair and Curator Dawne Rudman and Festival Curator and Designer Gareth Bate.
- The festival features 255 artworks by 97 artists from 10 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Hungary, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Japan, UK and USA.
- The festival is now primarily focused around a single venue the Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre, (QEPCCC) in Oakville, Ontario.
- The principle curated exhibition is the group show The Red and the Black at in The Gallery at QEPCCC, Oakville.
- Festival expands into all Corridor Galleries at QEPCCC, displaying Solo Shows and Installations.
- Curated exhibitions develop from an international call for submissions and the emphasis continues to be on Contemporary Fibre Art.
- Hundreds of artists with thousands of art works from across the globe respond to international call for submissions.
- Living Arts Centre, Mississauga joins on as Festival venue with the show strung out and undone.
- Oakville Galleries has come on board with an exhibit in the Studio at Gairlock Gardens, Oakville called The Last Supper.
- Curators for Festival 2014: Dawne Rudman, Gareth Bate, Megan Press & Matthew Hyland.
- Subscriber base expands to a following in 71 countries
Fibre Artist Interview series continues to play a major role.
- Curator Interviews series introduced in January 2014.
- Received Cultural Grant from the Town of Oakville.
2015
2013
- Following grows with subscribers in 62 countries
- Fibre Artist Interview series continues to play a major role. 110 Interviews published by end of December 2013.
- Planning and preparations begin for next Festival 2014.
2012 Festival
- Fibre Artist Interviews Series started in Jan. 2011. Dawne Rudman and Gareth Bate published 83 interviews before the Festival. 45 featured artists who exhibited in Festival 2012. They
highlighted fibre artists around the world and placed local artists within an international context. The series made the festival website a regular stop for fibre art lovers. There are subscribers in 59 countries.
- For 2012 festival we expanded into Toronto. We continue to be based in Oakville, Ontario. Toronto is the largest city in Canada and has a large and important art world.
- Curated exhibitions based on an international call for submissions replace the previous model of juried shows. Contemporary Fibre Art becomes the emphasis. We exhibited work from around the world.
- 21 Exhibitions featured 195 artists from 12 countries and eight Canadian provinces. 11 curators.
- Oakville remains the home of the festival with 11 shows.
- Toronto becomes a part of the festival for the first time with 10 shows.
- Festival Chair is Dawne Rudman, quilter and Oakville's 2007 Volunteer of the Year.
- Festival Organizers: Gareth Bate & Dawne Rudman.
- Common Thread International Exhibition Curators
Gareth Bate, Dawne Rudman, Evan Tyler, Richard McNeill, Shuhui Lee, Rochelle Rubinstein
- Independent Exhibition Curators
Stanzie Tooth, Amanda McCavour, Sharlene Rankin, Chris Mitchell, Helena Frei.
- Gareth Bate creates new website and all graphic design.
- Oakville Venues: Joshua Creek Art Heritage Arts Centre, The Gallery at Sheridan Institute, The Gallery at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Culture Centre (QEP) and QEP Display Area, QEP Halls, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall, O’Connor MacLeod Hanna, Ristorante Julia, Oakville Place Shopping Centre.
- Toronto Venues: gallerywest, Candian Sculpture Centre, Mon Ton Window Gallery, 401 Richmond St. West -Red Room and The Roastery Coffee House, Lonsdale Gallery, The Gladstone Hotel, Case Goods Warehouse in the Distillery District, Gallery 918, Studio Cycle Group.
- Countries: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Lithuania, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, USA.
Canadian Provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan.
American States: California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia.
English Counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, East Sussex, Lancashire, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire.
- Gallery Liasons:
Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre: Sybil Rampen
gallerywest: Evan Tyler
Sculpture Society of Canada Gallery: Richard McNeill, Judi Michelle Young
Mon Ton Window Gallery: Rochelle Rubinstein
The Gallery at Sheridan Institute: Lynne Murray,
Jamie Owen.
Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre: Gallery Liasons: Tonia Di Risio, Preeya Nayee.
Abbozzo Gallery: Ineke Zigrossi, Margaret Kirwin
401 Richmond Street West: Erin MacKeen
Oakville Musuem at Erchless Estate: Susan Crane, Carolyn Cross, Julie Hawryszko, Lyne Mainville, Bill Nesbitt, Susan Semeczko
- Oakville Festival Exhibition Installers:
Gareth Bate, Jamie Owen, Dawne Rudman,
Assistant Exhibition Installers:
Irene Brayne, Judy Brydon, Lynne Calvert, Preeya Nayee
2009: Festival
- The Festival becomes international in scope with a more ambitious emphasis on contemporary fibre art. New galleries join the festival.
- 14 exhibitions, and 190+ artists from 13 countries and 8 provinces make the 2009 festival the most sucessful to date and international in scope.
- Countries Represented: Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Turkey, USA.
- Canadian Provinces Represented: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswich, Newfoundland,
Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan.
- Submissions for the Common Thread Internatioanl Juried Exhibition were so impressive that the show was expanded to 3 venues. 215 entries came in from 16 countries.
- Award Winners: Ulrikka Mokdad of Denmark, (Best of Show), Fuyuko Matsubara of USA (Best Traditional), Patricia Seaton Homonylo of Toronto (Best Contemporary).
- Jane Coryell remains as Festival Chair, Dawne Rudman is Exhibitions Coordinator.
- Gareth Bate Design creates new website and uses online social networking to bring the festival to an international audience.
- Reviews in Fibre Quarterly & Fibre Focus Magazines.
- First Fibre Earth Works installation takes place at the Oakville Museum.
- Grants from Ontario Trillium Foundation and Town of Oakville Cultural Grant.
- Venues included Joshua Creek Heritage Arts Centre, b42 Gallery, Towne Square Gallery, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Towne Hall, The Gallery at Sheridan Institute, O’Connor MacLeod Hanna, Halton Regional Centre, Ristorante Julia, Timothy's Cafe.
Festival Comittee
- Jane Coryell: Festival Chair. Grants Applications Coordinator, Oakville Arts Council, assisting Sponsorship Team.
Dawne Rudman: Exhibitions Coordinator: All Common Thread Venues, Salon, Threads That Bind, website.
Marda McLean: Exhibitions Assistant Coordinator & Volunteer Coordinator.
Cathy Shaughnessy: Secretary, Guilded Threads Exhibition
Co-ordinator.
Ixchel Suarez: Publicity and Promotion Coordinator, "nine lives" exhibition Coordinator, Oakville's fibre Arts Guilds Liason
Helen Barnes: Sponsorship Coordinator
Vivienne Jones: Treasurer
- Gareth Bate: Website, Social Networking, Photography, Graphic Design.
Common Thread Jurors:
Carol Goddu, Dorie Millerson, Judith Tinkl.
2007 Festival
- Festival is Winner of Oakville's prestigious "Community Spirit Award for Volunteerism in the Arts".
- Dawne Rudman, dedicated volunteer wins "Oakville Volunteer of the Year" for her work organizing festival exhibitions.
- Charitable Status is achieved.
- 8 Exhibitions including Common Thread (featuring 22 pieces), "Threads of Remembrance" (embroidered postcards from WW I), First Salon Des Refuses (works refused by Common Thread jurors), New Directions - New Ideas (work by Sheridan Textile Arts students).
- Formation of the first Steering Committee with coordinators responsible for specific portfolios.
- First website is designed by Mary Kroetsch.
- 5 workshops and 1 lecture are held at Sheridan Institute.
- Second Collaborative Fibre Recreation by Oakville's five fibre guilds sees each guild work to make multiple parts of "The Mill on the Sixteen" (1856) by Frederick Verner.
- Grants from Community Foundation of Oakville, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and Oakville Grants to Cultural Organizations.
- Reviews: Oakville Beaver, Arts About Town, Oakville Today, Snap Oakville.
- Significant donations are made by local individuals, businesses, and organizations.
- Venues: The Gallery at Sheridan Institute, Oakville Museum, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall and Ristorante Julia.
Festival Comittee
- Jane Coryell: Festival Chair, Oakville Arts Council Liason.
Nancy Fischer: Common Thread Exhibition Coordinator, Workshops
Dawne Rudman: Exhibitions Coordinator & Common Thread Assistant
Bernadette Ward: Publicity & Promotion Coordinator
Ruth Fawcett: Treasurer
Margaret Ballantyne-Power: Secretary & Guilds Liasion
Susan Crane: Oakville Museum Representative
Mary Kroetsh: Speakers & Workshops Coordinator
Janice Joyner: Fundraising Coordinator
2005 Festival
- World of Threads Festival becomes the new festival name.
- Common Thread Exhibition attracted 187 entries.
- 7 exhibitions, three technique demonstrations by local guild artists at Oakville Museum, six introductory techniques workshops, a fundraising raffle, and two lectures.
- Jane Coryell noted community organizer becomes Festival Chair.
- First Collaborative Fibre Recreation by Oakville's five fibre guilds sees each guild work to make multiple parts of Charles Demuth's "I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold."
- Grant is received from Community Foundation of Oakville.
- Reviews: Oakville Beaver, Oakville Today, AAT, Snap Oakville, Our Town Downtown.
- Venues: The Gallery at Sheridan Institute,Oakville Museum, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall,
Silver Thimble Needlepoint, Ristorante Julia, Cicada Gallery, Red Thread Gallery.
- Workshops & Demonstrations: Oakville Museum, Wool Bin, Oakville Town Hall, Oakville Sewing Centre, Jilly Bean's Pride, Haberdashers Bead Boutique
- 2 Lectures: Oakville Town Hall
Festival Comittee
- Jane Coryell: Festival Chair
Oakville Stichery Guide: Nancy Fischer, Marda McLean, Leslie Masters, Margaret Perry, Ali Thompson
Oakville Arts Council: Helen Barnes, Grace DeLottinville,
CJ Martin, Rena Sava
Oakville Handweavers & Spinners Guild:
Helena Asikainen, Bunty Yeoman, Aija Zichmanis
Oakville Stichery Guild: Marda McLean
Oakville Musuem: Susan Crane
Marjorie Carberry Hooking Guild of Oakville:
Donalda Fordham
Oakville Ring of Tatters: Anne Harrison, Julie Verma
Oakville Quilters Guild: Kim Kernohan, Dawne Rudman
St. Ignatius Loyola High School: Joan MacDonald
Common Thread Jurors:
Patricia Bentley, Sharon Epstein, Lorraine Roy
2002 Festival
- "Fibre Festival" becomes the new festival name. It expands into eighteen exhibitions, two lectures and eleven workshops.
- The Common Thread exhibition featured 32 textile artists from across Canada. It attracted 160 entries.
- Helen Barnes becomes Festival Chair.
- Award Winners: Valerie Garnett & Robin Muller (Best of Show), Judith Fielder (Best Traditional), Lisa Leahey-McIsaac (Best Contemporary).
- Canada's Quilt of Belonging is displayed at Oakville Centennial Library. The Oakville Quilters Guild adds a block to this historic national quilt.
- Afghan Women's Resource Centre sold textile crafts to help Afghan women.
- Demonstrations are held by local artists in downtown
shop windows and at exhibition sites. Children's hands-on activities at local malls.
- Reviews: Oakville Beaver, ArtsScene, Burlington News.
- Exhibition Venues: The Oakville Museum, Sheridan College Gallery, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall, O'Connor MacLeod Hanna, Greening's Art Gallery, Glen Abbey Public Library, MacGregor Gallery, Ms. Emma Designs, Cannington House Gallery, Anastasia Gallery, Silver Thimble, Sovereign House, Oakville Arts Society, Bookers, Appleby College, Iroquois Ridge Library, Oakville Library Main Branch Auditorium.
- Workshops & Lecture Venues: Oakville Public Library, Sheridan College, The Oakville Museum, Oakville Galleries' Gairloch Gallery, St. Pauls United Church, Joshua Creek Studio, The Silver Thimble, Sovereign House, Hopedale Shopping Centre, Haberdashers, Native Art Gallery.
Festival Comittee
- Helen Barnes, Chair
Rena Sava, Oakville Arts Council Board
Ingrid Sevels, Oakville Arts Council Board
Bunty Yeomans, Oakville Handweavers and Spinners Guild
Barbara Rennick, Marjory Carberry Rug Hooking Guild
Donalda Fordham, Marjory Carberry Rug Hooking Guild
Dawne Rudman, Oakville Quilters Guild
Jane Coryell, Oakville Stitchery Guild
Brenda Austin-Phinney, Oakville Stitchery Guild
Phyllis Paris, Oakville Ring of Tatters
Anne Harrison, Oakville Ring of Tatters
Susan Warner-Keene, Sheridan College
Deborah Hudson, Oakville Museum
Edith Dunn, Cannington House Gallery
Grace DeLottinville, Oakville Arts Council
Liz Prescott, Oakville Arts Council
Guild Liasons
- Brenda Austin-Phinney, Oakville Stichery Guild
- Phyllis Parish, Oakville Ring of Tatters
- Barbara Rennick, Marjorie Carberry Rug Hooking Guild
- Bunty Yeomans, Oakville Handweavers & Spinners
Common Thread Jurors:
Jeanne Bellavance, Judith Tinkl, Sarah Quinton
2000 Festival
- "Oakville Festival for Fibre Arts" becomes the new festival name. The festival includes exhibitions, lectures and workshops. The second festival organizing team of 10 includes OAC staff, Oakville guilds representatives, Sheridan Textile Studio head, Oakville Museum staff. The festival expands events and venues.
- Common Thread Exhibition is juried by proposals from artists who then have one year to complete the work. The proposal is then exhibited with the finished piece giving the viewer an insider perspective on the creative process.
- Traditions in Lace exhibition at the Oakville Museum.
- Reviews: Hamilton Spectator, Toronto Star, Oakville Beaver, Surfacing Journal, Abbey Oaks News.
- Exhibition Venues: The Oakville Museum, Sheridan College Gallery, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Town Hall, O'Connor MacLeod, McLaren-Barnes Gallery, Greening's Art Gallery, Native Art Gallery, Green Gables Art Studio, Oakville's Pauper Boutique, Glen Abbey Public Library, MacGregor Gallery, Ms. Emma Designs, Cannington House Gallery, Archival Cottage.
- Workshops & Lecture Venues: Oakville Public Library, Oakville Place Mall, The Oakville Museum, Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville Galleries' Gairloch Gallery, St. Pauls United Church, Crackpot Studios, Sheridan College, McLaren-Barnes Gallery,
Festival Committee
- Gillian McIntyre, Festival Chair
- Helen Barnes
- Jane Coryell
- Dawne Rudman,
Common Thread Juror:
Andrew M. Tomcik
1998 First Festival
- "Fibre Arts Festival" becomes Oakville's first festival of fibre arts. Christel Wille and Oakville's five fibre arts guilds initiate the festival with the intention of celebrating local artists. This includes exhibitions, workshops, and lectures.
- Venues: The Oakville Museum, Oakville Galleries' Centennial Gallery & Gairloch Gallery, Sheridan College Gallery, Abbozzo Gallery, Silver Thimble, Oakville Municipal Building, The Wool Bin, To Set A Table, O'Connor MacLeod, McLaren-Barnes Gallery, Greening's Art Gallery, Native Art Gallery, Green Gables Art Studio.
Festival Comittee
- Christel Wille, Festival Chair.
- Helen Barnes
- Jane Coryell
- Herb Vandewall
- Kara Wille, OAC staff Liason
Common Thread Jurors:
Jean Johnson, William Hodge.
1995 Exhibition
- Second National Common Thread Exhibition is held at The Gallery at Sheridan College. The show is juried by proposals from artists who then have one year to complete the work. The proposal is then exhibited with the finished piece giving the viewer an insider perspective on the creative process.
- "As the title indicates, this exhibition aims to promote the common threads that link production of fibre works in Oakville."
- "Fibre exhibitions often separate traditional and contemporary works but this does a disservice to both forms of expression. Works drawing on traditional techniques are created within contemporary contexts while contemporary works attempt to push the ever changing boundaries of what is considered traditional. In all works there is a tension between innovation and tradition and it is important to investigate this tension." Christel Wille
Common Thread Juror:
William Hodge
1993 Exhibition
- Celebration of Craft '93 is the first exhibition of fibre art in what would eventually become the World of Threads Festival. The show was held at The Gallery at Sheridan College.
- Christel Wille (noted Oakville weaver) and the Oakville Arts Council, inaugurates the first biennial Common Thread National Juried Exhibition in coordination with Sheridan Textile & Design Studios.
"It has always been my vision to exhibit contemporary and traditional works side by side and within a community context. Since Oakville has six active fibre guilds and a vital textile program at Sheridan, Oakville is an ideal place to organize this celebration." Christel Wille
Celebration of Craft '93 Juror:
Jean Johnson