a photo of Morten Grue

It was an incredible series of serendipitous events that brought you to Franka Rasmussen, Pam.  Here's Morten signing your book.

Found treasures

I have come home from Copenhagen with an unexpected treasure. It feels like a reward for past research and gives me such joy every time I see it.



Way back in January 2009 when we decided to do this trip I was wandering through the art texts at the Acadia University Library and was drawn to a large volume called Beyond Craft : The Art Fabric - by Jack Lenor Larsen and Mildred Constantine. I renewed this book many times intrigued by weaving techniques, scale of the work, dedication to a large project, simplicities, complexities and creativity. Many of the artists' works in this book were the inspiration for the work I created for 'Exchange'. One of the featured artists I admired was Franka Rasmussen.

' In the morning I walk about looking, and I think: surely this could be better. 
Or : what muck you made yesterday...all the little talks one has with oneself. And then one goes shopping and finds four lamp shades.....I think it may be the only ability I still haven't lost in my ripe old age: I am still able to find things'
 Franka Rasmussen  (1907 - 1994)

During our first days in Copenhagen, Deborah and I decided to spend a morning in the heart of the city finding galleries she had earmarked as worth a look. We had a blast loosing and finding ourselves. My respect grew by leaps and bounds for her navigationally adept brain. We came across Folk Kunst, made a mental note to return, took a photo for an additional reminder and carried on. Then it eluded us for a few days and when you are trying to fit many things into one day, going around a block more than once just isn't time efficient.

a table runner

'It is a tremendous strain to teach while making something yourself, but I couldn't do without either: getting to understand other people's way of thinking, getting new ideas started...I called it 'composition', later it became 'form and colour'...I simply tried to improve their vision, to teach them to see what they see.' Franka

Eventually, in the last week, around one more corner where many triangular blocks met, that sweet little sign showed up again. Inside was a gentle man named Morten Grue, shop owner, puppeteer, artist, maker of found object mobiles and a past student of Franka Rasmussen. This tiny little shop had some interesting vintage folk art AND some work done by Franka. Morten had purchased her summer home with contents (they were friends) and the last pieces he had of her's were in the store. They were here... and available, two wall hangings and two table runners. It just felt right. To see and touch them seemed to fulfill a quest and complete the project. It would be a few days before I decided to purchase a piece to bring home but I am happy every day that I did.

This one stayed at the store.
Morten kindly gave me the book with my purchase.

Franka Rasmussen -  'My attitude is that I will do things because the work is exciting in itself....that is the experience I want. The result however is not interesting. I have never kept a record or collected photos, because once a piece of work is finished, I'm on my way to the next one. It amazes me that I haven't felt the need to sell, but it wasn't necessary for my self confidence or for the reverence I feel for my work...It was this: I made the things for their own sake. That was the reason for working.'

And I have gone shopping and found................the end of a chapter....................Udveksling next....Pam

Deborah's highlights from Day 5

Greetings from Copenhagen!

I could really relate to this piece yesterday!

Looking up.

Let's get down to the art of it!

Yesterday, we visited open studios and met several artists along Roerholmsgade.  They were all friendly, interesting and engaging and some even plan to visit our exhibit here in Copenhagen.  Speaking of which, we hung our work today and will put the finishing touches on tomorrow.  Here are some before photos:

Venlig hilsen,
Deborah

Smooth Sailing!

We were tired after the arrival to Copenhagen on Friday afternoon, but thankfully there was someeone to pick us up at the airport, two cars with two happy drivers whom I hadn't seen for 5 years. Time easily passes when living on two different continents.
We scaled the stairs to the fifth floor appartment we have been installed in - and ... The suitcases flew up the stairs, helped along by my brother who ..... Lives on the 6th floor and bicycles every day. Thank goodness for his help, we made it up with some huffing and puffing but no danger of cardiac arrests, our legs will be extra strong when leaving to go home again.
A telephone call was made to the shipper before closing time and ..... Tomorrow morning, Monday, we will go to the gallery just before 9 am and wait for the delivery truck to arrive sometime before lunch. We did make it down to the gallery on Friday afternoon and visited with Elin Friis the gallery owner for a little while, got instructions and a key, we really are here and tomorrow it starts up full speed ahead getting the exhibit out of the crate and organized on the walls.
Deborah did post a blog for SEVEN on Friday .... But in the jet lagged atmosphere of the appartment it ended up here
Such is life and today is another grand day with inspirational visits around town, much walking and even more talking and planning for future work and ventures.
Stay tuned!
Pia

Arrival and departure

It is early in the morning and I am done sleeping for now anyways.
Yesterday was a big day - which started out with an email notice that our crate is ..... Where it is supposed to be for now, in storage with the shipping company in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Phew, deep breath, now it is time to start thinking seriously about how to and what to pack.

Except there was one more important point before commencing to pack to take care of yesterday. A couple of months ago we had contacted the local CBC Radio Station to let them know that we were up to something exciting, interesting, something worth while informing their listeners about. Yesterday on the programme Close to Home, CBC Radio I had a few minutes in a telephone interview to talk about our adventure and our plans.
I prepared lists, I called around to the SEVEN ladies and asked questions about which words specifically they wanted me to use when/if describing their works,I made lists, plural, mostly because I was doing it on the confounded confuser and so ... In the heat of the moment I deleted the first very exciting and full list. Once I discovered that and I had my breathing under control again I made a new very satisfying list with our general goals and other important stuff.
Then it was time for the interview and ... Time flies when you are having fun they say, even nervous fun I now know is covered by this, for ... In two blinks of an eye Yvonne Colbert was wrapping it up again and I was hanging up the phone.
On the table in front of me was the initial hand drafted list and on the screen was the confuser list and in looking them over I realised that I hadn't really covered one tenth of what I really wanted to express, and talk about. So many points of importance (to us I might ad)so little time, and in real life I suppose that what would suit my needs as an incessant talker would be more like a three hour show featuring a monologue or perhaps a panel discussion with SEVEN.
In hind sight it probably is very good that I only got a few minutes, they took enough planning as it was and overall I think we are ready to start the trip and not interested in anymore time consuming planning sessions in order to make another another large impact statement.
As we are just arriving in Denmark the second of two articles written about us in a Danish arts/craft magazine, Husfliden will be sent out to their membership - we had to make sure we were covered in the Danish Press as well. We have been in contact with the local newspaper covering the area where we are exhibiting at the gallery in København, Østerbroavisen and I know that they are working on making room for our press release as well as the ad we have ordered. It is beyond exciting to be doing this, beyond description to feel the wave of support we have met where ever we have turned, and this is only the beginning, we aren't even there yet. Wow is all I can say!

Group Goals which help us keep focused:
1. Create opportunities/shows together
2. Artistic companionship
3. Professinal Development: artistic and the business of being an artist
4. Yipppeee Factor ... Getting Juiced Up!

We are on our way,

Yeeeehaaaaaww, this is me galloping across the kitchen floor swinging a skein of yarn with glee!
Pia

How are home renovations and shipping art work the same?

I think we all know the answer to this. They both take alot more time and money than your best thought out estimate!

This was a true maze to wander through for us. Many paths were taken to reach the goal of having all art works in a crate and on their way to Copenhagen on time for an August 2nd set up day. We have learned so much, copious notes have been taken, many people/departments contacted and papers signed.

TA DA!!!!! VOILA!!!!!Its done now and here is a brief review of the last two months on the paper trail.

It started by a call to CBS to see just how to go about this. We were planning to ship all the art work in one crate and have all of it return to Nova Scotia. This way we wouldn't have to navigate the TAX departments. Export and Re-import documents were what we needed . I won't fill you in on the circuitous route we followed to determine all the neccessary documents but I will let you know that what was determined one day often changed the next due to things we had or didn't have or the gallery in Denmark had or didn't have.

Many thanks go out to Lisa at Canada Border Services and Nicole and Michelle at Kuehne and Nagel, our freight forwarders. Together we unwound the red tape.

I'll tell you what we have now that is making this happen.

Seven are all members of CARFAC so we could get Certificates of Canadian Origin for each art work
Seven has Certificates of Canadian Origin for each art work. (with photos attached and 3 extra copies made)
Seven has a business # and an import /export #. This was neccessary as we needed an ATA Carnet.
Seven has an ATA Carnet - a document issued by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce that accompanies exhibition items when they travel around the world to countries that accept ATA Carnet documented items.
Seven has a Surety Bond. Neccessary to prove to the Chamber of Commerce that we do intend to return the art work so they will issue an ATA Carnet.
Seven has a Commercial Invoice with company letterhead listing all the art work with prices, commodity /tarriff codes, sizes and weights to accompany ATA Carnet, Carfac Certificates of Origin and supporting documents.
Seven has an envelope of supporting documents with show brochures and post cards, confirmations from galleries, magazine and newspaper articles and copies of all aforementioned documents inside the crate.
Seven has an ICCP approved crate with a document to prove this as well.

Now our part is done and the freight forwarder will deliver to the door of the gallery on August 2nd. They will also remove and store the crate for us until we pack it to take the exhibit to Kerteminde. Then they will take it to Kerteminde and from there return it to Nova Scotia. This was a blessing for us to find a company that could look after all these details. We'll let you know how it all turns out when the crate returns in October.

The inspectors from Canada Border Services arrive.

Pia signs the ATA Carnet with the inspector. Note the official stamp.

Keeping all the papers straight.

Meeting with Wendy Elliot  from our local newspaper, The Advertiser.

Showing Wendy some of the art just before the wrap and pack.

Financially, we had drastically underbudgeted for this part of our trip. Shipping costs! Now we know and have many of the things we will need if we every do another international show. Our Carnet is good until July 2011. Not that we have any plans to go elsewhere at this point in time......but if you wanted us to come...just saying.....

Trying to fit it all in nice and tight.

Very hot and humid day, Thanks for the shade Angela.

Packed, documents in, art work in, screws in place.

The crate is in Montreal and leaving for Copenhagen shortly. We are scurrying around finding good walking shoes for all the treks we are going to take while visiting the spectacular country of Denmark.
 Excitement is bubbling up!

- Warm regards, Pam

Fill the Big Crate Day!

Tomorrow is the big day, we will be packaging up 49 pieces of art work, in all shapes and sizes. We are planning to meet at noon when according to weather forecasts the rain is supposed to stop, which is good since the crate is too large to get into anyone's house anywhere, except that is if you have a big wide barn door and a forklift.

There are of course no photos of this event in this piece, since what I am talking about hasn't happened yet, but it is busily and happily making noise and summer saults in my head.
I cannot decide if this is like:
A - the night before Christmas, when often a lot of time is spent excitedly packaging up this year's treasures or treats to be shared in the morning or....
B - this is like sending  your kids off to summer camp for a while, wondering if there are enough dry socks (styro foam) warm sweaters (bubble wrap) and the little bag with toothpaste and brush and all the necessary grooming utensils (official documents galore stapled on the inside and the outside of the box) perhaps never even to get unpacked and used.
It is not easy, for me at least, to let go of tapestry pieces when I haven't had time to hang out with them for a while - there is an emotional attachment. I guess I like to do a slow travel through all the ideas and visions and how they came to be as I look at them and feel them.
The other vision right now is coming to fruition and we really are going. On my new Ipad which I talk about so often these days I have found Trepkasgade #5 and when I push the right buttons on Google Maps I can go and 'stand in front' of the gallery we are exhibiting in Copenhagen.
I can look at the shapes of the art which is hanging there and I can almost see it through the glare of the windows.
These are my thoughts for this day. The day before gathering the goods up and organizing everything safely and comfortably in the box. When we wave goodbye to the box tomorrow afternoon when we leave Marilyn's house it is scary and fantastic and amazing to think about the fact that next time we encounter it and put our hands on it  ........ it will be in Trepkasgade, in Copenhagen, unloading and preparing to hang our show, which has been underway for so long and from so far away.
And as I got to here I did realize that..... I can probably attach a jpg of our poster for all to see and enjoy!


Sweet dreams and fruitful visions everyone! Cheers, Pia

The traveling box for our artwork is HERE!

Ladies and Gentlemen
I have to tell you this has been quite a journey and we haven't even left the county, the valley, never mind the country yet.
The latest hubbub on our journey was the venture of getting a suitable crate built - we thought from the papers that we read that....
we needed certified wood and that was it. So a good supporter used to building houses had offered to built the crate for us to our specifications and within the rules and regulations as we had understood them.
The builder had a hard time getting through to the powers that be who were in control of the certified woods we were allowed to use.
And now it was Monday, July 5th and still nothing - phew, this gave even my husband a slightly sweaty brow and he had gone on an early morning internet search while I was still far away in dreamland.

He found a certified company near Bridgewater and later that day started a flurry of phone conversations with the company boss. It turned out that the builder also had to be certified and .... our builder was certified but not for this.
We were so fortunate that Tecbox was able to quote us a price and also.... build us the crate in two days. They got our measurements 4' x 4'x 4.5' (well, sort of anyways) and they put it together. We were so pleased that this could happen on such short notice.
This afternoon Soren and I drove down to get the box, first though we went sailing with the dog in the Lunenburg Backharbour, where his boat is moored for the summer and we had a little sail about in the warm sun with slight wind on our faces keeping us pleasantly cool.
 

And then...... we drove to Tecbox to pick up the creature - (the photo is Soren and Marshall unloading) and I had meant to take photos as the box was being loaded but..... I chatted with the owners and Soren took care of all this outside in the heat with one of the men from the building room while I was inside an air-conditioned office with the dog. It was pleasant, fun, excellent service and if anyone ever needs a special crate for something try out this place.

I haven't looked into the box yet, the lid was screwed on (note to self bring the right kind of screwdriver in the suitcase, screwdrivers are not the same all over the world ) but I was told that there are styro-foam lined sides + 5 sheets of 1 inch styrofoam for us to cut and divide to the size of our works so everything can arrive safely in Copenhagen.

More unloading with Soren and Marshall

Dear Reader, are you aware that we are only 3 weeks away from being there now, actually, at this moment in time three weeks ahead we will be having a cool drink and relaxing our bones on the roof top terrace at my sister's appartement. I guess that really this is a rhetorical question, I had to ask it since I am wildly eager to tell you that I am aware, very aware and the good anticipation for the whole adventure is growing wildly and fabulously by the minute.
Will our artwork get motion sickness once we get it all packed and it has to move around with a forklift again?

We drove home from Bridgewater with the box on the truck, stopped to secure it with some of our sailing rope before we  hit the highway and then..... I fell asleep as did the dog and we didn't open our eyes again until we were at almost the other end of highway 12, which means we were almost home.

A slightly forlorn looking box, funny how the size changes when you have nothing to measure it against with your eyes, this is surely a small box - well, no, not really!

Now it was time to take the box to the Randsland Farm - a magnificent broccoli farm employing lots of  people. Marilyn's husband is one of the brothers in that big family and also their consultant, keeping the whole fleet of needed machinery running smoothly at all times.

This was very fortunate for us, for as this aforementioned box is not a small box and as we are not exactly is sharp training for the Olympic competition of weight lifting,  getting said box off the truck and into an appropriate spot might have been an interesting experience for the three of us.
However,  Marshall has access to ..... forklifts ...... hurray!
I don't think we saw the words 'forklift knowledge and driver required' when we were reading our to-do list in the fall of 2009, that was when we really got into the swing of our preparations.

So the box got forklifted into place and I had the fortunate experience of looking at one of the 10 or 20 greenhouses on the property. Each greenhouse holding close to a thousand trays of broccoli - each tray holds 270 broccoli plants 270.000 broccoli plants in the photo. They are about one thumb high and they are 'three weeks old'. They will cover approximately 10-11 acres of land.

When they are 6 weeks old they are big enough to be harvested and then they go .... to many different places - we saw an enormous truck being loaded with broccoli headed for Newfoundland.
And here are the workers who labour hard in the fields for us all summer, cutting,  sorting and packaging the broccoli  available for us in our supermarket, near and far from here.
This of course was a little detour from what we are doing but...... people say never forget where you come from, and I don't, and on top of that I would like to add 'never forget where your food comes from, and if you don't know, then please start to ask questions at the place you get your groceries. 

Going back to where I come from for the first time in 5 years in a few weeks is truly amazing and ...... when we open the box and share  with the audience across the atlantic in a not very local spot for the rest of the group I will be looking at surroundings which I grew up in, lived life in and .........  I am so looking forward to go back for a visit.

See you soon, Pia
 Wonderous Woolerie and super SEVEN

Our Danish Press Release

We have a press release for our Canadian press contacts, but the Danish one has a fun title and lists the exact dates and addresses of our exhibition tour.  Enjoy!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – SEVEN CANADIAN ARTIST TO EXHIBIT IN DENMARK – OPENING RECEPTION (ARTISTS IN ATTENDANCE) THURSDAY, AUGUST 5th, 6pm to 8 pm

Dreams, threads and colours from Canada (Fiber, fantasier og farver fra Canada)

Seven Canadian artists will be showing in Sjælland and Fyn in August and September.

Seven Canadian female artists, whose choice of materials range from wool and words to copper and colours, and who have joined forces in a group called SEVEN, will be exhibiting in Denmark in August. Their first stop is Basal Elin Galleri in Copenhagen on 5-8 August followed by a one day show at the Basal Elin Studio in Hørsholm on 14 August. The group will then move on to show at Værkstedsgalleriet in Kerteminde 12 September to 12 October.

The group is based in Nova Scotia on the east coast of Canada. The rugged maritime, forest and rural settings of this province exert a strong influence on their work, as do thoughts and ideas about sustainability, womanliness, human relations and life in general. Their art is sensual, funny and reflective; touchable, colourful and caring.

The members of the group are Pam Frail, Marilyn Rand, Marie Jardine, Pia Skaarer-Nielsen, Kelly Marie Redcliffe, Deborah Nicholson and Angela Melanson and their ages range from 36 to 56. While all independent and experienced artists in their own right, with numerous shows and commissions under their belts, they have come together as a group for mutual support and inspiration. Respect for the quality and scope of each others work and the potential for exploring new avenues bind them together.

August 5-8, 2010
Basal Elin Galleri
Opening/Fernisering: Thursday, August 5^th 18:00 to 20:00

(Artists in Attendance)
Trepkasgade 5,
2100 Copenhagen Ø
Denmark

August 14, 2010
Basal Elin Studio
Hours: 11:00 to 16:00

(Artists in Attendance)
Hørsholm, Denmark
September 12 - October 12, 2010
VærkstedsGalleriet (Dansk Husflid)
Opening/Fernisering: September 12^th, 13:00 to 14:00

(Artist in Attendance)
Gedskovvej 3,
5300 Kerteminde, Denmark

This is SEVEN's first European tour.

Read more about the group, their work and their tour in Denmark at http://www.sevenartisans.blogspot.com/.

Resistance, reluctance - patience!

Time is running - Departure Date is coming closer .... the lists are getting longer...... excitement is sending uneasy and joyful currents through my body and soul.
I had a good friend visiting on the weekend. We always end up talking and talking and our ideas and thoughts on business, artwork, and execution of same is never ending.
Some of the things on my to-do list for this particular trip to Denmark are very business related. There are papers to read, sign, send off, all in time for everything to be in place by the time I have to start packing my suitcase.
This seems to create a certain resistance in my head, a reluctance in my body to move and get what needs to be done done - and why is that???
I have asked that question again and again. Some sort of a answer has shown the first little leaves of its nature.
There is a lot of uncertainty in my head about how my business model fits into the great system of tax and government regulations which one has to abide and model a business by in order to legally and easily export/import goods from Canada to Denmark.
Pam described some of this very eloquently in her earlier blog post from May 6th 2010.
Breath in, Breath out ........  I just have to saddle the horse and tackle it all one step at a time.

And so on this bright day where the barn swallow on the lines outside the bedroom window enticed me to get up with the sun I am in great luck, since it is a holiday and I cannot possibly call around to agencies to get answers to my questions.
I have to be patient and this in turn will allow me to work on the red tapestry some more. Right now the sun is shining on the bench by the loom so I had better go in and feel the warmth and the joy.

Comments about other grand ways of coping with growing pains are very welcome, or..... other comments in general.
Input is always appreciated!

Pia, the Warped One, who was also the Twisted One for a little while this morning (some final spinning had to be done for another project before the words for this blog would arrive and line up)

Working Along

Today marks the six week countdown for all work to be finished to ship to Denmark.  My focus will be to do about twenty pieces and choose my favorite from that work to send.
The last few days I have been fusing silk in both sculpture and hanging art.

My exchange for Denmark will involve taking as much of my home, community and province with me as I am able through my work.   From my living room window I look out upon the shores of Minas.  When the tide is in, it is beautiful blues against the clay banks and dyke grasses.  When the tide is out I see miles of marshy mud and smell the musty odor of briny ocean.  These are the things I miss when I leave my home.

Today I worked on a canvas of silk fusion, and now have the background layers done. This was done directly from the view from my window.  I will continue to work on this piece alternately with others, to try to catch the essence of the almost full tide.  Of necessity it will be done an hour later every day until I loose the lights with the shifting of the tide.

Another piece is sculptured silk influenced by the tangle of Boston Ivy growing on the side of my house.   Ivy is my favorite of all plant life.  The layers developing over the years and the intersections and paths followed by the vines, bring to mind the relationships over years of people and the paths and connections made by us.

Like everything else the Ivy is just coming into leaf, new beginnings, re-awakenings and rebirth that is spring.



Our group Seven is like spring, eternally evolving, renewing and exciting me on to bigger pursuits.
Marilyn Rand, The senior of SEVEN,  Lambs Run Farm...