January 24, 2025
Dear Cluster Members
I hope you are enjoying 2025 so far and the capricious January weather. I hope that your studies, research, and artistic outputs are going well, both within and without the cluster and Concordia. Here at T&M we are gearing up for a busy and rewarding semester, with some warm news and activities to keep us busy. Please find details of our workshops and other news items below.
Best regards,
Morris
Warm Welcome to Kelly Jazvac
We would first like to extend a warm welcome to Kelly Jazvac as our incoming co-director and are excited for the collaborative new directions Kelly will bring to the cluster alongside Miranda Smitheram.
Kelly Jazvac is a Canadian artist, researcher and professor. Jazvac is also a founding member of the Synthetic Collective, which includes scientists, artists, and humanists. Her recent exhibitions include Broken Nature at The Museum of Modern Art (New York); the Musée D’Art Contemporain (Montréal); the Eli and Edyth Broad Art Museum (East Lansing); Ujazdowski Castle CCA (Warsaw); and Galerie Nicolas Robert (Montréal). Her work has been written about in National Geographic, e-flux Journal, Hyperallergic, Art Forum, Canadian Art Magazine and The Brooklyn Rail. Her co-authored art/science research has been published in scientific journals including Nature Reviews and Science of the Total Environment. Jazvac is based in Tiohtià:ke/Mooniyang/Montréal where she is an Associate Professor in Studio Arts at Concordia University. We are honored to have Kelly as our incoming co-director.
In Kelly’s own words:
I’m excited about working with you all, and especially to be co-directors with Miranda and her exciting research! Looking forward to crossing paths in the cluster very soon.
All the best, and happy Friday!
-Kelly
Textiles and Materiality Milieux Undergrad Fellow
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our Milieux Undergraduate fellow, Callie Evans. Callie Evans is a BFA Design student at Concordia University, in the class of 2025. Their independent research-creation will explore the intersections between sustainability and intergenerational knowledge within socio-cultural narratives that are embedded in traditional textile arts. Having grown up in Harrington Harbour, a small island located in the Basse-Côte-Nord region of Quebec, Callie’s project is inspired by the harsh climate of the region, combining cultural hybridity with established traditions found in local fiber arts. Through this project, Callie will research how traditional textile practices can serve as a medium for intercultural dialogue. Based on their own experiences of wearing handmade clothing during harsh winter activities, their work focuses on the revival of the region’s fiber art traditions. This work will combine techniques, such as knitting, crochet, and sewing, which reflect a hybridity of Indigenous and settler-colonial influences.
Dye Materials Donation
We want to extend a huge thank you Rhona Richman Kenneally, Distinguished Professor Emeriti, Design and Computation Arts and cluster friend for the gracious and wonderful dye materials she has donated to the cluster. This wonderful dye matter will be used to support community dye projects and workshops. Thank you so much Rhona!
We look forward to community-led events & cluster meetings throughout the semester, here are a few events and encounters to put in your calendar
Moving Mending Circle
January 30th 12-1 PM over Zoom
Guest Speakers: Aniela Fidler-Wieruszewska and Megha Chauhan
Doctoral Researchers at Nottingham Trent University & Glasgow Caledonian University
Pramila Choudhary, Molly-Claire Gillett, and Tori McBeath continue their programme of collective and collaborative conversations and mending with Moving Mending Circle, with a focus on themes of Climate, Craft, Community, and Care. In a time of escalating climate crises, the interplay between craft, community, and care becomes a vital force for fostering sustainable futures. Craft, deeply rooted community practices, offers a counterpoint to extractive systems by embracing repair, reuse, and restoration. These embodied practices cultivate care—not only for materials but also for relationships, bridging human and more-than-human worlds. Join Moving Mending Circle on the last Thursday of each month this semester.
Zoom Link: https://trentu.zoom.us/j/92821808743?pwd=rL1sAQU24JR5TzMIwRaCxyS8izUZXi.1
If you have trouble getting into the meeting, reach out to Molly-Clair at mollyclairegillett@trentu.ca
Craft Cafe
7th February 4 PM to 6 PM
Please join us for an informal craft and chat mixer at the Textiles and Materiality Cluster Commons (EV 10.730). This community connective event is a low stakes way to gather to share knowledge, chat research, and knit, sew, crochet, maille, embroider, draw, etc. together. Light refreshments will be provided.
Communal Dye Pot
Date: TBA, MaSH Lab
Community Dye Pot is an invitation to interested T&M members to both take part and host a recurring Community Dye Pot with a monthly botanical dye. For the first session in February, Genevieve Moisan and Miranda Smitheram will kick off a season of community activation through dye-ing. We will provide materials, resources and space at MaSH Lab, we invite participants to bring their own cotton or cellulose cloth to dye on. Please email textiles.materiality@concordia.ca if you are interested in participating, and if you would like to lead a session.
Textiles and Materiality Workshops and Training Sessions
We are excited to offer the following workshop schedule to T&M members, if you are interested in registering for them, please email textiles.materiality@concordia.ca We are also happy to plan future workshops March onwards based on community interest and need, if you would like a particular workshop to be offered in later part of the semester, please email us and let us know!
Friday January 31st: Broidering on the Brother (BOB),
1 PM to 4 PM, EV 10.725
This technical training teaches participants how to work and embroider on the Brother PR600 electronic embroidery machine (6-colour). Participants will learn about machine operation and the process of listening and learning with machined embroidery.
Friday February 7th: Haptic Images
1 PM to 4 PM, EV 10.735
This Jacquard weaving workshop teaches participants how to transform their images into weavable forms using the Point Carré embroidery software.
Monday February 10th: Broidering on the Brother (BOB)
1 PM to 4 PM, EV 10.725
A second iteration of BOB on an alternate date
Monday February 17th: Drawing with Threads
1 PM to 4 PM, EV 10.725
This foundational workshop teaches participants how to use embroidery software for the Tajima embroidery machine. Learn how to draw, design, and properly format files to input to the Tajima machine. You will have an opportunity to see your threaded drawings come to life in real time on the embroidery machine.
Friday February 21st: Sequencing with Sequins (SOS)
1 PM to 4 PM, EV 10.725
Learn how to design and fabricate with sequins on the Tajima embroidery machine. What scintillating designs send messages reflected in sequined light from cloth to eye and back again? Come explore and shimmer with us.
Technician Consultations
On January 24th and the 3rd of February. Gen Moisan, our expert research support technician will hold consultation hours from 1-4 PM to talk through research projects with members of the cluster. If you are interested, please contact Gen via email to book time with her: tm.support@concordia.ca
En Fin
In closing, dearest members, if you have any suggestions for events or happenings, please let us know. Please also update us with your exhibitions, research, initiatives, fun facts and creative projects. We are happy to share! Email me: textiles.materiality@concordia.ca
We are working to schedule an all-cluster midterm meeting, time and date to be figured out, but we will keep you in the loop!
Best regards,
Morris and all
textiles + materiality research cluster 