Avenue article: Resurgence in Edmonton's textile arts

A couple of years ago, Ikea put out a cheeky ad that imagined life as we know it without

textiles (that's right - no pillows, blankets, carpets, clothing, or uplholstery whatsoever). In it, a man wearing a cardboard suit and squeeky-ball shoes, and a woman wearing a dress made of hubcaps, live with their tinfoil-diapered baby in a house furnished with cactus chairs and wooden rugs (if you've never seen it, click here!)

Obviously, the point of the video - besides selling us on Ikea's wares - is that textiles are big part of our daily lives and, without them, we'd be rather uncomfortable. But, as I learned while researching an October Avenue article, they also play a role in how we define a space aesthetically, and don't necessarily need to be manufactured overseas (sorry, Ikea).

I spoke with three textile artists - Jessica Fern Facette, Victoria Wiercinski, and Diane Krys — who create everything from art pieces to rugs using a wide range of techniques and materials. 

Curious? You can read the article ("Fruits of the Loom") here.