BY JULIEANNE STEEDMAN
For Wild Northerner
Diane Stewart shows me into her studio on a warm spring day and I can see right away why she likes to create here. Her home sits on the shores of Lake Huron just outside of Elliot Lake. Her studio is a cozy room with a woodstove and a gorgeous view of the water. Stewart says she prefers to work standing up so she can see the lake, as she finds the view inspiring.
Stewart studied to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Mount Allison, but her passion for the arts began long before university. Even as a child, she says she knew that she wanted to be an artist.
Stewart’s first passion was watercolour painting. She painted and developed her technique, and over time became an award winning artist. She was accepted into the Canadian Society of Watercolour painters and after this, she felt as though she had achieved the top award. Following this, she felt a bit unsure about what to do next; what challenge would motivate her to create.
The challenge presented itself in the form of fabric. Stewart’s amazing fabric pieces started with a watercolour painting; she then applied fabric to the work. These first works were framed with glass and though they are stunning, she felt the glass took something away from the work. So she tried acrylic painting with fabric on top, and soon did away with the painting aspect altogether – using only fabric to achieve the look she was aiming for.
Stewarts’s fabric pieces are intricate, layered, delicate works that include a variety of techniques that she has developed over time. To achieve different textures she uses an assortment of fabrics. To make things like trees and rocks, Stewart uses a machine and hand stitching. She has worked to develop her technique of cutting and has literally re-trained her hands to cut the desired shapes. Watching her cut out delicate trees is a form of artwork in itself. Her latest ‘breakthrough’ has been to add embroidery floss. She says she was struggling to recreate skinny trees and branches but has found that applying embroidery floss recreates these wonderfully. Stewart feels this has opened up an entirely new area for her.
A favourite project Stewart shared with me is a collaboration she made with her sister a few years back. Stewart’s sister is an accomplished quilter, and the two women planned and created a series of work. They chose meaningful photos, and then using the same fabrics - each created a work based on the photo. This collection was shown at a variety of galleries across Canada.
“I need to feel a connection to the photo and the work,” Stewart said.
Her influences come from images that inspire her. Photos from her travels across Canada often find their way into her studio. Stewart says she has to be happy with the composition of the image and that the final work can speak for itself. Her intricate works can take months to complete; she is careful about choosing the images that she works from.
Stewart’s work can be found in a variety of places including local galleries. Stop in at the Timber Museum in Blind River anytime over the summer, or at Art Among Friends north of Elliot Lake at the end of September, or at the Espanola Fibre Art Festival the third weekend of October. You will be glad you did.
Opposite page: Artist Diane Stewart