This March, the Grebel Gallery welcomes the first of several pop-up exhibits this semester – Shared Threads. This exhibition is presented by the Irish Real Life Festival, bringing together a collection of intricate knotwork in lace, copper, wool, beading, and embroidery. “Patterns and images of peace appear not as distant ideals, but as lived moments: quiet gestures, shared spaces, and acts of belonging woven into everyday life,” said Artistic Director Sue Nally.
The exhibit launch on Sunday, March 1 was buzzing with music and chatter, as the gallery filled with friends, relatives, community members, and even a talented harpist playing throughout the night. During this event, the artists shared their personal connections with their Irish heritage and how it was reflected through their pieces.
For example, Jennifer Schaeffer designed and handmade a necklace of amber and copper, inspired by pieces she saw at the National History Museum in Ireland last December and the ancient trade route – the Amber Road. She chose to exhibit this specific collection because it aligned with the overarching theme of this exhibit: human connection. Jennifer describes this connection, stating, “the continuity of human connection, materials travelling across borders, stories carried through generations, and craft techniques surviving across time. I wanted to create a series that feels like a discovery.” She hopes that when visitors look at her piece, they feel the grandeur and status that was associated with these materials and designs in the past.
The beaded necklace featured on the posters for this exhibit has now found its place in the display on the mezzanine level outside the entrance to the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement. This piece was designed by Brittney Baldwin and is very personal to her Irish and Mi'kmaq roots. It depicts the northern and southern hemisphere through the intentional use of Celtic knotwork in green, with moosehide representing Newfoundland, and an Amazonite stone. Her work celebrates the diversity of lineages within each person and seeks to spread the message that “We are more similar than we are different,” regardless of whether or not we exist in the same geographical space.
Marjorie Hopkins drew on her studies of the history of Irish dance to create beautiful lace collars from traditional patterns. During the launch she shared that her instructor had a neighbor who would sell her knotwork to provide for herself and family, a common practice up until the 1960s. She uses this specific style as a way to connect with the women of the past and allow their traditions to live on. Marjorie wants people to recognize complexity of Irish lace patterns and appreciate the effort women went through to be self-sufficient.
Shared Threads illustrates how personal, yet common many cultural experiences are. Each piece is unique and full of richness, not only connecting with other pieces within the exhibit but also with other cultures and works of art across the world.
This exhibit offers just a glimpse of what the Irish Real Life Festival has planned for this month. From March 7 to 17, the festival will host a variety of events for the public to join, each highlighting the joys of Irish culture such as traditional dances and music.