Eco-Printing
Day One: Bonny will show you some of the plants in the forest that she works with, that are high in tannins and will interact with cellulose fiber. Students will gather, stack and bundle up paper. Also we will prepare our cellulose fibre in mordants for our printing on day two. While you enjoy the rest of your journey that day paper will be cooking and unbundle revealed after supper.
Day Two: Students will gather plants and place on their cotton fiber that they will be using for their plant gathering bag. Students will learn about mordants and the interactions with plants and how to strategically place plant material and bits of iron and copper to assist printing. They will learn to bundle projects and they will simmer while the rest of the day is enjoyed.
Day Three: Projects will be unbundled and we share stories and slow stitch a plant gathering WILDCRAFT bag.
Bonny Macnab
Your Instructor:
As an artist I look to combine the familiar elements of form, movement, color and line to evoke the human experience of emotions. Driven by curiosity and connection, this practice of botanical printing is a treasure hunt, gathering leaves and metal debris knowing that they will react with each other, providing a valued, deep dialog with the fibre. The alchemy of this process, even though planned, gift a piece with patterns, colours, as well as hard and soft edges that are not always predicted but appear as natural as beauty is in nature, a juxtapose to the chemistry of life. The seasons come with each their own aromatic and sonic combination; each combination opens within us an ongoing series of memories and related emotion. Each season, my work remains interesting and thought provoking. My conversation with nature is a sacred thread continually woven into my identity, meant to be shared.
Bonny Macnab has been an artist all her life. Growing up on the west coast in Canada she found out in school she excelled in art and all the variations of creativity it had to offer. After graduation she moved to the prairies where the wide open space, living close to the beauty of the boreal forest and the long winters provide perfect opportunity to develop her skills.
Bonny sought out many artists she admired from North America and studied with them to develop her natural skill. She demonstrates a highly developed sense of color, distinct design and keen attention to the spirit of a piece of work as a whole.
She says,” I am so blessed to have this intimate relationship and conversation with the earth and people through my art. Creating allows me to be in the moment and is a meditation that inspires me daily and I am able to share with the viewer.” She has been able to carry these techniques into dyeing and eco-printing fibre. Working with fibre provides another dimension to her work through the alchemy and depth this process has to offer.
Ms. Macnab has had six solo exhibitions, been juried into many shows across North America and won numerous people choice awards. Her most recognized and awarded medium has been portraits in watercolor. In 2016 Bonnys' silks were juried into the Saskatchewan Craft Council, stating her artwork “exquisite”. Macnabs' work is in many private residence around the world. The 8' x 16' “Farewell Mosaic Mural” Macnab designed, is home to the new Mosaic Stadium in Regina. In 2018 the Canadian Judicial Council commissioned a silk scarf for the retired Chief Justice of Canada Beverley McLaughlin. SaskArts has supported Macnabs work and most recently Canada Council for the Arts acknowledged her work with a research grant for her eco printing.
Bonny continues with her learning process through applied practice and research. Bonny's studio is host to many classes and retreats to continue the shared learning and teaching. She has been involved in eight ArtsSmart Programs in Saskatchewan with the Saskatchewan Arts Board. Macnab has been online teaching art for the U of S. Macnab is a sought after teacher throughout western Canada, Ness Creek becoming an annual teaching/sharing event. It is a passion of hers to inspire others to find their art.
Mapleridge Gallery and studio is in the home where Bonny lives, it is toured regularly. It overlooks a coulee where you can see rolling hills for miles. Inspiration is everywhere.
Inspiration
I believe that revealing another dimension of nature creates more appreciation and intimate conversations with our environment, and the more we learn about the complexity and possibilities in nature, the deeper the connection. My collaboration with Mother Nature extends my ability to create important conversations & expressions - to be more compassionate and caring. This is why I’m so passionate about this work, I want to strengthen our human conversation with nature.