Blanketing the North

Carol Mackenzie of the Yellowknives Dene represented her First Nation using the traditional skill and beadwork she learned from her mother. She used two pairs of beaded slipper vamps sewn together in a flower shape. Inspired by nature, they feature dual sets of blossoms outlined by cobalt blue felt. - photos courtesy of the Invitation Project

NNSL Photo/graphic

The Dogrib block depicts the Northern wild rose using bright pink beads on a navy stroud background. Designed and constructed by Celine Mackenzie Vukson, the artwork features caribou hide segments edged with folded leather pinking. The pieces of hide are meant to honour all Dogrib women. Precious strands of sinew thread used in the piece were made three decades ago by Mackenzie's grandmother.

Blanketing the North

Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 03/06) - An immense work of fabric art goes on display at the legislative assembly starting at 1 p.m. tomorrow.

The Quilt of Belonging will fill the Great Hall.

The quilt features square blocks, arranged on point, representing Canada's First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples and all the countries of the world.

"Canada is one of the few countries in the world to have immigrants from every country in the world living in its borders," said Meredith Royds, a volunteer from southern Quebec who is accompanying the quilt in the North.

"The majority of the block makers were immigrants from the countries themselves who had the skill and the talent to create their blocks."

Constructed of a myriad of fabrics, from leather to velvet, the quilt took six years to assemble.

The initiative is the vision of artist Esther Bryan. Her idea, called the Invitation Project, grew into a national grassroots effort involving hundreds of volunteers.

"There's a place for everybody in Canada," Royds said. "Anybody who wanted to help in whatever way they could help, did help."

Following tomorrow's 1 p.m. unveiling, visitors are welcome to view the artwork between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. every day until March 7.

QUILT FACTS:

The Quilt of Belonging is approximately 36 metres long and three and a half metres high.
It is made up of 263 square blocks, which measure about 23 centimetres. The blocks represent all countries of the world, with 70 of the blocks depicting the Inuit, Metis and First Nations peoples of Canada.
Organized by a country-wide grassroots network of quilters, artists and immigrant families, the goal of the project is "to create a collaborative work of art that will recognize Canada's diversity, celebrate our common humanity and promote harmony and compassion among people."