A Coral Reef and Little Fish

When we're involved with fibre and thread, I've found it useful to be open to all possibilities, dont you agree? You just never know when something will blow you away!
I was teaching in Espanola, Ontario this month as part of their Fibre Arts Festival, a city wide celebration of all things fibre. Espanola is a small town near Sudbury, the part of Ontario that has thousands of small lakes, multi hued rocks bursting out from the landscape and autumn colours like no where else on earth, beauty all around!
There were spinners and weavers, lots and lots of yarns, classes for smockers, recyclers/upcyclers and much more, as I said..... lots of fibre!
But the best part was an art installation that brought together fibre artists from around the world, a Coral Reef, like no other! The reef was the work of Jody and a host of volunteers who knitted, crocheted, wove, tatted and laced a myriad of wonderous sea creatures to illustrate the importance of sea life to our environment. Have a look:

 School children made long spiky papier mache coral as an art project

 Check out the knit moray eel!

 Amazing brain corals!

 White areas of the reef depict dead spots from pollution and damage to the fragile ecosystem

Can you see the tiny little fish above? one weaver made over 100 of these for the reef!

The installation will be visiting other communities and galleries in northern Ontario. I hope it will find a permanent home sometime.
I think this shows how amazing it can be when a community takes on a project and works together to make it happen. The Espanola Fibre Arts Festival happens each year in October, plan a trip to visit, you will love it!