Quilter turns to mixed media art
A former quilting teacher at Western Technical Commercial's continuing education program for over two decades, Dingle still teaches quilt-making for her own personal pleasure, but her career as an artist has gone in a different direction.
Transcendence, an exhibit of mixed media constructions has been on display at the David Kaye Gallery West for the month of May, displaying Dingle's work. Dingle describes the exhibition as a series of tall, life-sized iconic and elliptical mixed media constructions, which are comprised of industrial screen and felt, cotton and metallic textiles, wood, metal, glass beads and 24K gold leaf.
"The feedback I've had, people relate to them in so many ways," Dingle told The Villager.
One admirer likened a piece to a musical instrument, another art enthusiast compared one to a shield.
Jane Geard lives nowhere near the gallery at the corner of Queen Street West and Dovercourt, but she looked for every excuse to visit last Friday morning.
Geard, who made the trek from her home in the Highways 9 and 427 area, was in for a treat May 23 when she had the surprise opportunity to meet Dingle.
"It's just wonderful," Geard told Dingle, admiring her work, "fabulous."
Dingle, a long-time Evelyn Avenue resident travels with her husband, fellow artist Michael Sheba, to Turkey annually. She went there unexpectedly from Greece. It's a country she says is beautiful; the food "wonderful;" the "hospitality warm and generous."
"I'm very connected to ancient cultures," she said. "I became more interested in having my work reflect my environment and inner feeling, which led me to my use of mixed media."
She is intrigued by the whole idea of transforming every day materials, those we use regularly, into something else. Inspiration for this exhibit struck while she was renovating her 1940s canvas canoe.
"After renovating the canoe, I realized what a great metal shape it was. That was the first step, the imagery. They're our size so you can relate to them on an immediate level - scale wise," she said. "I wanted them to be mystical, I wanted a sense of spirituality. People who come see the work say they connected on that level."
When asked how long it took her to create one piece, she answers without hesitation: "A lifetime."
She used to share a studio with fellow artist Arlene McCallum, who she'd watch paint in "massive brush strokes." Dingle would watch McCallum paint several pieces while she would still be working on one piece.
"I like the quiet, meditative focus of the process. It's my joy. That's why I do it, it's something I love. It's always been dear to my heart."
