Do you work alone? As a writer and artist I spend most of my days creating in my home studio (otherwise known as my dining room, my sunroom and on nice days on my deck). Some days I facilitate or attend a seminar or lunch and learn, but for the most part it’s my pets and me for the day.
In September of this year I spent a weekend with a group of artists in Ottawa. This weekend was thanks to artist Karen Miller, who had a vision of fibre artists coming together to form community and to inspire one another. We talked about our art and our visions for moving forward. Each artist shared some of her work and her ideas for future projects. We visited galleries, walked in parks, ate great food and talked some more about art. It was wonderful.

We made a decision to work together by forming a collective. “In The21Collective we are creating opportunities to move our art forward. We recognize our unique identities and are each striving to expand our vision as artists. Together we can be a louder voice.”
The artists of The21Collective are:
Meryl Cook www.merylcook.ca
Linda Rae Coughlin www.theartrugs.com
Susan L. Feller www.artwools.com
Tracy Jamar www.tracyjamar.com
Lori Laberge www.lorilaberge.com
Kris McDermet www.krismcdermetrugs.com
Karen D. Miller www.karendmillerstudio.com

Already we have had the most amazing discussions. We are sharing information about opportunities to teach and show our work. It is a powerful feeling to have colleagues, even if we are spread across Canada and the US. Please like our page and share it with kindred spirits.