MARCH 25, 2021 -- Sometimes art takes many hands and years to complete. The “Beaded Quilt” project at Campbell Collegiate is one such endeavour.
Over the past several years, Visual Art students from Nicolle Montague’s and Shaune Marchtaler’s Grades 10, 11 and 12 classes have learned the skill and process of beading. Drawing inspiration from Métis floral beading; the Lakota, Dakota and Assiniboine Star patterns; and historical events, students created their own blocks of beading. After a few years of collecting blocks of the right size and shape from the students, the quilt was ready to be constructed.
The unusual 2020-21 school year, built in a quint model, has created greater pockets of time to complete larger-scale projects and has also provided the opportunity for collaboration between colleagues in other schools. This project could not have been completed without the knowledge and quilting skills of Carla Pieracci from Thom Collegiate. Carla is a quilting teacher extraordinaire! With her helpful guidance (as well as her cutting and measuring skills), the quilt took shape. The final quilted piece demonstrates what knowledge, patience and teamwork can create.
With the final product complete, the location of the installation became equally important. The beaded quilt has been hung above a memorial bench, dedicated to a special Campbell Collegiate student. The bench and art together highlight the student’s bright inner spirit and celebrates the importance of community at Campbell.
