May 7 – June 5, 2010

Textile Art Exhibition by Bill Shawanda

Aanii. I am Bill Shawanda, an Artist, a Designer and a Story Teller, living in the remote.  I have been on a journey with Debajehmujig Theatre Group for many seasons. While on this path I have been given many gifts and opportunities.  Debajehmujig has given to me the worlds of Costume, Performance, Historical and Cultural Teachings, Travel, Meeting and Learning from other Artists and Stories.  All of these stitched together have designed who I am today. 
Now I feel the need to patch together my journey as an artist and share what I have learned.  My environment, my experiences and my imagination have given birth to my art.  Each influence in the process including my inspiration, my creative process and the stories surrounding my vision will all have their role in the exhibition.

The serger is one of my favourite tools to use as I embark on a new creative journey.  The serger stitches, trims and overcasts, all in one go!  It’s fast and versatile!  Using the serger allows me to explore limitless designs.  This is why I chose it for the title of my exhibition. I want the audience to experience my entire creative process while viewing the exhibition.  The audience will not only see the final collection, they will embark on the visual journey of my artistic process.

Once my exhibition has lived and breathed, I will take a step back; look at my discoveries and along with the comments of the audience create the next pattern for my continuing journey.