Torma @ Soft, MSVU

Anna Torma Red Flowers III, 2006

Soft was an exhibition of textile-based work by Gary Markle, Anna Torma, Colette Whiten, Rhonda Weppler and Trevor Mahovsky from the Mount Saint Vincent University collection, curated by Katie Belcher and held in the upper MSVU art gallery. A pocket-sized catalogue complete with essays and colour photographs accompanied the exhibit. MSVU is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia and I caught the show just before it ended in mid-August.

Anna Torma is one of my art heroes. I interviewed her for my graduating thesis when I was a Sheridan College textiles student and she was very generous with her time. Anna's work is full. It is full of stories, full of stitched imagery, full of evidence of her embroidery talents and her time. Red Flowers III incorporates hand embroidery and inkjet prints on fabric. Its dimensions are 165 x 130 cm.

Anna Torma Red Flowers III detail, 2006

It is difficult to show just two of the ten or so pictures that I took: there's so much to see. Her early work included pictures that her boys drew. They are now adults and accomplished artists. I wonder if her grandchildren now supply her with pictures to include in her gorgeous quilts.