YORKTON - A reception to mark an exhibition of works by paper quilling crafter/artist Judy Sawchuk was held Saturday afternoon at the Community pARTners Gallery located in the Yorkton Public Library.
During the reception Sawchuck gave a demonstration of some of the techniques used in quilling which Wikipdia notes “is an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create decorative designs. The paper is rolled, looped, curled, twisted, and otherwise manipulated to create shapes that make up designs to decorate greetings cards, pictures, boxes, eggs, and to make models, jewelry, mobiles, etc. Quilling starts with rolling a strip of paper into a coil and then pinching the coil into shapes that can be glued together.”
While the pARTners show has a number of Sawchuk’s works – which will hang through until the end of June – the artist notes she is rather new to the form.
“I’ve always done different little things,” she said.
Then one day Sawchuk said she was thinking it was time to take on something new and spied a small thimble that had been created by quilling. It was something she had purchased in a gallery north of Prince Albert earlier.
“It was so tiny. They really put a lot into it,” she said.
So Sawchuk began to investigate quilling.
“I went on Google and learned how to do it. It’s something you can’t really pick up on your own,” she said.
With some understanding of the basics she again went online and bought some tools of the artform, and once they arrived went to work.
While you can use various types of paper, Sawchuk said she had found cardstock to heavy to her liking, and while initially purchasing some suggested papers online now simply buys paper locally in various colours.
“It’s just regular paper,” she said.
The paper is cut into strips – Sawchuk typically uses one standard width – and the end of the strip inserted into a quilling tool to be turned into spirals.
The artist said she has grown quite good at quilling over the last decade.
“I can put something together in an afternoon when something comes into my head,” she said.
When it comes to ideas Sawchuk often looks to nature, owls, monkeys, butterflies and flowers repeated throughout many of her pieces.
“I like nature,” she said. “I like to do flowers. I like colours.”
The pARTners show is Sawchuk’s first solo show, after having five pieces in the local artists show at the Godfrey Dean Gallery in 2021.
The current show has surprised her in terms of reaction with newspaper, radio and TV interviews.
“That’s not my thing,” she said with modesty. “It’s not something I really thought was going to happen. I was just hoping to show my stuff and maybe sell a few.”
The sales would help.
“I’m running out of space,” said Sawchuk with a smile.
It’s also nice when someone wants to own a piece of her work, said Sawchuk.
“It makes me happy if it makes somebody else happy,” she said.
