Pleasures of Winter on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa
“Pleasures of Winter on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa” Lace Project 2014
This banner (shown above), illustrates the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, one of Canada’s UNESCO heritage sites, shown in winter using white lace on a dark navy background. The inspiration for this project came from Marie-Paule Moulin of the Ottawa Guild of Lacemakers. Judith Dufresne and Diane Hudon, members of the same guild, designed this creation in the autumn of 2013.
Members of the Ottawa Guild of Lacemakers volunteered their time and creativity to make the bobbin or needle lace pieces for the banner, using various lace techniques, as the major focus of the Canada lace exhibit at OIDFA. OIDFA refers to “Organisation Internationale de la Dentelle au Fuseau et à l’Aiguille/International bobbin and Needle Lace Organization“. This world lace conference was held in July 2014 in Adelaide, Australia. Josée Poupart, Canadian representative to OIDFA, asked other lacemakers across Canada to contribute lace snowflakes in various sizes, to accompany this banner in the exhibit. These lace snowflakes (not shown) became extensions of the banner, flowing out along the side walls of the booth.
Since then, the banner has been exhibited at numerous venues in the national capital region.