About Myrna - textile artist - author - instructor

About Myrna - Gallery - Studio - Contact - Blog

About Myrna

For twenty years, I worked as a professional author and artist writing how-to books and magazine articles, designing patterns, teaching in-person and on-line workshops, and producing textile art pieces for exhibits and galleries. In 2009, I downsized becoming a Pro-Am (professional amateur). Currently, I produce a limited number of pieces each year that are available only through the galleries listed below and teach occasionally.

I create textile paintings. These are contemporary
and abstract in design, stitched with fabric and
paint, and mounted on gallery stretched canvasses just like a traditional painting. My designs are influenced by personal
experience, and inspired by quotes, concepts, and the world around me.

Textiles are my medium, my way of expressing my inner self outward. Their never-ending boundaries are both comforting and exciting. I enjoy bright colors, smooth curves, and dense threadwork. Each piece is a story expressed through line, color, and texture - a rich tapestry of ideas - an exploration of form and function.

I love learning. The study of design is ongoing as I both research and apply what I am discovering to my recent and future pieces. Currently, I'm intrigued by the concept of tension and enjoy the visual energy this has added to my pieces.

My work is featured in private and corporate collections in Canada, the United States, Germany, Malaysia, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and New Zealand.

Since late 2009, I've been on an indefinite sabbatical where most of my studio time is focused on sewing fashions which are a three dimension form of textile work, an extension of what I've done before Sewing fashions is something I've yearned to return to for years and put off for some day. Some day has arrived.

I write a weekday blog to share, connect with other women who love to do what I love to do, and simply because I enjoy writing. I'm constantly creative. I don't know how not to be although it's entirely self directed at this point. After twenty years, it was time for a break from art for sale and for my creativity to be just for me. It was time for my studio to stop being all about work and start being a place of personal peace and potential again. How wonderful to have this opportunity. A book and/or workshop may be in my future. Ideas are brewing and time will tell. Meanwhile, I'm having fun. I hope you are too. Thanks for stopping by.

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Available at the...

Aspha Naira Gallery
9492 Houghton Road Vernon, BC, Canada, V1H 2C9
Phone 250-549-4249
(Pacific Standard Time).
For directions and hours, please visit the website or call the gallery.

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Education

Fundamentals of Design I and II - Cariboo College now Thompson Rivers University
Provincials Instructors Diploma, University of Alberta through Vancouver Community College
Independent & Self Directed Studies

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Solo Exhibits

Fibre Expressions: Art Quilts by Myrna Giesbrecht
April 1 - May 13, 2007, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

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Selected Group Exhibits

Along Those Lines: Megs Waterous & Myrna Giesbrecht
January 16 - March 21 - The Cube, Kamloops Art Gallery, Kamloops, BC, Canada

CQA/ACC Invitational Show - June 3-7, 2008, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

Edging Forward - June 3-7, 2008, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

Living Colors - (traveling exhibit) - October 2008 to August 2010 - Petersburg, AK; Bloomington, IN; Lancaster, PA; Danville, IL: Seattle, WA - all in the United States

The Shape of Things to Come - January 12 - March 4, 2006,
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada

Breaking Tradition - Touring Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada from June 2004 - December 2005.

Altered Shapes - April 23 to June 12, 2004, Mennonite Heritage Gallery,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Pan Pacific Quilt Show & Conference - April 15 to 17, 2004,
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States.

FANfare - May 4, 2002 to October 6, 2003 - Alberta Craft Council Gallery,
Edmonton, AB - The Gallery, Red Deer, AB - Grand Forks Art Gallery,
Grand Forks, BC - Oceanside Community Arts Council,
Parksville, BC, all in Canada

TrendTex Challenge - June 6 to 7, 2003, University of New Brunswick,
Fredericton, NB, Canada

Telling Secrets - (traveling exhibit) - October 2002 to August 2004 - Lynwood, WA - Minneapolis, MN - Golden, CO - Billings, MT - Nashville, TN - Ft. Washington, PA - Houston, TX - Spokane, WA - Lancaster, PA - Danville, IL - Petersburg, AK - Seattle, WA - all in the United States

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Selected Collections

Spirals - Barb Giuliany - Victoria, BC
Layers - Amie Starchuk, Saudi Arabia
Landscapes - Judith Woerner Collection, USA
My Side, Your Side - Judith Woerner Collection, USA
It Runs in the Family - Private Collection, USA
Until Spring - Dori Monica Collection, USA
Picture Window - Pat Dolan Collection, USA
Deeply Rooted - Harry Bicknell, BC, Canada
Got Time for Coffee? – Ms. J. Dubee, NB, Canada
In My Mother’s Womb – AB Assoc. of Rehabilitation Centers, AB, Canada
Light is Light/Dark is Dark – Private Collection, Germany
Rooted – Sonya and Adam Price, BC, Canada
Tapestries – Reg & Gina. Goertzen – BC, Canada
The Colors of Africa – Elaine Blacklock & Alfred Knut - ON, Canada
The Rose Garden – Christine Grey, AB, Canada
The Schu’s – Gerhard & Janie Schumacher - BC, Canada
Pieces – Gerhard & Janie Schumacher – BC, Canada

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Selected Publications

The Quilter’s Web - Quilters Newsletter Magazine - column from October 1999 to 2004
Setting Up Your Sewing Space, Sterling Publishing, New York, NY
Strip Quilts in a Hurry, ASN Publishing, San Marco, CA
Triangle Delight, Shimp Publishing, Las Vegas, NV
Press for Success, Martingale & Co, Bothell, WA

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Nominated 2007 Teacher of the Year
The Professional Quilter

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