contextural con*tex”tur*al adj.
Pertaining to contexture or arrangement of parts; producing contexture; interwoven, Dr. John Smith (1666)
Contextural is a group of like minded artists who came together in the fall of 2007 with a common goal of supporting our individual fibre practices. Since that time, we have secured our place within Calgary’s dynamic arts community by running a self-directed summer residency program, hosting critiques for members, and exhibiting group shows at numerous venues. Members come from a variety of art backgrounds and bring their own unique vision to the group.
Vision
A community of Fibre artists supporting each other in creating and sharing their practice.
Mission
Contextural fosters a creative environment in support of the production of fibre-based work, contributing to the artistic advancement of our members through access to collaborative workspaces, professional development, and exhibition of new work. A Calgary-based organization, we promote and encourage appreciation of fibre as a recognized contemporary art medium.
Core Values
- Supporting Members: We believe that the arts make invaluable contributions to the cultural, social and economic vitality of a community. We value and respect our members’ commitment to their journey as professional artists. Through active participation, all members can experience improvements in the quality of their work, and greater ability to exhibit and sell their work. Becoming a professional artist is hard to do in isolation, thus we see the benefits of being part of a community of artists.
- Fibre as an art medium: Manipulating a variety of materials consisting of natural or synthetic fibres, our members create works that can encompass emotion, sensory experiences, concepts, and beauty in the application of human creativity and imagination. Members work in a variety of techniques such as felting, embroidery, printing, dyeing, papermaking, weaving, among many others. We value commitment to our craft and strive for the highest quality of work while aiming for innovation and creativity.
- Community: We value relationships and the importance of interactions that build cultural, social and economic vitality of our city and the greater fibre arts community.
- Cooperating and Collaborating: With an elected Board that provides overall guidance, direction, oversight and stewardship of the organization, we commit to good governance in an open, sharing and inclusive environment where each member makes a contribution. In doing so we become stronger as a community and as individuals.
- Inclusivity and respect: We are an inclusive and accessible organization that embraces and respects the diversity of peoples, opinions, and practices. Fibre arts is a discipline established by the work and expertise of artists across time, cultures, and backgrounds. We welcome and support artists who identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized, LGBTQ2S+, d/Deaf and disabled, and from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.
