Prêt-à-Porter

Katherine Soucie and Amber Churchill

August 7 - September 1, 2009

Opening Reception: Thursday, August 6th from 6pm - 8pm

Prêt-à-Porter features the works of Katherine Soucie and Amber Churchill and runs August 7 - September 1, 2009 at the Circle Craft Shop & Gallery in Granville Island’s Net Loft.

Turning hosiery into clothes is a specialty of Katherine Soucie, an emerging Canadian clothing and textile designer from Vancouver. Creating unique and bold pieces that make women feel confident and beautiful is the goal for Amber Churchill, a jeweller who beaded her way west from Ontario. This two person show combines similar aesthetics and design philosophies, in addition to a high regard for good craftsmanship. Nature is a major influence in both artists work and this exhibition combines their common interests using textiles and jewellery.

After attending Vancouver Community College Jewellery Art & Design program in 2003, Amber Churchill started selling her work throughout the city in various boutiques. Designs by Amber Jewellery can now be found in shops across Canada and the United States. Amber has her own boutique, Sweet Somethings Gallery, on Salt Spring Island that features about 50 Canadian designers. Her unique jewellery has garnered the attention of local and Hollywood celebrities such as Halle Berry, Sarah McLachlan, Norah Jones, and Rebecca De Mornay. www.designsbyamber.com

Katherine Soucie is an emerging clothing and textile artist/designer who studied Fashion Design in London and Toronto before furthering her education in Textiles at Capilano College. Her experimentation over the last few years with non-traditional materials and eco-friendly textile processes has resulted in an extensive body of work for which she has received a number of design awards. She has designed for film, television, dance and theatre and has her own clothing line, Sans Soucie, which is exhibited and sold through fine boutiques and galleries throughout Canada, US and Japan. Katherine is the recipient of the BC Creative Achievement Award, 2006 and was shortlisted for the Niche Award 2007. She most recently received the International Design Green Award for 2008. www.sanssoucie.ca

Please click here to read Thelma's gallery review with guest writers Diane Sanderson and Suzanne Nairne.