We are incredibly excited to share the stories behind the squares that make up the Voice of the River quilt.
Quilt squares and the stories are organized alphabetically by the artist’s last name.
| Artists A – F | Artists G – K | Artists L-P | Artists Q – Z |
Sharon Armour
Reflections
How do I connect with the Grand River and surrounding Area?
For this I turn to my Mom, Audrey Armour, and her lifelong involvement in different levels of Women’s Institute and the Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead. Her passion for this organization and its founders were always in the forefront as I was growing up. She planned many bus trips throughout Southwestern Ontario, with some to the Grand River area enabling me to experience glimpses into the people’s lives and places in an area not far home.
On my own, as of member of the Ontario Junior farmers some activities included exchanges and participation in competitions in some counties in the Grand River area. While attending the University of Guelph I lived along the Grand for a few months. During this time, I formed a couple of University of Guelph lifelong friendships. I was asked to be the Maid of Honour at each of their weddings.
Family has also brought me to the Grand as my Mom’s sister and family have lived in both Brantford and Paris since the 50’s. Over the years, we enjoyed events like picnics, family get-togethers, births, weddings with my five first cousins.
Miriam Azevedo
Square #1 – it’s a mixed of good feeling from past and present, as an immigrant I first lived in Hespeler, and my peaceful moments were at Ellacott Lookout at Queen St. and today as I live in downtown Galt, my peaceful place is at the bridge, fueling my days with peace and awe.
The Grand River represents Life and generously gives it to everyone who is sensitive enough to capture the essence of it.
Square#2 (made at home)
This is my perception of the Grand River as a great body of water who gives life wherever it flows, season after season, country or city, the life blossoms in every form of flowers, animals, etc and integrates even the concrete and the abstract as the bridge does…making a connection between peoples and Nature.
Ruth Bauman
This square is for all of the beautiful animals and plants that live along the Grand River.
Karla Boluk:
My quilt square reveals the coming together of communities along the Grand River to engage, share and learn together
Cathy Boluk
I retired from BHNC School Board and reside with my husband in Brantford near the Grand River. We have canoed the Grand, enjoyed the wildlife and walked and hiked the trails. Our children and my husband’s classes have also spent time in cones and on the trail. It’s an integral experience.
Barbara Crossman
Heron in the Reeds and River Dragon
We were new to the Waterloo Region in 1988 and wanted to explore the forests, trails and canoe routes along the Grand River to share with our children, encouraging a respect and reverence for the interconnectedness of the living world. As a family, we opened our senses to the sights and sounds of the river, the flora and fauna, and delighted in our children’s response: wonder…flowing like a river, animating our lives!
Alison Hall
My wife and I wanted to leave the city of Kitchener and began to search properties online. Typing in “cottage”, we were so surprised to see a small house for rent just 15 minutes away and on the Grand River. We applied, site unseen, and moved in a month later. Eight years later, we still feel blessed and enriched living with the ever-changing river, mature trees, and wildlife that make this area home. We didn’t need to leave the city after all. This square is a “bird’s eye view” of the houses on our short street. Historically, all were cottages, some have been remodeled, but ours remains happily stuck in the sixties.
Irene Hanuta
“My Little Creek Flows to the Grand”
Where were you born?
From a spring underground?
From some trickle down a hillside
from Heavenly rains that found their path forward?
Or were you always meant to be,
born of one lake to another?
My little part a reminder, a clue
Watson helped Sherlock solve the mystery
sleuthing the path revealing your name change
Married at the bridge
Speeding through the park
Dammed
All to be Grand
Helen Hughes
“Life in the Watershed”
The Blacks and white in the background of this composition represent night, day, shade, shadow and snow.
The maple leaf (very Canadian) represents all the vegetation in the Grand River watershed areas. The dragonfly represents life in the watershed – insets, animals, humans.
Pieced cotton (commercial), dyed cottons and batik. Machine sewn, hand appliqued and beaded
Summer Storm
All the recent summer storms with black clouds rolling in, inspired this composition.
Hand-painted, with inks, on cotton, cotton batiks, machine embroidered details. “Raw edge”
Anne Innes
How do I connect with the Grand River and surrounding Area?
My first experience with the Grand River was on the riverboat. My best friend Sharon Armour’s mother was always so kind in asking me to join her and her Women’s Institute members on the trips she planned. The outing planned included the riverboat ride, food and of course a meeting. More than 50 years ago I still remember the boat and the fun we had. At the time I was impressed that the river was large enough to enable such an excursion!
It wasn’t long after I joined the Women’s Institute. Many trips to the Adelaide Hunter Hoodless Homestead have
followed, as the Grand River and surrounding area continues to lure me back!
Cathy Rowe
Who can’t admire the Grand and all the beautiful nature you see along her banks. Fond memories of canoeing and tubing different sections of her from Paris to Dunnville make me appreciate just how Grand she is.
I chose this sunset scene of the river, highlighting its rich green foliage along the shore with some batik and quilting fabrics, while trying to capture the moment of the river and glow of the sun with needle felting. Hope you enjoy it.
E.I Harvey
The first quilt square is reflecting a community that exists in harmony with the river. The second quilt square depicts a mermaid: reflecting both good fortune and disaster. Many future generations continue to act as stewards of the river.
