Rosemary Oliver
Fibre Artist
The Rouge River
51in x 78in
This quilt depicts the flora and fauna of the Rouge River Valley. The centre panel is a topographical appliqué of the lower reaches of the river as it enters Lake Ontario. The birds and animals are hand drawn and hand embroidered. Alternating wild flowers and leaves make up the border. Look for the tiny button – that is where I live.
Cotton fabric, hand embroidery, hand and machine quilting
Not for sale
Trumpeter Swans
44in x 38in
This quilt was made to celebrate the success of the restoration program of indigenous Trumpeter Swans to Ontario. There is now a self sustaining population of birds. Preened Trumpeter Swan feathers are incorporated in the quilt.
Cotton fabric, hand embroidery, hand painting, polar fleece, hand and machine quilting and swan feathers
Not for sale
Butterflies of the Rouge Park
36in diameter
The 49 butterflies in this quilt are all found in the Rouge Park. They are approximately actual size and are hand drawn and hand embroidered. While making this, I gained a greater appreciation of the beauty and intricacy of these wonderful creatures.
Cotton fabric, hand embroidery, hand and machine quilting
Not for sale
Fall in Algonquin
42in x 32in
This was my first venture into original fibre art. Following a camping trip to Algonquin, I returned with a handful of stunning fall leaves which I traced around onto appropriate fabric. A photograph from our campsite on Rock Lake provided the setting
Cotton fabric, machine stitching, hand embroidery and hand quilting
Not for sale
Fishing Village
41in x 29in
This could be a fishing village anywhere and is not based on a particular place. Hopefully it gives the feel of a fishing village in all but the smell of seaweed and the salt in the air.
A variety of fabrics and trims, natural and man made embellishments, hand and machine stitching and quilting
Not for sale
An English Village
45in x 31in
Following a trip back to England to visit family, I felt the need to create a quilt of a typical English Village with the many features one expects to find there. It could be anywhere and is not based on any particular place. I had a lot of fun with all the little details, so look closely to find them.
A variety of fabrics, trims, embellishments, wool, hand embroidery, hand and machine quilting
Not for sale
The Beaver Dam
40in x 31in
This creation started with a bunch of seed pods collected in the fall and a discussion with my son Tom about a song he had just written called “Cold, Cold Breeze”. The beaver and their dam joined in along the way.
Various fabrics, hand embroidery, embellishments and hand and machine quilting
Not for sale
Great Lakes Alvars
26in x 26in
Following trips to the Cardon Alvar and Manitoulin Island, I became aware of the particular nature of Alvars, which are areas of limestone rock, close to the surface of the land. This creates a unique ecosystem which is home to certain flora and fauna that are tolerant of water run off in the spring and dry conditions in the summer. There are only a few Alvars in the world and we are fortunate to have some of them in the Great Lakes region. This wall hanging is to promote awareness of these special and endangered areas.
Various fabrics and trims, hand embroidery, hand painting, hand and machine quilting
Not for sale
Endangered Birds of Ontario
18in x 18in
This piece depicts the endangered birds of Ontario for 2011. They are:
Kirtland's warbler
Northern bobwhite
Loggerhead shrike
Barn owl
Piping plover
Henslow's sparrow
King rail
Acadian flycatcher
Prothonotary warbler
Hand drawn, hand embroidered and hand and machine quilted
Donated to Ontario Nature
Newfoundland
40in x 37in
I created this piece following a wonderful visit to Newfoundland. It incorporates the many visual images I have in my mind of the scenery and the wonderful colours so special to the area. I was amazed by the tiny plants growing in such an inhospitable environment - some can be seen in the foreground.
Various fabrics, hand applique, hand embroidery, hand spun yarn, needle felting, fabric painting, embellishments and hand and machine quilting
Not for sale
Native Plants
30in x 20in
This piece depicts 20 of the many plants native to Ontario. It was made to show how native plants can provide a beautiful display of colour and texture throughout the year and welcome pollinators to your garden.
A brochure to accompany it provides information about each plant and how to establish a pollinator garden.
Not for sale
This piece depicts example of the structure and inter-dependence of species in the food web. Including:
Primary producers, Primary, Secondary, Tertiary and Quaternary consumers, Detritivores and Decomposers
As an educational tool, with its accompanying game cards, it can demonstrate how damage to one link in the web can have devastating effects on the whole structure.
Threats include:
Herbicides, Pesticides, Pollution, Chemical Spills, Over Fishing, Hunting & Trapping, Invasive Species, Deforestation, Habitat Loss, Climate Change
Not for sale
Food Web - Southern Ontario
The Importance of Wetlands
50in x 34in
Wetlands are important for these reasons:
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flood mitigation
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storage of water
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improving water quality
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soil stabilization
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carbon sequestration
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combating climate change
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wildlife habitat
This piece shows the structure of a wetland and depicts 64 of the flora and fauna that inhabit wetlands in Southern Ontario. It has been made to raise awareness and to encourage action to protect remaining wetlands and to create new ones.
Not for sale
