The Living Loom is a participatory art installation welcoming participants to immerse themselves in the tactile, visual, and spatial aspects of the fibre and material arts. The space is designed to be both a collaborative canvas and an intimate personal experience.

Museum admission is free for the duration of this installation.  On March 8, Jordan Carey and Kimberley Fisher will offer a free natural dyeing workshop for participants to dye textiles brought from home, as well as yardage to be used for the large-scale loom, and fibre art workshops.

Key features of the space include:

• Large-scale loom: A large-scale loom anchors the space, inviting visitors to contribute to a growing communal tapestry. Using a variety of colourful, textured materials, participants weave the walls and create an ever-evolving masterpiece.
• Make Room: A whimsical, interactive space designed like a life-size room where visitors can paint directly on walls, furniture, and surfaces with creative freedom and a sense of play.
• Embroidery Corner: Quiet corners dedicated to embroidery encourage mindfulness and fine motor exploration. Participants can use provided templates or create their own designs, experimenting with threads and textures.
• Peg-pattern boards: Interactive pegboards with movable, coloured pegs allow visitors to design patterns and engage in playful experimentation with hue, contrast, and composition.
• Workshop areas and garden: Featuring natural dyes, these workshops will showcase the beauty of natural dyes and raw fibres providing hands-on opportunities to learn about the origins and processes of textile materials.

The Living Loom is more than a space—it’s an evolving dialogue. Through collaborative art-making and sensory engagement, visitors are invited to reflect on the intersections of material, connection, and creativity.

KEY DATES AND EVENTS

• Public Opening: Saturday, March 8, 10am – 4pm
• Entry: Free to the public
• Natural Dyeing Workshop with Jordan Carey and Kimberley Fisher: Saturday, March 8, workshop area open from 10am – 1pm
• Entry: Free, please RSVP here
• Installation Dates: March 8, 2025 – April 12, 2025

This installation is designed and installed by Kimberley Fisher.
This installation is made possible and free to the public thanks to the generous support of Butterfield.

Photographs of the raw fibres and natural dyeing process by Blair Masters