Gordana Brelih
My Work and Style
Following a successful career in fashion design, I discovered quilting in 2002. After receiving a strong grounding in traditional quilting, I began experimenting with different techniques. These experiments cultivated a devotion to all forms of quilting and a love of hand-embellishment, free-motion embroidery, and machine piecing. I have put hundreds of hours into my work, stitch-by-stitch, adding lustrous threads, beads, fibers and non-traditional materials like paper and metal. My art takes on a life of its own.
Quick sketches or moments of inspiration challenge me to strive for something different. While new techniques are a welcome challenge, colour is a strong element in my work. It is one of the key elements in giving my art its aged or antique look. There is a sense of history with each piece that invites the viewer to take a closer look and see the story that is to be told.
I belong to the international group of artist called Connections Fibre Artists and we exhibit throughout Canada.
Don’t forget to check out my classes.
Artist Statement
“Colour and texture are my passion. As I work, a piece takes on its own life.
It is like taking a tiger by the tail and the exhilaration and challenge of each piece can become evident to the viewer. I studied Fashion and Design in Belgrade, Serbia for five years, and have traveled the road from fashion to quilting to experimental fiber art.
It has become my life.”
Biography
Relevant Experience:
1987- 1992 Fashion Designer for several companies. Responsible for the design of entire collections, illustrations, prototypes, pattern making, and production.
1988 – 1989 Assistant Costume Designer for the Yugoslav National Theatre (Opera).
Education:
1982 – 1987 University of Applied Art (Belgrade, Serbia) BA- Fine Arts – Fashion Design
1980 – 1982 Institute for Design (Belgrade, Serbia) Two-year Textile Design degree
Exhibitions:
2006 Phelt at Gypsy – Group Show – Toronto 2006 PRAXIS Gallery – Group Show – Toronto
2006 PRAXIS Gallery – Group Show – Toronto
2006 Common Tread – Sheridan College Art Gallery – Oakville 2007 Beaux-Arts Brampton – Group Show
2007 Hippie Connections, Gallery Lambton – Sarnia, Fibre Art Group Show
2007 And Now Something Completely Different Part II, It’s Not a Deli Art Gallery- Fibre Art Group Show – Toronto
2008 The Grand National , Group Show
2008 York Heritage Quilters Guild – Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
2008 Hippie Connections Revisited – A show by Connections Fibre Artists at Joshua Creek Heritage Centre
2009 Hanging by a Thread – A show by Connections Fibre Artists At Goodhall Gallery, Almonte, Ontario,
2009 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition at Nathan Phillips Square
2009 “Common Thread” exhibition, at Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre
2009 Connections Fibre Artists – group show at Leonard E. Shore Memorial Library Gallery, Thornbury, ON,
2009 “Three Friends” Art show at Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre
2010 Connections Fibre Artists, “Naked” at Carnegie Gallery Dundas
2010 The Grand National – “Off the Wall” at Homer Watson, Kitchener
Award: Curator’s Choice Award
2010 Threadworks “Trees” at Wellington County Museum & Archives
Award: Grand Prize
2010 Serbia Celebrating the Arts, Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre 2011 Wishes, Connections Fibre Artists, Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, Oakville
2011 Wishes, Connections Fibre Artists, Joshua Creek Heritage Art
Centre, Oakville
2011 Four Friends at Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre
2011 Pentimento – Salmon Arm show at Saga Public Art Gallery – Connections Group exhibition, Salmon Arm, BC
2011 “Fibre Optix” – Orillia, Museum of Art & History
2011 ”Greenwood Gallery” solo exhibition “Fragments of the Circle” 2011 “Reflections” show of Serbian artists at Omni Surfaces,
2012 “Reflections” annual show of Serbian artists at Omni Surfaces, Toronto
2012 “Tradition in Transition” Canadian Exhibit for the 18th Carrefour Europeen du Patchwork in Ste Marie aux Mines, France
2013 “Tradition in Transition”, Joshua Creek Heritage Art Centre, Oakville
2013 “Art Salon” Serbian artists group exhibition at Serbian Consulate, Toronto
2013 “Circle of memories” solo exhibition at Castel de Vecchio, Verona, Italy
2013 Threadworks ”Water” at Wellington County Museum & Archives
Award: The Most Innovative Interpretation of the Theme
2013 “Higher Ground”- Group Exhibition at Guelph Civic Museum
2013 “Sacred Stitches” at St. James Anglican Cathedral, Toronto
Beauty and Holiness in the Needlework of Many Faiths
2013 “Pentimento”, World of Threads Festival at O’Connor McLeod Hanna, Oakville
2013 “Minerals” – Toronto; Verona Tessile, Italy
2013 “Minerals” EAGE in London, England
2014 “Celebrate the Seven Exhibition” at Wellington County Museum
2014 “Celebrate the Seven” at Joshua Creek Art Heritage Centre
2014 “18-Square” Connections Fibre Artists at The Grange Gallery in Mississauga
2015 The Grand National “Connections” at Joseph Schneider Haus and Galleries, Kitchener
2015 “May Art Salon”, North Liberty Properties, Toronto
2015 “18 square” Connections Fibre Artists at Rotunda Gallery, City Hall, Kitchener
2015 “Art Salon” Group show at 1313 Gallery, Toronto
2015 “18 Square” Creative Festival – Metro Convention Centre
A show by the Connections Fibre Artists
2016 “Celebrate the Seven”, at John M. Parrott Art Gallery Belleville
2016 “Celebrate the Seven”, featuring the Connections Fibre Artists Homer Watson House and Gallery, Kitchener
2016 “An Invisible Thread” solo exhibition, Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade, Serbia
2017 “An Invisible Thread” solo exhibition, Cultural Centre, Novi Sad, Serbia
2017 “Art Salon” group show at Cultural Centre, Novi Sad Serbia
2017 “Running with Fibre” Connections Fibre Artists at Gallery Stratford
2017 “ARTeFACTS”, Connections Fibre Artists at Wellington County Museum, Elora
2018 “Art Salon” Belgrade, Serbia
2018 “Art Salon” at Gallery 1313, Toronto
2018 “Selections” Art Quilts, Connections Fibre Artists at Stratford Perth Museum
2019 “re: Fashion” Connections Fibre Artists at Wellington County Museum, Elora
Gallery
