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