Morag Schonken is an interdisciplinary artist, emerging curator & writer and environmental advocate whose interests include installation, sound, sculpture, weaving, homesteading, and community projects. Born in Zimbabwe, Morag has traveled most of her life, living, creating, and exhibiting in Toronto, Winnipeg, Halifax, Australia, England, Singapore, South Africa, and currently in Pierson, Manitoba. She has her BFA from NSCAD University, Visual Arts Diploma from the Toronto School of Art, Graduated from MAWA’s Foundation Mentorship Program, and has a Drawing and Painting Certificate from the Haliburton School of Art.

This is the second year that Morag has curated the fibre art show for the Manitoba Fibre Festival. The call for submissions is now open for this year’s show, Common Threads. This show is open to all Manitoba fibre artists and to all Festival vendors. We expect another wonderful and diverse collection of pieces on display.

Morag’s own current show, FIND YOUR WILD! is on now until August 30th at 1894 Art Centre in Boissevain.

Morag enjoys sharing her passion for natural materials and the creative process. Recently she taught a papermaking class in her home community of Pierson, Manitoba, and this September she will teach Botanical Weaving at our Festival. In this workshop students will construct their own 2D or 3D loom out of branches and roots. Using natural yarns, grass, sticks, milkweed fibre, and other botanical matter students will learn the basics of weaving and how to work with non-traditional materials. Depending on where your imagination and nature takes you the end result could be a wall hanging or garden sculpture! The class is at 9:00 am on Saturday September 16. Registration information is here.

detail from Morag’s 2015 exhibition “The Ground Remembers Her”

Discover more about Morag and her work on her website,  on the facebook page for Deep Roots Studio, and on Instagram.

Morag at the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba show “Making our Mark” June 2017