commissions

June 2023 - Update

  • The Art of Slowing Down: Women’s Labour & Craft

  • 2023 Pop-ups/Markets

  • Glitch Pin Workshop - Learn the Basics of Cross-Stitch

Last month I took some time away from the studio to recover from the tiring burnout of three solo exhibitions back-to-back since Fall 2022. A couple weeks ago I met with a client for a portrait photoshoot and I’m currently working on their cross-stitch portrait commission. I have a couple commissions being framed now, I can’t wait for my collectors pick them up so that I can share photos with you! My books are still open for commissions, so please visit the commission section of my website to learn more and reserve your spot before my spots fill up for the year!

It’s the final week of my solo exhibition, The Art of Slowing Down: Women’s Labour & Craft, so if you haven’t been following along on social media I’m sharing photos of the installation! I’m so thankful for all the support that everyone at Artlink Contemporary Gallery provided for the installation and documentation of my second solo exhibition in the US.

The Art of Slowing Down: Women’s Labour & Craft

This solo show challenges notions of labour, productivity, and the value of art in relation to craft and women’s work. Throughout her practice, Donen has explored the connection between the repetitive nature of women’s work and machines. Advances in technology continue to make physical human labor obsolete. In opposition to mass production Donen embraces slow repetitive processes, such as hand-stitching and knitting to bring awareness to undervalued women’s labor and traditional craft.

2023 Pop-ups/Markets

This weekend you can find me vending at the Dragon Boat BC - Vessi 500M Championship in partnership with Got Craft. My booth will be set up along the sea wall, I’ll be sharing a booth with fellow City Centre Artist Lodge tenant, Happy Nomad Candles. It’s supposed to be another beautiful weekend, so stop by for a free market featuring 20+ local artisans/businesses between 9am-5pm and watch the live Dragon Boat racing!

June 3 - Dragon Boat BC - VESSI 500 x Got Craft Market, 9-5pm, Science World, 1455 Quebec Street

2023 Schedule:

  • June 17 - VHS Market (Vintage & Handmade Society), 11-6pm, 800 West Georgia, Downtown Vancouver

  • Aug 10 - Vancouver Mural Fest, City Centre Artist Lodge, Studio# 211, 5-10pm

  • Aug 11 - Vancouver Mural Fest, City Centre Artist Lodge, Studio# 211, 5-10pm

  • Aug 12 - Vancouver Mural Fest, City Centre Artist Lodge, Studio# 211, 2-10pm

  • Aug 13 - Vancouver Mural Fest, City Centre Artist Lodge, Studio# 211, 2-10pm

  • Nov 25-26 - Portobello West Holiday Market, 10-5pm, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Yaletown (Vancouver)

Glitch Pin Workshop - Learn the Basics of Cross-Stitch

In this introductory cross-stitch workshop, artist Mallory Donen will demonstrate her step-by-step process of converting glitch images into cross-stitch patterns to make a glitch pin.

You will learn the fundamental skills of cross-stitch and pattern creation using Stitchfiddle.com.

By the end of the workshop, you will go home with your very own cross-stitched glitch pin!

Tickets are $50 (+tax) including all supplies.

May 2023 - Update

  • The Art of Slowing Down: Women’s Labour & Craft

  • 2023 Pop-ups/Markets

  • Glitch Pin Workshop - Learn the Basics of Cross-Stitch

Last week I travelled to Fort Wayne, Indiana to install my next solo exhibition opening this week. This is my second solo show in the USA and the first time I’ve travelled outside of Canada to install my work. Overall, it was a great experience working with the gallery and I’m very happy with how the exhibition came together. I’ll be sharing more installation photos/videos on my social media in the coming weeks so be sure to follow me on Instagram (I post the most there)/Facebook.

The Art of Slowing Down: Women’s Labour & Craft, May 4 - June 4, 2023, Artlink Contemporary Gallery, Fort Wayne, IN

The Art of Slowing Down: Women’s Labour & Craft

This solo show challenges notions of labour, productivity, and the value of art in relation to craft and women’s work. Throughout her practice, Donen has explored the connection between the repetitive nature of women’s work and machines. Advances in technology continue to make physical human labor obsolete. In opposition to mass production Donen embraces slow repetitive processes, such as hand-stitching and knitting to bring awareness to undervalued women’s labor and traditional craft.

2023 Pop-ups/Markets

First Saturday is a public monthly artist-run open-studio event.

Come visit artists where they work at City Centre Artist Lodge.

The following artist studios will be open:

Maxine Woogman - Studio # 32

Tracy Anne Northey – Studio #34

Niki Brown - Studio # 103

Elana Sigal - Studio # 110

Shelley Saltzman - Studio # 130

Lukas Lundberg - Studio # 208

Mallory Donen - Studio # 211

Denise Coles - Studio # 221

Devorah Peterson - Studio # 221

 
Location: 2111 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5T 3C6

Date: May 6, 2023

Time: 12pm-5pm  

https://www.firstsaturday.ca/next-open-studios

June 3 - Dragon Boat BC - VESSI 500 x Got Craft Market, 9-5pm, Science World, 1455 Quebec Street

2023 Schedule:

  • June 17 - VHS Market (Vintage & Handmade Society), 11-6pm, 800 West Georgia, Downtown Vancouver

  • Aug 3 - 13 - TBD Vancouver Mural Fest, City Centre Artist Lodge, Studio# 211

  • Nov 25-26 - Portobello West Holiday Market, 10-5pm, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Yaletown (Vancouver)

Glitch Pin Workshop - Learn the Basics of Cross-Stitch

In this introductory cross-stitch workshop, artist Mallory Donen will demonstrate her step-by-step process of converting glitch images into cross-stitch patterns to make a glitch pin.

You will learn the fundamental skills of cross-stitch and pattern creation using Stitchfiddle.com.

By the end of the workshop, you will go home with your very own cross-stitched glitch pin!

Tickets are $50 (+tax) including all supplies.

April 2023 - Update

  • Proofs of Labour

  • No Smoking (Motel Collection)

  • Glitch Pin Workshop - Learn the Basics of Cross-Stitch

  • Portrait Draw - $10 entry for a chance to win a custom portrait valued at $350!

  • 2023 Pop-ups/Markets

Proofs of Labour

Proofs of Labour,⁠ 2023⁠, embroidery, Aida cloth,⁠ 24 inch hoop⁠, 74 hours of stitching, 48 hours of unstitching

I finished the final stages of unstitching all the threads from my Proofs of Labour conceptual cross-stitch project. Here’s what the Aida cloth looks like after 48 hour of unstitching. Remnants of fibres remain on the cloth and the holes are wider/stretched out from being punctured by needle and thread and finally unstitched. The labour logs and jars containing the unstitched threads will be part of the installation for an upcoming solo show in Indiana, May 4 - June 4, 2023.

Proofs of Labour,⁠ 2023⁠

Proofs of Labour,⁠ 2023⁠

No Smoking (Motel Collection)

My latest No Smoking cross-stitch series was inspired by actual signs from my studio located at the City Centre Motor Hotel and are a continuation of my Motel Collection.

Glitch Pin Workshop - Learn the Basics of Cross-Stitch

In this introductory cross-stitch workshop, artist Mallory Donen will demonstrate her step-by-step process of converting glitch images into cross-stitch patterns to make a glitch pin.

You will learn the fundamental skills of cross-stitch and pattern creation using Stitchfiddle.com.

By the end of the workshop, you will go home with your very own cross-stitched glitch pin!

Tickets are $50 (+tax) including all supplies.

Portrait Draw/Raffle

$10 Entry for your chance to
win a cross-stitched portrait valued at $350!

How it works: 
- Send $10 entry fee via etransfer (email: mmdonen@gmail.com)
- On April 10th, I will be drawing a lucky winner
- the winner will be asked to provide a photograph of a person/pet/item of their choosing
- I will create a custom small cross-stitch portrait (artwork approx. 3.5 x 3.5 inches)
- the winner will receive their original commission matted & framed (framed 12 x 12 inches) by May 31st

2023 Pop-ups/Markets

  • April 22-23 - Portobello West Spring Market, 10-5pm, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Yaletown (Vancouver)

  • June 3 - Dragon Boat BC - VESSI 500 x Got Craft Market, Science World, 1455 Quebec Street

  • June 17 - VHS Market (Vintage & Handmade Society), TBD, 800 West Georgia, Downtown Vancouver

  • Aug 3 - 13 - TBD Vancouver Mural Fest, City Centre Artist Lodge, Studio# 211

  • Nov 25-26 - Portobello West Holiday Market, 10-5pm, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Yaletown (Vancouver)

September 2022 - Update

  • Glitch Streak

  • Becoming a Pixel

  • Books Open for 2023 Cross-Stitch Portrait Commissions

  • First Saturday - Open Studio: Saturday, Sept. 3, 12-5pm

Glitch Streak

I spent most of the summer working on this project, which is my largest cross-stitch piece to date. In total it took about 3.5 months and 182 hours of labour to complete! ⁠ ⁠Soon I'll be taking this in to a shop to get stretched and custom framed. This piece will be on display at my solo exhibition at Sunshine Coast Arts Council from Oct. 14 - Nov. 13.⁠

⁠ I'd love to continue to work on larger scale cross-stitch pieces, but it requires a lot of planning and prioritizing. I usually have so many ideas on the go or in my sketchbook that go unfinished or untouched just because I simply don't have enough time in the day. ⁠

I'll be working on smaller cross-stitch projects for the rest of the year, while my main focus will be working on my large mixed textile piece. You may have seen me low key working on this during the summer, it's another work I'm making for a solo exhibition in Michigan in February 2023. ⁠ ⁠

That’s a wrap on the Becoming a Pixel series! A huge shout out to Canada Council for the Arts I can’t thank them enough for their support with this project. I’m hoping to have the series framed soon and have plans to propose these for future exhibitions.

Books Open for 2023 Cross-Stitch Portrait Commissions

Over the past couple months many people have expressed interest in customized cross-stitch portraits and I’m happy to share that I’m opening my books for 2023. I know that may seem far away, but the reality is I need to start planning that far ahead so that I can schedule around my other projects, deadlines and exhibitions for next year. Spots will be limited, so book now!

Standard Size - 7”x7”

Small Size - 3.5”x3.5”

These are the two Portrait options I’m offering:

  1. Standard Size - $1200 ($500 deposit required to confirm booking)

    7”x7” cross-stitch

    16"x16” framed

    Fill out Google form/contract below to book commissions from May-December 2023 https://forms.gle/qMWm2NoGqaX8ggu56

    *Standard Size portraits are the same size the Becoming a Pixel series and provide the most detail/likeness to the individual*

  2. Small Size - $350 ($200 deposit required to confirm booking)

    3.5”x3.5” cross-stitch

    12”x12” framed

    Fill out Google form/contract below to book commissions from January-December 2023

    https://forms.gle/dEWSa1B2UmkLE2137

    *Small Size portraits have less detail/likeness to the individual and have a more pixelated aesthetic*

First Saturday - Open Studio: Saturday, Sept. 3, 12-5pm

City Centre Artist Lodge is participating in its first open studio weekend for First Saturday, September 3, 12-5pm.

First Saturday is an ongoing public monthly artist-run open studio event.

Visit firstsaturday.ca for full list of participating Vancouver/North Vancouver artist studios.

City Centre map of studios open for First Saturday, September 3, 2023.