Sheep to Sock Sunday and SPANL!

What would Sheep to Sock be without one of our main stars, sheep! SPANL, or the Sheep Producers Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, will be attending Sheep to Sock Sunday with some sheep waiting to be sheared. #SheepToSock

The Sheep Producers Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (SPANL) represents the interests of NL sheep producers - big and small. They achieve this by supporting and promoting the growth and profitability of sheep production, by identifying and addressing producer needs, by strengthening partnerships with governmental and agriculture agencies, by raising public awareness of the sheep industry and increasing the market demand for sheep products, and by removing barriers to expansion and growth. 

More information on SPANL is available here: https://www.nllamb.com/

Sheep to Sock Sunday: Presenting Shona Stacey

Curious to learn more about our Sheep to Sock demonstrators? Heritage NL is excited to present Shona Stacey, who will be demonstrating felting. #SheepToSock

Shona Stacey is a textile artist and educator in Newfoundland and Labrador. She has a studio and farm in Trinity East where she creates original hooked rugs, felted landscapes and other mixed media fibre art. Shona is passionate about the practice and preservation of heritage art and craft in her province and strives to honour and connect with her ancestors through her traditional practices. Shona has a deep love for working with wool and other sustainable fibers. Her work is inspired by the strong winds, the salty air and the resilient generations that came before.

Learn more about Shona here: https://www.wildirisnl.com/

Sheep To Sock Sunday: Presenting Corinne Reid

Heritage NL is excited to highlight another of our Sheep to Sock Sunday demonstrators, Corinne Reid from Seaspun Yarn and Coffee House. #SheepToSock

Seaspun Yarn and Coffee House in Carbonear is a place where different crafts converge, with a shared love for knitting, crochet, weaving, spinning, pottery, and beading. Corinne and her team are driven by a deep desire to give back to their community, offering a chance for individuals to learn new skills and hobbies while providing unwavering support and essential tools. Seaspun, under the inspired leadership of Corinne Reid, is not just a business; it's a community, a journey, and a celebration of creativity that continues to weave its magic on the rocky shores of Newfoundland. Corinne will be joined by two of SeaSpun’s knitting circle regulars.

Learn more about Sheep to Sock Sunday here: heritagecraft.ca

Sheep to Sock Sunday: Presenting Amelia Reimer

Heritage NL is so excited for next Sunday's #SheepToSock! We're presenting another one of our upcoming demonstrators, Amelia Reimer.

"Amelia Reimer hails from the Pacific Northwest Coast, but has made her home in St. John’s since 2012. Involved in various fibre arts (knitting, crochet, spinning, basket weaving, and even shepherdessing) and other art mediums (painting acrylic/watercolour, beading, leatherwork, singing, storytelling, etc.), Amelia finds joy in “making”. Amelia has also been known around St. John’s for her voice and work as an advocate on Indigenous rights and cultural celebrations, and issues like Women’s empowerment, homelessness, prison in-reach, etc. She currently works as community chaplain with Bridges of Canada with adults on parole. "

Learn more about Sheep to Sock Sunday at heritagecraft.ca

Sheep to Sock Sunday: Presenting Emily Denief!

Less than a week until #SheepToSock Sunday! In preparation, check out another of our presenters, Emily Denief.

My name is Emily and I love wool! While I’ve been knitting for most of my life, I recently started spinning my own yarn last year and it’s quickly stolen my heart. Spinning has made me feel more connected to my craft and it truly makes me appreciate the amazing qualities of the wool I’m working with!

Learn more about Sheep to Sock Sunday at heritagecraft.ca

Sheep to Sock: Presenting Brenda Aylward of Aylwards Farm

Heritage NL is excited to announce another demonstrator for the upcoming #SheepToSock Sunday, Brenda Aylward of Aylwards Farm.

Aylwards Farm and Meat Shop is a family owned business located in the scenic ocean village of Port Kirwan, just off Route 10 on the Irish Loop, Southern Shore NL approximately one hour outside St. Johns. Aylwards Farm is primarily a mixed commodity sheep and vegetable farm. The meat shop operates year round and is well known for its specialty sausages and burgers.

Learn more about Aylwards Farm here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093557289714

Are you curious to learn more about our Sheep to Sock Sunday demonstrators? Meet one of our spinners, Alison Simms!

Are you curious to learn more about our Sheep to Sock Sunday demonstrators? Meet one of our spinners, Alison Simms!

Alison is a MUN student, studying Biology and Earth Sciences, but in her limited free time she loves to work with wool. Her interest in fiber arts began with crochet and knitting. After many years of interest in learning to spin, she found herself with the opportunity to buy a second hand wheel, and a connection to a local farmer with fleece to spare. With help from members of the local Weavers and Spinners Collective, she quickly learned to use her wheel and spin her local wool. A hobby that she finds both relaxing and rewarding. She loves the entire process from sheep to sock, and is happy to share her knowledge of this process with others. #SheepToSock

Interested in learning more about Sheep to Sock Sunday? Check out this link: heritagecraft.ca

Sheep to Sock Sunday: Presenting Christine LeGrow

Are you as excited for the upcoming Sheep to Sock Sunday as we are? #SheepToSock Heritage NL is featuring another of our upcoming demonstrators, Christine LeGrow.

Christine LeGrow was born and raised in Newfoundland, and has a keen interest in the people, places, and things that make this island unique. A life-long knitter, her company Spindrift Handknits produces over 30 regular hand-knit wool products across a diverse product line. The business is supported by rural knitters throughout the island who make extensive use of traditional patterns that have been handed down through generations. Christine believes to extend the life of handknits, the basic knowledge of darning skills is essential.

Learn more here: https://www.spindriftknits.com/

Heritage NL Celebrates 40 Years

Saturday, May 18, 2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (Heritage NL). Heritage NL is a provincial crown agency with a mandate to stimulate an understanding of and an appreciation for the province’s built and intangible heritage. Since 1984, Heritage NL has been doing just that - through programs that recognize the province’s built and intangible heritage, by providing financial support for built heritage preservation, and by supporting intangible cultural heritage projects and practitioners.  

"We have accomplished so much in the past 40 years," says Heritage NL chair Dr. Lisa Daly. "We continue our commitment to highlighting the varied heritage of our province and protecting it into the future."

To date, Heritage NL has designated over 340 Registered Heritage Structures, 6 Registered Heritage Districts, and has disbursed $3.5M towards the preservation of heritage structures. Heritage NL has also supported countless community oral history and intangible cultural heritage projects, ensuring that valuable community resources are preserved for future generations. The organization also facilitates the transmission of our province’s heritage skills through inventories, workshops, and mentoring opportunities.

During this anniversary year, Heritage NL will be highlighting its accomplishments on its social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X (@hfnlca). The website www.heritagenl.ca includes a heritage property search and a large collection of intangible cultural heritage material from across the province. 

Sheep to Sock Sunday Demonstrator Heather Nolan

Want a sneak peek for our upcoming Sheep to Sock Sunday on May 26th?

Heritage NL is presenting one of our featured demonstrators of wool carding, Heather Nolan. #SheepToSock

Heather Nolan (they/them) is a knitwear designer, natural dyer and writer living in Bonavista, Newfoundland/Ktaqmkuk. They have published knitting patterns internationally, as well as collaborating on designs with yarn companies like Woollen Twine Fibre Studio (Germany) and Uist Wool Mill (Scotland). They are the author of novels How to be Alone (Goose Lane, 2023) and This is Agatha Falling (Pedlar Press, 2019) as well as the poetry collection Land of the Rock: Talamh an Carraig (Breakwater, 2022), works which have received nominations for the Winterset Award, Newfoundland Book Awards and the ReLit Award. Heather's current project is working toward opening a wool mill in Bonavista.

Check out some of Heather's work here: https://www.ravelry.com/designers/heather-nolan

https://www.oileanach.ca/

Come check out Sheep to Sock Sunday on May 26, 2024 from 11-4 at the O'Brien Farm Foundation in St. John's.

Sheep to Sock Sunday at O'Brien Farm, May 26th 2024

 

Join Heritage NL and our friends at the Sheep Producers of NL for our first "Sheep to Sock Sunday" at O'Brien Farm on Sunday, May 26th, 2024. There will be sheep, lambs, shearing demonstrations, spinning, carding, knitting, darning, and more. See the whole process of how we go from sheep to sock! A free family event. 

Sheep to Sock Sunday
Sunday, May 26th, 2024
11am-4pm 
O'Brien Farm
150 Oxen Pond Road, St. John’s

List of Demonstrators:

Shearing demo, BBQ and Silent Auction by SPANL
Spinning - Emily Denief
Spinning - Alison Simms
Tanning Hides - Brenda Aylward, Aylward Farm and Meat Shop
Carding and Processing - Heather Nolan of Oileánach Knits
Carding - Amelia Reimer
Knitting - Corinne Reid and SeaSpun Yarn and Coffee House, Carbonear
Darning - Christine LeGrow of Spindrift Handknits
Felting - Shona Stacey of Wild Iris Gallery

Sheep to Sock Schedule (download the pdf here)

Stay tuned for more details at www.heritagecraft.ca!

Poster design by Chloe Jane Lundrigan, 2024.

Heritage Update - Wood Windows and Energy Efficiency, Sawmilling, and Three New Heritage Designations

In the April 2024 heritage update, we share news about three new Registered Heritage Structures in Burin, Indian Cove, and Heart’s Content. We look back at 75 Years of Co-operative Heritage in the province, and look forward investigating energy efficiency of wooden windows, and an ongoing project to build new double-glazed wooden windows using traditional techniques. We finish with the story of sawyer Moses Drover and his Whiteway, Trinity Bay, sawmill. 

Download the pdf:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e57F355C47Ymr1ZUDLZTItENuh0qpGtJ/view?usp=sharing

Job Posting - Building Conservation Intern (full time position to March 28 2025)

Building Conservation Intern Wanted!

Are you between 19-30 with an interest in old buildings or heritage carpentry?  Send us your resume!

Heritage NL is a non-profit organization that promotes the conservation and awareness of Newfoundland and Labrador's historic places and the safeguarding of its Intangible Cultural Heritage. Heritage NL is seeking a qualified individual passionate about heritage carpentry or conservation for the position of Building Conservation Intern. Work will include assisting Heritage NL staff and workshop leaders on providing technical workshops on the repair and restoration of wooden windows and other conservation skills, helping provide workshops on Standards and Guidelines, preparing a written report on the benefits of window restoration over replacement, and assisting with assessments of historic properties in the field.

A certificate of completion, diploma, or degree in heritage conservation, heritage carpentry or masonry; or certification as an apprentice carpenter; or practical experience in building trades with an interest in heritage restoration or conservation. The candidate must have excellent oral and written communication skills. 

Candidates must meet eligibility requirements under the Young Canada Works program and be a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador. The job will be situated at the Heritage NL offices in downtown St. John's.

Hourly wage:

$21.00

Send resume to dale@heritagenl.ca 

Deadline extended to May 24th

Job Posting - Celebrate 75 Researcher 12 week position through Young Canada Works.

The Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador (Heritage NL) is hiring a Celebrate 75 Researcher as a 12 week position. Heritage NL has designated over 360 Registered Heritage Structures since its creation. These places range from elaborate houses and lodges, to modest fishing structures, and works of public engineering. They are a physical record of where we have come from, and are repositories of the stories that tell our history. Celebrate 75 is a project to recognize, record, celebrate, and promote the meaning and evolution of these places since Newfoundland and Labrador’s Confederation with Canada in 1949.

The Researcher will be undertaking research about the historic architecture of local historic places, with the goal that the collected information and images from the research will be featured in the Celebrate 75 online media campaign.

The applicant must have excellent oral and written communication skills; good knowledge of word processing and Excel; availability to travel; and an undergraduate or masters level degree in history, archaeology, folklore, journalism, creative writing, or architecture. Previous experience with a heritage organization is an asset. Good computer skills required, including ability to do online and archival research. Experience with blogging/informal newsletter writing an asset.

The position may also assist with Heritage NL public programs related to historic places as needed, and will report directly to Heritage NL’s Executive Director.

$20/hr, 35 hrs a week, 12 weeks.

Deadline to apply: April 26, 2024

A student may be eligible for employment if they:

• are a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, or have refugee status in Canada (non-Canadians holding temporary work visas or awaiting permanent resident status are not eligible);
• are legally entitled to work in Canada (have a valid social insurance number);
• are between 16 and 30 years of age inclusively at the start of employment; and
• are a high school, college, CEGEP or university student.

All applications must be made through the YCW website:

https://young-canada-works.canada.ca/Opportunity/ProjectDetails?projectId=19512&showBackToSearch=true 

Celebrating the Traditional Skills of the Humber Valley

photo courtesy Lauralee Ledrew, Cormack

Heritage NL has been working with the Department of Folklore and the Harris centre at Memorial University on a traditional skills inventory for the Humber Valley.  The following communities are included in the study: Steady Brook, Little Rapids, Humber Village, Humber Valley Resort, Pasadena, Pynn’s Brook, Little Harbour, St. Judes, Deer Lake, Reidville, Cormack, and Howley. 

The study is now finished, and is presented in two parts. First is the Humber Valley Skills Inventory (2024) which showcases individual makers, crafters, and artists in the region. The second is a report entitled Needs and Gaps Related to Traditional Knowledge Transfer in the Humber Valley, NL (2024), which explores challenges related to traditional skills.

And as a followup to a recent Thriving Regions workshop in Deer Lake, we have set up a new facebook group, Humber Valley Traditional Skills, for those people wishing to discuss or share opportunities for knowledge transfer:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/humbervalleytraditionalskills

Thanks to Harris Centre for their support and to the work of our researchers: Denise McKeown, research assistant & writer; Felicia Omodunke Somolu, graphic designer; Emlyn Tuck, needs and gaps researcher; Rose Baruh and Era Mahmuda, archival research. Thanks also to Heritage NL staff Andrea O’Brien and Terra Barrett, for fieldwork assistance and editing.

There are also collections of material related to both the Humber Valley generally and Deer Lake specifically on Memorial University's Digital Archives Initiative:

https://dai.mun.ca/digital/ich_wn/

Talking about Wool - From Sheep to Socks

Do you produce, have, use, or love wool? 

Memorial folklore students are looking for wool enthusiasts in Newfoundland and Labrador to interview, photograph, or maybe visit, with the aim of developing a series of student papers and podcasts about the wool industry. 

Heritage NL is working with the students of Folk6400, a Graduate Seminar in Material Culture at Memorial University, to study the linkages between local raw wool and the crafting of products from that material. Are you a sheep farmer with underutilized wool? Are you a felter looking for a source of wool for your next project? Are you a new or experienced entrepreneur who has thoughts or questions about making or marketing wool-based craft in NL? If yes, our students want to talk to you! 

https://forms.gle/bzYcNGk5HB5eMVkN9 

"This Labrador school is now a recognized heritage structure, and its former students are nostalgic" New CBC article on the Indian Cove School Designation

CBC NL's Jessica Singer has published an article on the designation of the Indian Cove School, highlighting several former students' memories of the building.

Indian Cove School

You can read the full article here: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/indian-cove-school-labrador-1.7102073

Heritage NL Designates Three New Registered Heritage Structures

Photos of new Registered Heritage Structures. From Left to Right: Indian Cove School, Labrador; Cable Superintendent’s House in Heart's Content; and the Ross Property in Burin (photo courtesy of Russell Lynch).

Three historic properties in Burin, Indian Cove, and Heart’s Content have been awarded a heritage designation by Heritage NL. The designations include a one-room school, Anglo-American Telegraph Company housing, and a family home. 

The Indian Cove One Room School, constructed around 1940, provided a space for education for Indigenous and settler children until the community was resettled to nearby Mary’s Harbour in the late 1950s. Located by the waterfront in the center of the fishing village of Indian Cove, this one-story school building has remained primarily unchanged since construction. The school includes several pieces of original furniture, including wooden pews, chairs and desks, and a slate chalkboard. In recent years, the Indian Cove One Room School has become a community space again, hosting weddings and celebrations of life, and is located along a Battle Harbour Trust walking trail. Learn more from our website: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/indian-cove-school-registered-heritage-structure/

The Cable Superintendent’s House is located on Parish Hall Hill in the Heart’s Content designated Heritage District. Constructed between 1881 and 1883 as housing for the Anglo-American Telegraph Company Superintendents, the house was designed by J.T. Southcott in the Second Empire style with a mansard roof and dormer windows. The Cable Superintendent’s House is part of the transatlantic cable history of Heart’s Content, including the Heart’s Content Cable Station Provincial Historic Site, which is currently being considered for UNESCO World Heritage Status. Learn more here: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/cable-superintendents-house-registered-heritage-structure/

The Ross Property in Burin, also known as the “Red House,” is located off Little Burin Harbour and includes a family home, a small stage, and two outbuildings. Built circa 1888, the Ross house was constructed for George Ross and his wife, Charlotte Foote Ross, by her father, William Foote. George Ross was a blacksmith who operated a forge on the property from the mid-1890s to 1919, after which his son Charles took over following George Ross’s death. The Ross House is a 2.5-storey saltbox structure with a steep gable roof and central chimney. More information is available on our website: https://heritagenl.ca/heritage-property/ross-property-registered-heritage-structure/

“These properties reflect the varied history of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador as seen through built heritage,” says Dr. Lisa Daly, chair of Heritage NL. “Compared to the island, there are very few designated properties in Labrador, so we are pleased to designate the Indian Cove One Room School House as a built heritage that represents some of the complicated history of Indigenous and settler education in the province, and see its use as a community space. The Cable Superintendent’s House was built for Newfoundland’s role in transatlantic communications, keeping North America better connected to Europe. And the Ross Property was a blacksmith, a trade that was needed in every region to support fishing, farming, construction, and more. We are pleased to continue to work with the owners of heritage properties to continue to preserve the built heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

Heritage NL was established in 1984 to preserve one of the most visible dimensions of Newfoundland and Labrador culture - its architectural heritage. Heritage NL designates buildings and other structures as Registered Heritage Structures and may provide grants for the purpose of preservation and restoration of such structures.

Heritage Update January 2024: Presentations, plaques, photographs, and a ribbon cutting!

In the first edition of the Heritage Update for 2024:

• Heritage NL is the recipient of the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming for its Craft at Risk project; 
• updating property plaques for Registered Heritage Structures to include the stories of the women who lived there, with a note on Lambert and Johanna Greene House and Outbuildings, Tilting, Fogo Island; 
• Heritage NL visits the Eastport Peninsula to host scanning parties in Salvage and Eastport, to document, preserve and share old photographs for the communities; 
• looking back at Heritage NL’s Skills Training and Mentor-Apprentice Program, with a peek inside the heritage window workshop of Neil Hammond; 
• and the City of St. John's and Heritage NL cut the ribbon on the official reopening of the Bowring Park Cantilever Bridge. 

download the pdf here

Made in Canada: Sustainable Fibre Arts Conference 2024

 

The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, through the provincial Year of the Arts initiative, has the pleasure to announce the Made in Canada: Sustainable Fibre Arts Conference 2024. The Conference is taking place from September 19 to 23, 2024, in Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you would like additional information, please find the Conference’s website through the embedded link. 

Organizations can contact the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador directly if interested in becoming sponsors.

You are invited to the Humber Valley Thriving Regions workshop Jan 31

Heritage NL will be in Deer Lake on Wednesday, January 31, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM as part of the Harris Centre research project from Memorial, presenting on the Humber Valley Traditional Skills inventory. 

If you'd like to attend, it is free, with lunch provided, but you need to register in advance

Supporting Crafts at Risk during the Holiday Season.

 A great way to support Crafts at Risk this holiday season is to buy local! When it’s possible for you, consider heritage crafts for your next purchase or gift. 

Mile-a-minute quilt by Mary Elliott of Main Brook.

Many of our Mentors and Apprentices sell their work at a variety of locations both in person and online! Follow them on social media or reach out to inquire about purchasing a piece:


Websites:

Susan Furneaux - https://www.susanfurneaux.com/

Lori McCarthy - https://www.lorimccarthy.ca/

Sylvie Mitford - https://www.artemiswoven.com/

Charlotte Reid - https://yaycharlottestreet.wixsite.com/charst

Jennifer Morgan - https://jenniferleemorgan.ca/about/contact-me-and-links/

Ian Gillies - https://iangillies.ca/

Marnie Parsons - https://runningthegoat.com/marnie-parsons/

Abby Hann - https://www.puritysyruppress.com/shop


Instagram:

Megan Samms - @livetextiles

Jane Walker - @janevwalker

Stephanie Stoker- @sheaoli

Jessica McDonald - @my_wovenwords

Christian Dauble - @wovenlore

Morgaine Parnham - @treelinefinecraft

Dennis Flood - @artist_blacksmith

Sandi Yates - @sandiyates709

Neil Hammond - @hammondwoodwork


Facebook:

Chantelle Evans - Tautulle by Chantelle Evans

Nicole Travers - Blomidon Beadwork

Guy Barnable - Drangan Landscaping

Sarah MacAulay - Sarah MacAulay Art

Eileen Murphy - Baskets by Eileen

Tina White - NatureMinded


Etsy:

Erica Dawe - https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/EricaJaneDesign

Duncan and Katie Major - https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/walpurgispress


Work by mentors and apprentices can also be found at Great Caribou Studio & Cafe in Mary’s Harbour, Glen John Craft Shop in Conne River, or King’s Point Pottery in King’s Point. The Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quidi Vidi Artist Studios are also excellent locations to buy local craft. There are also many local craft fairs in the lead up to the holiday season.

Let us know your favourite place to shop for local craft!

You are invited to An Old Picture Night!

 

Thursday, November 23rd, 7:30 PM
Beaches Arts and Heritage Annex, Eastport

Are you interested in old pictures of Salvage and Eastport? Heritage NL is hosting an Old Picture Sharing Night on Thursday, November 23rd at the Beaches Arts and Heritage Annex in Eastport. Come see some old pictures from the Eastport Peninsula, followed by a brief presentation by the MUN Folklore department about their research in the area.

This event is free but does require attendees to pre-register. Follow the link here to pre-register: https://forms.gle/VyBZNtK1SfJn2hVP9

Organized in partnership with the

  Eastport Peninsula Arts and Heritage Society

 and Salvage Fishermans Museum

HERITAGE NL: LAUREATE OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL’S HISTORY AWARD

HERITAGE NL: LAUREATE OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL’S HISTORY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING

The Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming recognizes innovative programs or initiatives that encourage public engagement in Canadian history.

Heritage NL is receiving national recognition for its Craft At Risk project – an ambitious initiative to research, assess, and address the loss of traditional knowledge and craft in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Craft at Risk engaged more than 1,000 participants in fifty communities with the rich, cultural traditions of Newfoundland and Labrador. In total, the initiative has helped preserve more than twenty crafts, from bark tanning to komatik (sled) making to letterpress printing, revitalizing a wide range of traditions and skills.

The award will be presented by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, at an upcoming ceremony.

https://canadashistory.ca/awards/governor-general-s-history-awards/award-recipients/2023/craft-at-risk
 
To learn more about the Governor General’s History Awards and the 2023 recipients, visit CanadasHistory.ca/GGHA2023.

 

More information:

Claude-Sylvie Lemery
Communications Manager
514 433-3405
cs.lemery@gmail.com