As part of her residency, LeBlanc will sew hearts to hang in memory of the victims of residential schools in Canada.
(Fredericton) Karen LeBlanc will sew fabric hearts this week, as part of an ongoing project to honour Indigenous children who suffered in Canada’s residential schools, with the hope of having hundreds of hearts hanging widely around the city.
The hearts, each around 2 x 2.5 inches, will be made of various fabrics – from black with rainbow loops to orange to denim. “The hearts are hand-stitched with colourful embroidery floss with a running stitch, reminding me of the steps the children took, and the paths they walked during their short lives,” LeBlanc said. She has made approximately 50 hearts with the black and rainbow loop fabric so far, 40 of which are currently hanging from trees in the Fredericton Botanic Garden.
As part of her residency with the Fredericton Arts Alliance, LeBlanc will also be weaving a tapestry. The piece will be made of yarn and will feature a heart in its centre, connecting it thematically to the hanging hearts. She intends to work on the tapestry at home and in different public locations around Fredericton during her residency, which runs July 25-31.
LeBlanc’s residency will be shared with the community via the Fredericton Arts Alliance’s social media platforms and website.
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