U,V,W
Dori Vanderheyden
“As I work to make an image of pain appear I want to be reminded that I am both part of the cause for that pain and the solution to dismantling the systemic inequity that caused in the first place.”
Paulina Valenzuela
“Las flores son calma, vida,simpleza y amor gratuito.”
Saskia van Kampen
“My brother is a historian and we have a tradition of getting together to watch war movies. The image I chose reminds me of this tradition with my brother. I also chose this image because it is so out of context, in terms of what I associate with redwork and embroidery. Stitching this image was reflective for me on the horrors of war.”
Anne van Wyk
“This image caught my attention because I grew up on a farm and it reminded me of good memories and family ties.”
Anne van Wyk
Anne van Wyk
Paula van Wyk
“My father was born and raised in Eindhoven, Holland (The Netherlands) to a father who was Dutch and a mother who was German. Along with his parents and a multitude of siblings, my father lived in Europe during WWII; shortly after which, they immigrated to Canada. I have heard many stories about what the war was like from his perspective. I also do not anticipate many individuals to willing choose to an image of Hitler to embroider. I actually took time to reflect on whether this was an "ok" choice as I did not want to be perceived as being offensive in making this choice. Rather, Hitler does have a place in history - a story that needs to be told, even if it is one of a cautionary tale. Also, the decisions Hitler made had an impact on my family, and that of many others.”
Kathleen Vaughn
“I chose this image since it suggests the power of non-aggressive confrontation, and features a young woman as the protagonist of an action that aims to bring people together rather than wedge them apart. I admire her courage and conviction. I wanted to celebrate an image that does not position a BIPOC person as a victim but that shows their capacity, courage and strength, especially in the face of demonstrations of systemic racism. This image reminds me of the ones of the lone protester facing a tank and soldiers at Tianamnen Square, and of a Vietnam War protester putting a flower in the barrel of US Home Guard soldiers' guns. As a Caucasian Canadian, I feel that by embroidering this image that showcases a young Black woman's strength, I can demonstrate my wish to be a good ally to the people of colour in Canada, the US and elsewhere immediately affected by anti-Black violence.”
Kathleen Vaughan
Velta Vikmanis
Angela Walcott
“The Black Lives Matter movement has raised global awareness of wrongs within the system. Barriers have been broken and chronicling the progress they have made over the years through art is my way of thanking and honoring the struggles that they have overcome and the sacrifices they have made in order to make way for improvements in those Black lives who are most impacted.”
Mélina Watters
Susan Wood
“I have had the privilege of meeting and working with women throughout my career as a social worker. Far too many women suffer the trauma of rape. The act of rape inflicts psychological damage and emotional scars that remain for life.”
Jennifer Wilcox
Jane Wild
“As a child I loved the Noah's Ark story and wondered why the tigers didn't eat the lambs, or the snakes swallow all the eggs. Maybe they knew the future of the world depended on them co-existing and all surviving. I think of Noah's Ark as a metaphor for the world. All of earthly life is floating in this cradle sailing through space. We have no option but to get along, because stepping out means not only our death, but the loss of entire species.”
Jane Wild
“The ominous message indicates that all is not well. The image is of a pair of animals, complementing my first embroidery, Noah's Ark. Certainly rats would have been on that Ark. The cage with a morsel of food offers temptation, but it's a trap promising certain ruin. Rats are always maligned in history as symbols of evil, blamed for disease. BEWARE! Are we to beware of the Rats? or are they to beware of our traps? Or both?”
Sarah Wildey-Richmond
“This is obviously a large issue, again, in the wake of the Chauvin trial and all the people of color who lost their lives at the hands of the police during the trial. This image is just so beautiful and moving to me.”
Sarah Wildey-Richmond
“The contrast of veiled women vs the act of shooting guns is a beautifully stark image, but I also think it shows the empowerment of women. The prisoner image shows the brutality and lack of humanity given to prisoners, and something I think more people need to be aware of, regardless of personal feelings or political stance with prisoners of war.”
Sarah Wildey-Richmond
Emoke Wilson
“Walking … to de-stress! A person can notice so much more of the details of life while walking rather than whizzing by things in a car.”
Carolyn Wren
Szaky Wu
Szaky Wu