FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 16, 1998

Labour Council And Artist Laurie Swim Awarded Artist In The Workplace Grant

Kingston: Kingston and District Labour Council and artist Laurie Swim recently obtained a Grant from the Ontario Arts Development Program. The project entails making a street banner, which will hang across downtown Princess Street in recognition of April 28th the National Day of Mourning for workers injured or killed on the job. The two-sided banner will use the images of local people who have been injured or killed on the job and will be a co-operative effort with the Kingston and District Labour Council, Laurie Swim, and volunteers from our community.

Anyone interested in either providing their photograph, one of a family member or volunteering to help please contact Charlie Stock at (613) 549-6258. The pictures will be returned upon completion of the project.

This will be a community based project, as was Laurie’s previous work with the Kingston and District Labour Council, " Pulling Together ", The Builders of the Rideau In 1995. This fabric mural 7.5 foot; X 16 foot, now hangs in the Jeanne Mance Lobby of the Hotel Dieu Hospital. Pulling Together provided the theme for the successful 1997 United Way campaign serving Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.

Her latest work, The Heritage of York, story quilt, is to be unveiled on March 18 in Toronto. It is also a community built project, made possible through a Public Art Award from the City of York, to commemorate its amalgamation with Toronto in 1998.

Laurie Swim is an accomplished artist who has been working in fabric for the past 25 years. She is the author of two books: Quilting, 1990 and 1993; and The Joy of Quilting with an Introduction by Alex Colville, 1984 and 1986, as well as the CD-ROM, The Joy of Quilting. Both books were published in Canada, the United States, and Britain and the Commonwealth. Laurie and her family recently moved back to Toronto after living for nine years in Kingston.

For further information contact:

Charlie Stock at (613) 549-6258
Laurie Swim at (416) 652-0096