Adorning a scarf is like wrapping myself in comforting memories that make me feel held. Always loving, wearing and coveting my mother’s silk scarves as a young child, I watch my daughter repeating the circle now with my own.
I sat down with two scarves to write this.
One gifted from talented throat singer — Riit, who came to our home to make a record with my husband, having traveled to Toronto from her home in Pangnirtung, Nunavut. When meeting me, as a special gift and gesture, she gave me a gorgeous scarf with an image The Enchanted Owl by Nunavut artist Kenojuak Ashevak.
The other scarf was received when meeting Michiru, my long time childhood pen-pal from Kyoto, Japan for the first (and only) time. She visited Toronto as a grown up, and brought me the gift of a beautiful, elegant scarf from her home in Japan.
I cherish, appreciate, and wear these scarves to this day. To me they are a protection, an accessory, a force field, a gesture, a message of individuality, a meaningful gift.
Julie Fader is a Toronto based painter and musician. After many years of touring the world, playing and performing in bands, she is dedicated to following her life long love of painting. Julie Fader has a creative process that embraces freedom and spontaneity, by allowing both emotion and improvisation to guide the design of her work.