Canadian Society of Decorative Arts

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Canadian Society of Decorative Arts

A non-profit organization working to promote decorative arts and design in Canada The CSDA publishes Ornamentum twice a year.

The Canadian Society of Decorative Arts/Cercle Canadien des arts décoratifs was founded in 1980 with the generous support of the Macdonald Stewart Foundation. Governed by a president, vice-president, secretariat and council of members from each province, the CSDA/CCAD is a national non-profit organization whose revenues are generated through membership ad special development initiatives. The CSDA

provides opportunities for members to communicate with other individuals and organizations involved in the decorative arts and related fields. Through local and national events, including behind-the-scene visits, customised tours and private receptions, members have opportunities to learn, see important work and to meet other decorative arts enthusiasts. It is the only magazine devoted to exploring the large spectrum of decorative arts in Canada, highlighting creative design and craftsmanship in both historical and contemporary work. Written for a broad readership, Ornamentum appeals to a diverse range of engaged readers, including curators, librarians, gallery owners, art consultants, educators, collectors and the general public. For more information on programming, visit: http://csda-ccad.org

08/20/2026

CSDA + Gardiner Museum - Crafting Workshop at the CNE!

Join CSDA/CCAD and the Gardiner Museum on Friday, August 28th. Visit our booth at the CNE Arts, Crafts & Hobbies Pavillion and make your own hand-sculpted cow out of clay!

Practice modeling, texturing, and other hand-building techniques as you use air-dry clay to create a miniature cow, inspired by the Gardiner Museum’s collection and the CNE’s agricultural history.

Visitors of all ages can drop in to participate in this hands-on workshop. No registration or experience is necessary. Bring a friend or the whole family!

🐂 Joe Fafard (1942-2019), Lying Down Cow, Ceramic with acrylic paint, G16.14.1. Image Courtesy: Gardiner Museum.

🐂 Sculpted cow. Image Courtesy: Gardiner Museum.

08/12/2026

Get your tickets for the 2026 Marian Bradshaw Lecture TODAY!

Canadian Quilts and Their Makers presented by Lisa Binkley

For centuries in what is now known as Canada, quilts have kept us warm at night and served as vehicles for makers to express their creativity. Drawing on her new book, Canadian Quilts and Their Makers: Design, Material and Place in the Nineteenth Century, Lisa Binkley explores a range of quilt styles—from homespun and patchwork to elegant appliqué and whole-cloth work—to reveal the social, cultural, and economic experiences of their nineteenth-century makers and users.

EVENT INFO 📢
-September 26, 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm
-Arts & Letters Club, Toronto / virtual option

Learn more and register here: https://csda-ccad.org/Canadian-Quilts-and-Their-Makers

08/04/2026

Meet the Speaker 📢

Dr. Lisa Binkley is the presenter of the CSDA/CCAD's Marian Bradshaw Lecture "Canadian Quilts and Their Makers" on September 26th.

Registration is OPEN. Make sure to reserve your seat: https://csda-ccad.org/Canadian-Quilts-and-Their-Makers

Event Info
-September 26, 2026, 11:00am - 2:00pm ET
-Arts and Letters Club, Toronto
-Hybrid Event

Psst... keep an eye out for part 2 of Meet the Speaker!

📸 Cover of Lisa Binkley's Canadian Quilts and Their Makers: Design, Material, and Place in the Nineteenth Century published by University of British Columbia Press. Background image of Martha Gervais, Laura, and Emilie Bottineau, Bottineau Quilt, c. 1885-93. Cotton, velvet, satin, and wool, 70-78 in. Made at Red Falls Lake, Minnesota. Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society.

📸 Lisa Binkley. Photo Courtesy: Dalhousie University. Background image of Anne Little Bell and Elizabeth Bell Davidson, Fallowfield Quilt, c. 1820-48. Wool on linen and cotton., 199.4 x 177.8 cm. Queen’s University, Agnes Etherington Art Centre, Kingston, ON, Heritage Quilt Collection, Q83-001.

07/28/2026

Your month = your decorative arts object 🗓

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All selected from previous recommendations in The Newsletter! Catch up on our most recent issue: https://csda-ccad.org/Newsletter

07/23/2026

The 2025 John Fleming Award-winning article "Threads of Resistance: Quilting Freedom Along the Underground Railroad" by Alyssa Nolan is now available to read online 🔍

The John Fleming Award in Decorative Arts Writing is an annual, $1,000 juried award recognizing an exceptional example of original magazine writing on decorative arts in Canada.

Access the article here: https://www.ornamentum.ca/post/threads-of-resistance-quilting-freedom-underground-railroad

🧶 Log Cabin quilt pattern. United States, c. 1870-1880. Image Courtesy: LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

🧶 Sharon Tindall, Underground Railroad Quilt, Colorful, 2008. Cotton, 223.5 x 177.8 cm. Photo Credit: Sharon Tindall.

🧶 Heather Cromwell (quilt top) and Mary MacLean (quilt), design by David Woods, Betty Hartley #1, 2012. Pieced, appliquéd, and hand stitched, 175 × 221 cm. Photo Credit: Black Artists Network of Nova Scotia.

🧶 Hidden in Plain View by Jacqueline L. Tobin and Raymond G. Dobard. Penguin Random House, 2000. ISBN 0385497679.

07/16/2026

It all began with the gift of an antique rebus plate...

This is a snippet from Dr. Jennifer E. Salahub's fascinating talk 'Pictorial Puns: Rebus Plates for Our Times'.

A little bit about the presentation: Rebuses have historically served as a fascinating blend of art and linguistic puzzles, providing entertainment and intellectual engagement. Dr. Salahub discusses the Alberta Craft Council's 2025 exhibition 'Rebus Plates for Our Times' where Calgary artist Mireille Perron, inspired by an antique plate, set out to reimagine the rebus tradition.

CSDA/CCAD members! Don't forget that you have access to the full recordings of our lectures in our member portal 🔓

07/08/2026

A new hidden gem has been found at the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies 💎

Go to https://csda-ccad.org/Newsletter to see our summer issue!

Our Hidden Gems series is part of The Newsletter, our quarterly electronic publication. The series shows one outstanding piece from a Canadian museum, archive, or collection, paired with insider knowledge. 🔍

07/03/2026

Big goals need passionate leaders. ✨ Hear from Vincent Lao, Manager of FP&A at Lumine Group:

"As Treasurer, I love combining my appreciation for material culture with my passion for financial stewardship. Staying behind the scenes to ensure the financial health of the CSDA/CCAD allows us to continue celebrating Canada’s rich design history, supporting incredible creators, and publishing Ornamentum. It's incredibly rewarding to know that sound financial foundations help keep our vibrant cultural community thriving."

Ready to step up? Join CSDA/CCAD's Board of Directors. Where our ongoing mission is to support the work of artists, creators, and cultural professionals. Expressions of interest should be received no later than July 15th!

Reach out to us at [email protected] to learn how you can guide the future of our organization.

06/30/2026

JUST PUBLISHED - The Newsletter, Summer Edition

We have the scoop on the latest decorative arts and design news for an art-filled sunny season. 🍧🍦

📸 Jolie Ngo, Table Lamp in Cherry Blossoms and Himalayan Salt, 2025. Image Courtesy: Gardiner Museum.

📸 Cheyenne Rain LeGrande ᑭᒥᐘᐣ, Misi-mîkisak, 2026. Fibreglass. Image Courtesy: Edmonton Arts Council.

📸 Lynne D. DiStefano and Dan Schneider, The Ontario Cottage, 2025. Image Courtesy: Figure 1 Publishing.

📸 Installation view of Always In Fashion. Curated by Amber-Dawn Bear Robe for the Textile Museum of Canada. Photo by Darren Rigo.

📸 Medium Dior Book Tote with Strap. Image Courtesy: Dior.

Check your inbox or head over to https://csda-ccad.org/Newsletter and peruse Summer 2026

Address

Toronto, ON

Telephone

+16472496280

Website

http://csda-ccad.org/, https://www.ornamentum.ca/

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