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Waters That Weave Through The City — a textile weaving by Ebru Winegard depicting Toronto's waterways

Waters That Weave Through The City

This weaving reflects the hidden and visible waters of Toronto and its rivers, creeks, brooks, ponds, and quiet channels that shape the city beneath our footsteps. Each thread follows the movement of water: crossing, meeting, and separating, like the paths these waterways trace through neighborhoods and memories.

Using soft fibers and layered textures, the piece invites a slower way of seeing the city, one that listens to its natural rhythms rather than its concrete edges.

The work honors water as a connector of histories, communities, and ecologies, reminding us that even in urban spaces, we live within a living watershed.

The Making

From warp threads to woven waterways — a look at how the piece came to life on the loom.

Loom with warp threads set up over waterway map drawing
Setting the warp — the waterway map guides the weaving's structure
Early stages of the weaving showing colorful fibers being woven
First passes — water channels begin to emerge in thread
Close-up detail of the weaving showing texture and color
Layered textures — soft fibers meet bold color to map the watershed
The weaving taking shape on the loom, showing the full composition
Taking shape — the full composition emerges on the loom
Weaving In Motion

Watch the threads come together in short clips from the studio capturing the weaving process.

"Each thread follows the movement of water: crossing, meeting, and separating."
— Ebru Winegard
Ebru Winegard
About the Artist

Ebru Winegard

Ebru is a graphic designer, visual artist, filmmaker, and art educator. She presented a solo exhibition at the 2024 Contact Photography Festival and has participated in over 30 national and international group exhibitions and festivals. Her short film HandMade Paper Font has been screened in Germany, England, Bosnia, USA, and Canada. It was an Audience Choice Award finalist at the UNCG International Sustainability Shorts Film Competition.

In 2020, her design for Creative Mornings Toronto won the CMTO virtual background design contest. She has recently earned the Ontario Culture Days 2024 "Spotlight People's Choice Award".

Ebru's art is rooted in her family's creative heritage, with members skilled in painting, music, and crafts. Her works are inspired by culture, nature, and community. Since migrating to Canada in 2018, Ebru has participated in and created numerous projects. Her latest endeavors are curating @the_art_of_being_canadian and @trace.of.craft.

Please see more about Ebru on her Instagram page.