In September 2011, a beloved mother and grandmother passed away in Almonte at the age of 93. She left her family not only a legacy of love and caring, but also a rich body of work that will be shared with the public at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM) from August 3rd to October 19th.
Martha Moenig came to Canada in the early 1950s with her husband and son, bringing with her the education and skills that she had acquired growing up in Germany. She settled in Toronto, where she began to work on a freelance basis, designing and producing garments and specialty items. She was soon creating sweaters and cardigans for Toronto’s well-known Ada MacKenzie Ltd., one of the first stores in Canada to offer sportswear for women designed to be functional as well as fashionable.
The quality of Martha’s work became widely recognized and she was soon also designing and embellishing sweaters, handkerchiefs, tablecloths, pillows and other items for the fashion leaders of Toronto society.
The exhibit Biografika is a celebration of her life and the extraordinary and beautiful work that she created. It features drawings, artifacts, and photographs that shed light on the life of a talented young woman making her way in her newly adopted country.
A vernissage will be held Saturday, August 3rd from 2 to 4 p.m. The MVTM is located at 3 Rosamond St. E. in Almonte. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
