Weaverly

A Gallery Talk and a Tapestry Decision

This past Tuesday I gave a short gallery talk about some of my work at GCCA. I started out with my usual 30-second definition of weaving and went on from there. Here's a picture Bruce took while I was talking about the Lampas diaries. Why was I dragging my purse around? Only the queen and I know for sure.

A little tapestry study I did last summer in a class taught by the wonderful Tommye Scanlin at Arrowmont has been languishing on my worktable. Yesterday I decided to finally mount and hang it. After I got it stitched to the background, I had to decide which way to orient it when putting the hanging hook on the back. I wove it in orientation #1, but as I turned it around and around, it was apparent that it might be better in another mode. Here are all four, in order from 1 to 4. I'm now thinking I like #4 the best. What do you think?

More Interleaving

A few more inches on the interleaved warp. The colors are startlingly different depending on the point of view of the photographer and the time of day.

Here is a view from the left, photographed in morning daylight.

And here's a view from the right, in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, I've thrown - almost literally - a new handspun warp onto the rigid heddle loom, and I'm weaving it with a simple pick-up pattern. It's great late afternoon weaving, just at the time of day when my energy level is lowest. In fact, I think I'll go make a cup of tea.

Recently finished reading Simon Winchester's "The Man Who Loved China." Highly recommended! Thanks, Teena, for the tip.

A Wednesday Miscellany

I've been meaning to show you this beautiful item I saw at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe a few weeks ago. It's a 19th century undergarment from People's Republic of China. This finely crafted garment is made of hundreds of tiny bamboo beads and cotton.

The description reads as follows: Male members of the Chinese emperor's court wore these bamboo mesh undershirts to create an absorbent layer between the courtier's skin and his many layers of silk under-robes during long ceremonies, especially during the heat of the summer.

I would have taken the opposite tack: I'd have worn it proudly as an outer garment, over a silk camisole. It's really an incredible piece of craftsmanship. Click to enlarge.

And now let me tell you about the newest piece of equipment in my studio: my electric shears! How did I ever get along without them? They are a boon for arthritic fingers. 

We now turn to the book department. Recently read: Canada, by Richard Ford (highly recommended); Lila: A Novel, by Marylynne Robinson (recommended, especially if you like Marylynne Robinson, which I do - it's the third piece of the Gilead trilogy); The Game Player, by Rafael Yglesias (didn't much care for this); and I Remember Nothing, by Nora Ephron (wonderful). It's amazing how much reading you can get done if the Internet and TV are out, as they were here for several days.

A Different Sky

Many thanks to all the friends who sent messages of concern during the events of Hurricane Florence. I was lucky; my corner of South Carolina was relatively unaffected by the storm and its aftermath. Others in North and South Carolina were not so fortunate and continue to suffer. 

A week and a half ago, when I felt reasonably sure that my studio would not be flooded, we set out on a trip that had been a long time in the planning. We went to northern New Mexico. We hiked among ancient ruins. We visited galleries. We ate good Southwestern food. We reveled in the bluest of blue skies.

Now I'm back. The mail is sorted. The laundry is done. 

Here's an invitation to the opening of a textile show in Greenville, SC, at the GCCA, the site of a former textile mill. My own work will be on display along with that of four other fiber artists. I will be showing jacquard work completed over the past several years. The opening reception is Friday, Oct. 5, from 6 - 9 pm. Y'all come!

Both Sides Now

This morning I was doing some paper work for an upcoming exhibition, and reviewed this piece:

 

This was supposed to be the right side, and I always viewed it that way, but as I turned it over and checked the label, I realized that I liked the "wrong" side much better.

As the structure is double plain weave, technically either side could be the right side, and the decision was made. In recent years I've hand stitched my labels to my jacquard pieces instead of fusing them, and it was easy enough to snip out the stitches and resew the label to the other side. Done!

The new right side:

The exhibition in question, a selection of my jacquard work since I acquired my TC-1, will open in October. You'll be the first to know. Check this space.

By Water and By Fire

The handspun yardage was cut off this morning, washed, and is hanging out to dry on the deck. 

It's all handspun wool and wool blends, both warp and weft. Plain weave.

That was the water part. Thursday we drove up to Asheville to celebrate an anniversary. 

Here are the rapeseed fields on the Biltmore estate. Rapeseed is the stuff they use to make canola oil, I learned. 

One of the gates near the main house.

Now for the fire part. We spent the evening viewing installations of Chihuly glass art on the Biltmore property. The strategically placed lighting enhanced the glass in a dramatic way, both outdoors and in. The next picture was just as the sun was going down.

Here's the only indoor installation.

My personal favorite was in one of the ponds, and the water added greatly to the effect with mysterious reflections.

Click here for more information about artist Dale Chihuly and for more information about Chihuly Nights at Biltmore, take a look here.

Extending the Edges

A recent email from the Penland School contained news about students' involvement with the precepts in Oblique Strategies, a set of flashcards developed by musician Brian Eno and artist Peter Schmidt. Creative suggestions in abundance. I was particularly struck by "Remove the middle, extend the edges" and incorporated it in my lampas diary for yesterday.

We've got lots of edges here these days. Constant change and it's all good. Most of the activity revolves around the kitchen, the smallest room in the house but the most fireworks.

And what have we here? A string of horses. Who would have guessed.

And then there is Maggie, not a high-energy girl, but good company nevertheless.

 

Craft and Narrative

From Alice's Journal of Quotations:

Craft and narrative trump concept. Abstraction is a sham.

Quotation attributed to Vivian Swift.

All lampas 24/7.

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Just finished reading Thomas Murphy by Roger Rosenblatt. Aging poet confronts life. Moving and hilarious. Read this book.

 

Backlit

Last night while watching the Olympics and spinning, with a very bright reading lamp in a very dark room, I noticed how this green wool roving was looking other-worldly with backlighting. 

And today we drove up the mountain to see the Tapestry Weavers South show at the Folk Art Center. Don't miss it! If you're anywhere within driving distance of Asheville NC, it's a must see. After looking at tapestries for an hour we walked in the woods. Picnic lunch. A lovely break in the weather. 

Then home to work on my own tapestry for a while, newly inspired. I will definitely be revisiting this show several times during its run (Jan. 22 through April 29).

Beginning Woodcut

An opportunity came my way to take a 2-day workshop with artist/teacher/printmaker Marty Epp-Carter, and even though it meant giving up SAFF for this year, I chanced a gamble. It was decidedly worth it! Saturday and Sunday were spent in the light-filled studios of Greenville Center for Creative Arts. We learned the basics of woodblock carving & printing. Saturday was mostly learning about the carving tools. We also began pulling prints.

Sunday: some carving, and more printing.

The time absolutely flew by. Marty's a wonderful teacher, very supportive & positive, but also gently directing to keep things on track. I enjoyed meeting her. I know this experience will impact my weaving in ways not yet revealed to me!