Reflections not Resolutions

New Year's Day is a natural time for reviewing the past year and thinking ahead.  2018 was an interesting year.  In looking back at my tapestries, I was not as prolific as I wished but had some successes and lots of wonderful opportunities for inspiration.  My current inspiration is arising from reading Connie Lippert's book.

The following quote from Martha Stanley really resonated with me as it did with Connie. "Time working in the same technique is always well spent, it teaches me as I push it in newer directions, trying to get closer to the core of what it can really do.  Look carefully for the parts of weaving that are trying to choose you."

I have written previously about my inexplicable attraction to wedge weave.  This is part of my artist statement.

"Almost immediately, wedge weave captured my attention. This ancient Navajo technique allows the weaver to transcend the vertical warp and horizontal weft by weaving on the diagonal. The distortion of the selvedges and the ability to allow the colors and shapes to develop intuitively at the loom appeal to me. It is a departure from the structured grid of life. "

The two pieces from last year that brought the most satisfaction in the process and product were both wedge weave with hand dyed yarns.

A Joyful Noise

Night Chant

Even playing with natural dyes and wedge weave with less than satisfactory results is enjoyable and rich with lessons.

What's a Madder You?

This piece resulted from a natural dye class at SAFF with Jackie Ottino.  We dyed Cormo with madder using different modifiers.  This was a small sample for a larger piece that will never come to fruition.  What I had envisioned with bright reds and purple became muted pinks and lavender due to iron in the mountain water we used.  Also cormo is lovely for knitting and spinning but not for tapestry weaving, it is simply too soft.

2019, I am going to work on some larger pieces, using the Zeus.  First I will finish this.  Starting with a little unweaving.  

There will also be more of these in the next year.  2018 included a fun class with Ruth Manning and these characters resulted.

Won't You Be My Neighbor ?

An old fashion selfie taken with my young kiddos in a photo booth at Crabtree Valley mall shortly after our move to Cary.  The fortune from a cookie from lunch that day.

Weave on into 2019 with health and grace my friends!

Recombobulation Zone

My favorite thing in the world is taking tapestry classes.  It is the jammiest of my jam!  I kept stalking Ruth Manning's website to find her woven faces class.  Last May, I gave up waiting for Ruth to come south and signed up for her class at Lost Art Fiber Studio in Wisconsin.  I am so glad I did.

Last Thursday I flew into Milwaukee and drove to Waukesha.  It is a lovely little town on the Fox river.

Friday, we started class with looking at Ruth's work and enjoying freshly baked pumpkin scones and coffee Nancy lovingly provided.

Ruth's work reflects a joy and vibrancy that I love and of course her use of wedge weave with traditional techniques drew me right in.

Ruth brought an amazing variety of colors and textures for us to work with and got us started on our woven faces.

She demonstrated various techniques and because the class was small, provided lots of personal attention.

Not having a drawing or art background, I had trouble with proportion.   The upper left pic shows my fellow with way to much girth, he would have looked like the incredible hulk.  In the bottom pic, the little bit of arm gives more definition to the body.  A helpful suggestion from a classmate.

Day three, the scones were orange and almond and the coffee was plentiful.   We worked on our eyes and hair.  Such delightful characters showed up!

I love this sign just past the screening checkpost at the Milwaukee airport!  I am home and so thankful to have had this opportunity.  Ruth is a knowledgeable and generous teacher and Nancy Wilson a terrific host.  The other students were so much fun, who knew Wisconsin people are so nice.

A Strand, A Shape, A Story

Tapestry Weavers South new show will open January 20th at The Folk Art Center.  Dear hubs and I took a road trip Friday, January 5th and delivered these two pieces for exhibition.

Beauty and the Break and Rust and Ruin.

I blogged previously about Beauty and the Break here.  Rust and Ruin is my ode to 2017.

I attached this page to the back of each submitted tapestry.

As it explains, 2017 was a year of fits and starts and this tapestry reflects that.

C. Cactus Flower Loom warped at 10 ends per inch with 12/6 cotton seine twine.  Weft is linen,  wool, rayon and metallic yarns augmented with rusty bits from a friend's farm in Meadow, NC.

Last year's challenges included sudden hearing loss and some dizziness diagnosed as Meniere's Disease.  Many discussions with physicians about my fluctuating hearing loss and the efficacy of hearing aids.  

When I wanted to do a self portrait, it made sense to title it "Say What"

My self portrait.  "Say What".

 My drawing skills are crappy  rudimentary at best.  This is my first attempt at weaving a face and was great fun.  I used unsewn slits for the ears to  illustrate my hearing loss.  I do love a chunky necklace and had to add one.

Ruth Manning is a wonderful tapestry artist who does portraits with wedge weave backgrounds.  I am so inspired by her work and how she captures facial expressions and personalities. I so hope to take a workshop with her someday.

Dear hubs pointed out that my self portrait wasn't smiling.  I think that is appropriate.  It has been a time of reflection, pulling back, and seeking new ways to live a little more "quietly" and deeply.