Thursday, February 27, 2014

February Blahs

Double weave log cabin Lemieux blanket woven by Darlene Haywood. It felt luxuriously soft after washed and brushed. A beautiful job that took several months to create. The pattern was taken from Handwoven January/February 2012, 

Do you feel the  stresses of your everyday life are getting to you these days? Do you feel that negativity and aggression are wearing you down? Its that time of year when we fall prey to the rigourous hardships of the winter, and this winter has been especially punishing. Our positive feelings seem to erode, our negative   ones may come to the surface, or we may be easily discouraged. Compounded with this are the hardships of life that constantly seem to bombard us...whether it be friends and/or family member who are facing serious health issues or have recently passed away. With this in mind, its especially important to be extra kind and compassionate, practice random acts of kindness and perhaps at the weaving class we can consider playing it forward to get us through the remaining inhospitable temperatures. So next week, when you come in to weave, be prepared to be extra kind, extra nice, extra patient, extra understanding. Bring a gift to give to someone else. We'll bring all our gifts together, and draw for them. We can then trade them with each other.  'Play it Forward'.

For me when I'm feeling this way I think of weaving as a retreat. A place to find inner peace and calm, and shelter from the storm that life can sometimes be. My eyes alight anew with excitement and inspiration when I see the colours of the yarn, which seem to arouse my joy once again, or touch the fibres that seem to soothe frayed nerves. This is something that we don't want to relinquish easily once we have found this place in our weaving practice, regardless of the many technical challenges a weaving project may present at the outset. We have all come to see weaving (and our weaving class)  as a sanctuary, and I hope we can keep it that way, despite increasing challenges and demands that may create tensions.

WEAVING RESOURCES, EXHIBITIONS, LINKS
Woven Shibori, Woven pleating and crimping and Jacquard Weaving in Florence. Spring summer one week workshops being offered through the Toronto Weaving School. Contact Line Dufour for more info: tapestryline@sympatico.ca.

Conrad Dueck sends this educational weaving link: http://www.weavezine.com/audio

Here is a review I wrote on the Digital Jacquard Design book by Julie Holyoke: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1970F2QMDDD3Q

Click on the this link to see who from the weaving classes is featured on the Toronto District School Board Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TDSBLearn4Life. Tina Patsourakos, Office Assistant for the
Toronto District School Board Continuing & International Education Marketing & Communications, came by to pay us a visit and check us out. 

A Thousand Threads: a story told in textiles http://www.textile-forum-blog.org/?p=992 The exhibition, taking place from 23 November 2013 to 1 June 2014, is the result of a collaboration between Lillehammer Art Museum and Maihaugen (Open Air Museum in Norway) on a presentation of textiles past and present. 

Interested in Shibori and other courses in China ? go to this link: http://shop.slowfiberstudios.com/collections/events

Textile conference in Europe:The 17th ETN (European Textile Network) Conference during the 2015 tulip flowering season in Holland
Rijksmuseum Volkenkunde (ethnographic museum) in the old town of Leiden
16th and 17th May Conference http://www.textile-forum-blog.org/?p=980

and lastly, someone secretly placed a ROM magazine in my briefcase while I was in the weaving class. They opened it so that I would notice that the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum)  is having an exhibition featuring akotifahana from the Madagascar region. A wonderful article entitled "Chasing Silk: A search for meaning and memory in Madagascar's illustrious textiles"  by Sarah Fee will enlighten you. 

Thursday, February 20, 2014

10 Weaving Lessons

My place in the weaving class is of course to teach weaving. But often registrants in the class have lessons that I take from them. This week the lesson that  stood out was that we're never too experienced (or conversely inexperienced) - lesson #1 . We're always  learning new things, reviewing old lessons, revisiting previous knowledge that might not be that helpful and replace it with new practices that deepen and enrich our weaving experienced. Judite Vagners for instance, has been weaving probably for 40 years now at least. She is as productive as ever, out producing many a younger person. She continues to take whatever opportunity she can to increase her expertise, technique, and practice. Another way you can do that is take obtain your certificate course in weaving (and/or spinning) from the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners. 

What do good weavers do? Lesson #2 - keep an open mind.  Lesson 3 - They are not embarrassed to make a mistake, be confused, or consider another weaver's take on things. We admit to failures, disasters, and share our successes. A good weaver tests and retests their hypothesis, their conclusions, their assumptions as they might check and re-check their threading.  Lesson 4Sample, sample, sample. In both pictures above, Susan Abrams decided to sample a page taken from the Handweavers Pattern Directory to see what the results would be like. The results for Susan will be different for each us as we all have slightly different weaving technique. 

Marion Kirkwood too has recently undertaken to sample, something she willingly admitted she hardly ever does. Most weavers don't and don't want to....because of course, we just want to get weaving our project! Above, Marion's just completed throw in Lemieux 2 ply yarn. 

Last week I took a sick day that coincided with the snow storm. That day, I sat at the loom and it had been awhile since I had had the time in the studio. That is to say, Lesson 5uninterrupted time to concentrate on weaving. What a gift it was. It settled and focused the mind.  In the photo above of the blue and green shawl, Karen Bota also demonstrated exemplary weaving practice. This is her first weaving project after her sample. The 2/8 bamboo shawl , using a pattern from the Handweavers Pattern Directory on page 61. The project had many threading challenges for Karen, but she persevered. Good weaving practice ...... Lesson 6don't back down when the going get tough in a project and to see it through

Runners by Judite Vagner
taken from Harriet Tidball's Canadian Weavers Guild Christmas Bulletin sample. The sample was meant to be a snowflake for a Christmas card and Judite repeated the motif to create the runners. And that brings me to .....
KNITTERS LOOM CORNER
Lesson 7 -   learn about unfamiliar weaving equipment and techniques. The nice thing about the knitters loom is that it allows for spontaneity and doesn't require as much planning. That too is important in our weaving practice. It enhances creativity and increases joy! 
Arlene Williams first project on her newly acquired knitters loom. She created the scarf to go with a hat she made for her mother. 


Karen Bota, sock yarn scarf

Carole Hibbert just bought a 28" knitters loom from me. She also bought a stand to attach it to. Perfect if you don't have any table space at home. It was super easy to assemble and disassemble. 

Lesson 8 - be helpful and supportive of others in their weaving forays, learning and experimentation. 
FATE, DESTINY AND SELF DETERMINATION : an international tapestry project
left to right: Bambi Rutledge, Tina Patsourakos and Christine Shipley . Below, Jutta Polomski help out with the finishing for the international tapestry project, Fate, Destiny and Self Determination.  You don't have to be a tapestry weaver to help and be included as one of the makers of the project!


 lesson 9 - take weaving workshops from as many different people you can. Each person has a wealth of experience, practice and knowledge and even if you know a lot, there is always something to be gained from another weaver. Plus, it's a great way to make new friends!

June Weaving Workshops

WOVEN SHIBORI June 2-6 2014 (5 days) $350 Burr House, Richmond Hill, On
Instructor: Kathleen Morris http://www.kathleen-morris.com/

Kathleen Morris is a Toronto-based designer/maker and educator working in the field of textiles. Her work has been exhibited at Prime Gallery, the OCC Gallery, David Kaye Gallery, the Guild Shop, and Craftworks. Her retail line of woven, resist-dye fabrics have been the mainstay of her textile production as have both publicly and privately commissioned works. Her public commissions include projects for Toronto's Metro Hall and Ontario's Expo pavillion. Her private commissions include innumerable film and theatrical assignments. Kathleen is an instructor in the Fibre program at OCAD University, recently completing her Masters, as well as an artist-educator in the Toronto District School Board. Materials must be purchased from the instructor. A 4 shaft or 8 shaft loom is required. Warps will be prepared in the workshop. Contact: Line Dufour tapestryline@sympatico.ca
Deadline to reserve: April 30, 2014

CRIMP AND CREATE June 10-12 2014 (3 days) $350 Burr House, Richmond Hill On
Instructor: Diane Totten  http://diannetottenhandwovens.com/
 This is an on-loom workshop taking fiber in a new direction by creating “crimp cloth.” Using a variation of woven shibori for both warp and weft, learn to create fabric with permanently crimped designs that hold their memory even when washed.  Participants will draft, weave, and crimp their samples in class to discover the endless possibilities. Learn how the fabric can be used for entire garments as well as for permanent pleating to replace knitted ribbing for a sweater or to add a knit look to the collar area of a jacket. Sewing tips for using this amazing cloth will be included.  No dyeing involved.   Skill level: Advanced beginner and beyond. Equipment required:
4 to 8 shaft loom 
Contact: Line Dufour tapestryline@sympatico.ca
Deadline to reserve: April 30, 2014


FONDAZIONE ARTE DELA SETA LISIO, Florence Italy June 23-27 2014
Instructor: Eva Basile - Intro to Jacquard Textiles
Explanations and examples of what damask, double cord damasks, brocaded damasks,  lampas, double cloth, (figured) velvets, brocades, brocatelle, taffeta, satin, samite, diaper and other luxury fabrics, analysis of fabrics, learning the European notation system for drafts, introduction to using manual jacquard looms and sampling existing patterns, Studying the textiles depicted in paintings of the Renaissance found at the Uffizi and other museums and galleries in Florence such as the  Costume museum, and the Museum of Textiles in Prato. 

Lisio has designed and executed fabrics for the Vatican, movies such as the Agony and the Ecstasy with Charles Heston and Rex Harrison, The Taming of the Shrew with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton and has created designs for Fendi among many other designers such as Versace. They continue to collaborate with universities, musuems and art galleries all over the world in doing research and consultation. The course is $1500.  Students must arrange for and pay for their own transportation. Accommodation is included in the price.  Meals are an additional cost. To register or reserve your spot contact Line Dufour at tapestryline@sympatico.ca. A limit of 6 people will be admitted and the first six people to send a $250 deposit (non refundable) will ensure their participation in this very special opportunity. Some knowledge of weaving is required. Deadline to reserve: May 1 2014

Lesson 10 - go to weaving conferences when you can! They happen all over the world. 

Friday, February 14, 2014

Art Weaving Feast for Winter Weary Eyes


Yesterday I broke from my usual blogging and office work routine to head into the city (Toronto) - 75 km from where I live - to meet up with a friend, have lunch and then some exhibitions that included woven items. Before I share that with you, a reminder that it is not too late to see Nieves Carresco's exhibition at the David Kaye Gallery (http://www.davidkayegallery.com/). Nieves, architect by training with a textile background, has created beautifully and intricately woven fine strips of washi paper that she has painted on with ink (image shown above).
Imperial Floods, assorted synthetic and natural fibres. Tim Manalo. 

Our first stop was the Gladstone Hotel on Queen St West (http://www.gladstonehotel.com/, where we viewed the exhibition Hardtwist. You'll have to go to the third and fourth floors to see this interesting and thought provoking exhibition.Since there is so much available in terms of promoting other textile arts and crafts, I focused only on presenting what incorporated weaving.
Safe Keeping (Five Journals 1993-2013. Amy Bagshaw.
Some people of a certain generation and training may not find many of these pieces aesthetically pleasing, perhaps its because it is not their raison d'etre.  Instead the works presented  gave one much food for thought and provoked discussion, sometimes heated. 
Talking to Myself. woven woodcut print on paper. Ann Devitt. www.anndevitt.ca

Drawing/Weaving. Colleen McCarten. www.colleenmccarten.com. 
The piece on the left is woven in tabby, the roll of parchment on the right, is a very detailed drawing of weaving structure. I wondered to myself, is it asking that weaving be considered with the same respect and reverence as art or even architectural drafting. 
Marie Pierre Daigle. Mycelium. www.mpdaigle.com
"Mycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelium are found in and on soil and many other substrates. A typical single spore germinates into a homokaryotic mycelium, which cannot reproduce sexually; when two compatible homokaryotic mycelia join and form a dikaryotic mycelium, that mycelium may form fruiting bodies such as mushrooms. A mycelium may be minute, forming a colony that is too small to see, or it may be extensive:
Is this the largest organism in the world? This 2,400-acre (9.7 km2) site in eastern Oregon had a contiguous growth of mycelium before logging roads cut through it.Estimated at 1,665 football fields in size and 2,200 years old, this one fungus has killed the forest above it several times over, and in so doing has built deeper soil layers that allow the growth of ever-larger stands of trees. Mushroom-forming forest fungi are unique in that their mycelial mats can achieve such massive proportions.
—Paul Stamets, Mycelium Running[1]
It is through the mycelium that a fungus absorbs nutrients from its environment. It does this in a two-stage process. First, the hyphae secrete enzymes onto or into the food source, which break down biological polymers into smaller units such as monomers. These monomers are then absorbed into the mycelium by facilitated diffusion and active transport.
Mycelium is vital in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems for their role in the decomposition of plant material. They contribute to the organic fraction of soil, and their growth releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. The mycelium of mycorrhizal fungi increases the efficiency of water and nutrient absorption of most plants and confers resistance to some plant pathogens. Mycelium is an important food source for many soil invertebrates.
One of the primary roles of fungi in an ecosystem is to decompose organic compounds. Petroleum products and pesticides, typical soil contaminants, are organic molecules, i.e. they are built on a carbon structure. This means that these substances present a potential carbon source for fungi. Hence, fungi have the potential to remove such pollutants from the soil environment, unless the chemicals prove toxic to the fungus. This biological degradation is a process known as bioremediation." Wikipedia
Joanna Schleimer. Slip. Hand woven silk. 
This piece was very finely woven, like a transparency technique. Joanna placed the weaving about an inch or 2 away from the base from the frame, so that when the light shone on it, it created a secondary shadow effect in the background. An enchanting and highly skilled piece of weaving and art. Here is a link to her website where you will see more mesmerizing work. http://joannaschleimer.com/

detail of Slip by Joanna Schleimer

Houpil 0102, by Hot Pop and Ozana Gherman. Two pieces were displayed side by side, both referencing back strap weaving though they were not technically woven on a backstrap loom. In the image below, you can read the specifics of this project.

Our last stop was at the Ontario Craft Council gallery at 990 Queen Street West to see the hand & MACHINE exhibition. Here too they had some interesting objects that referenced weaving technically and incorporated contemporary technological weaving approaches. Hot Pop does digital 3d printing http://www.hotpopfactory.com/index.html. Here's a little more info about Ozana - http://www.slideshare.net/ozanagherman. In the image below, you can read in more detail about what this piece is about.
The Ontario Craft Council has a new website to reflect it's new image and mandate http://craftontario.com. You may want to join when you see how they will assist you in marketing your work.

Weaving exhibitions, resources, information
Ted Hallman, once a teacher at OCADU, (and one of my instructors) is having an exhibition in Pennsylvania. Click on this link http://mhep.org/exhibits/ then click on the Hallman Legacy. 

Jenny Gilbert sends along this interesting link featuring weaving as art - both fabric and tapestry woven simple techniques. http://www.new-friends.us/

Inga Tomas sends this link along featuring her work: http://ingi.smugmug.com/WEAVING/n-JVbsp/i-QgWMkKd. She also highly recommends this book: 
Marilyn Hotta has a 60" loom for sale. Go to this link to find out more: http://toronto.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-hobbies-crafts-Leclerc-60-Colonial-Loom-W0QQAdIdZ548194621