Report from Convergence 2: some juried shows

 If you've been to Convergence, you know that it is a feast for the eyes and the soul.  So much to see!  Do!  Learn!  People to meet!  It's wonderful and a tad overwhelming.  Adjacent meetings and exhibits of the American Tapestry Alliance, Complex Weavers and other groups before and after Handweavers Guild of America's Convergence add to the mix.  

In my last post, I shared the experimental small-format work of ATA's unjuried show Tiny but Mighty.  Today I'd like to share some of the standout work in some juried shows I saw in Knoxville.  I did not get to all juried shows, and my biggest disappointment is that I was unable to make it out to Maryville, TN to see the exhibit of tapestry by master weavers Jennifer Sargent, Tommye Scanlin and Pat Williams.  I heard it was fabulous.  

Sharing space with Tiny but Mighty at the Emporium Gallery was work by Complex Weavers.  These artists often work on 8 shafts or more, sometimes utilizing Jacquard looms, and also explore innovative materials and relief and 3-D effects.  The work that stood out for me often incorporated transparency, wire, and three dimensions in multiple layers.  It was dazzling and had me wondering for a brief, crazy moment if I should revisit shaft weaving.  Weavers know that it takes considerable time, effort and practice simply to master the basics of weaving traditional structures.  This work continues the modern tradition, going on 60 years now, of weaving with unusual materials in ways that explore the limits of woven structures to make a personal statement.

From Complex Weavers exhibit; Morphology I by Melanie Olde, 13.8 x 17.7 x 2.4", 
130 denier nylon monofilament; hand-dyed thread, handwoven, multi-layered, 24 shafts 

 Cascade, by Darilyn Bennett, 12.5 x 12 x 2", 24-gauge craft wire, handwoven 2/2 twill, ondulé with fan reed raised and lowered incrementally, 20 increments/contour, 4 shafts.  
Winner of Heddlecraft's More with Less Award.

detail, Cascade by Darilyn Bennett

Self Reflection in the Time of Covid by Molly McLaughlin.  36 x 24 x 2", various metallic threads, 40 gauge stainless steel wire.  Theo Moorman technique variation allowing slightly open weave in both warp and weft.  4 shafts.  

detail, Molly McLaughlin, Self Reflection in the Time of Covid. 

Robin Haller, Internal Combustion.  33 x 40 x .5", 10/2 cotton, 10/2 rayon.  
Handwoven, TC2 hand-jacquard loom

detail, Robin Haller, Internal Combustion

Su Butler, Tribute to Wm. Morris, 33 x 17.5 x 1/8", 16/2 cotton, silk/wool, linen. 
Handwoven Brocatelle, hand-painting, 50-shaft drawloom, 300 single units. 
Third Place Winner, Complex Weavers 

detail, Su Butler, Tribute to Wm. Morris

Two doors down from the Emporium was the UT Downtown gallery hosting HGA's juried Small Expressions show, for work in any fiber technique and smaller than 15" in any dimension.  This is an annual exhibit that travels for two years.  If you do small-format work, I urge you to enter!  For me, these pieces stood out.     

Al Canner, Hexapod, 15 x 15 x 4"; cotton, hemp and rayon cord, glass beads.  Knotting (macrame). 

Lydia Hall, Liminal Dwelling no. 2, 10 x 9 x 3"; steel wire.  

Rebecca Smith, Transformation.  12 x 8 x 5"; cotton, wool, mixed fibers,
coated copper wire, Japanese seed beads. 

Marcia Weiss, Intersection 1, 15 x 15 x 1"; linen, cotton; double-cloth warp ikat.

  

Ellen Ramsey, Seismic Shift (Tipping Point), 8 x 9"; wool, rayon, cotton and linen; handwoven tapestry

Kady Ambrose, Receipt Paper Basket, 13 x 7 x 9"; receipt paper, rattan, oak rim;
stake and strand basketry

With two notable exceptions, work in neutral tones seemed freshly eloquent to me.  Work that pushes into relief or three dimensions, work that recalls the forms and techniques of basketry but pushes beyond into sculpture, spoke with a strong presence. Ellen Ramsey's flat tapestry, Seismic Shift (Tipping Point), adopted a non-rectangular format that reinforced her concept.  Each of these works employed simple materials to make a strong, straightforward statement.  I will be pondering these thoughts as I move forward in my own work.  

My next report from Convergence will look at work in HGA's juried basketry exhibits from 2020 and 2022, the Leaders and Interns exhibit of 2022 Convergence instructors, and a few snaps from classes I taught and took.  

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