tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58105305699844839942024-03-19T03:17:51.803-06:00Molly Elkind : Talking Textilesthinking out loud : weaving, ideas, art & craftMolly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-86741039301800935622024-02-14T15:00:00.000-07:002024-02-14T15:00:43.524-07:00"Weaving is a modality"<p>Sometimes someone will make a statement that at the time is embedded in the seamless flow of conversation, and only later do you find yourself recalling it, mulling it over, trying to figure out what it means and what it means for you. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCpduSjckZJ1fAkkvfHQ30Mzuwb1ksEBJyyk4gpOSBDr6la4e9eRlp5eGdDVI9OrBuvsIh0DPpVSmAWofrxGNO1cllkpteIsCfUi99HgUMBcYwiNpb8xFcN80u_QSX3NgSZxKcvhu2HTLxtqLJae7i8tWpAd8h4jCxB63bFKLX4ojsV2OusDOGWiu6YA/s3024/IMG_8313.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2354" data-original-width="3024" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCpduSjckZJ1fAkkvfHQ30Mzuwb1ksEBJyyk4gpOSBDr6la4e9eRlp5eGdDVI9OrBuvsIh0DPpVSmAWofrxGNO1cllkpteIsCfUi99HgUMBcYwiNpb8xFcN80u_QSX3NgSZxKcvhu2HTLxtqLJae7i8tWpAd8h4jCxB63bFKLX4ojsV2OusDOGWiu6YA/w400-h311/IMG_8313.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, "The Wreck" (working title), nearly complete. One piece of three to be collaged together. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>This happened for me at the American Tapestry Alliance (ATA) board retreat a few years (!) ago, when I was serving as Director of Volunteers. In an intense weekend of hybrid in-person and Zoom meetings, we had wide-ranging discussions about the nature of contemporary tapestry and the direction of ATA that we were charged with planning.* During the discussion, <a href="https://www.johnpaulmorabito.com/" target="_blank">John Paul Morabito, </a>then as now Director at Large, stated something to the effect that tapestry is not a technique, but a "modality." John Paul elaborates a bit on his website: "I am defiantly a weaver. Through this position, I reconsider tapestry as
a modality in which image, matter, technology, and embodiment provide
productive conflicts for constructing form." </p><p>I've been pondering the meaning of that word <i>modality</i> and its impact on my understanding of tapestry ever since. Like many of us when confronted with a new idea, my first strategy was to try to understand it in terms of my previous vocabulary and ideas, to make it fit. So I thought, <i>modality</i> = <i>language</i>. I'm hardly the first weaver to think of tapestry as a language; <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2021/05/weaving-in-lyrical-mode.html" target="_blank">I've written about it before</a>. My favorite understanding of this is to think of tapestry weaving voices and modes as literary genres--myth, epic, lyric poem, short story, biography, op-ed, etc. Tapestry, like language, can be used to express images and ideas in all these forms.<br /></p><p>But <i>modality</i> carries additional nuances I think. <a href="http://Vocabulary.com">Vocabulary.com</a> defines it as "how something is done or how it happens" and offers as synonyms <i>fashion, manner, mode, style</i> and <i>way</i>. It's an approach--one among many. The <a href="https://www.oed.com/dictionary/modality_n?tl=true" target="_blank">Oxford English Dictionary</a> defines it as "Those aspects of a thing which relate to its mode, or manner or state of
being, as distinct from its substance or identity; the non-essential
aspect or attributes of a concept or entity. Also: a particular quality
or attribute denoting the mode or manner of being of something." There's a sense here of <i>modality</i> not being essential to core concept. </p><p>Hmmm. It's a truism among tapestry weavers that we should strive to weave tapestries that "can <i>only</i> be woven"--that cannot exist equally effectively as paintings, photographs, collages, what have you. In this understanding tapestry weaving <i>would be</i> essential to the core concept of a piece. John Paul's quotation above gets at this: tapestry is the unique melding of "image, matter, technology and embodiment" to create form and meaning. Many contemporary tapestry weavers are trying to get away from merely reproducing a pre-existing image to make artworks in which woven-ness is essential to their meaning and impact, is inherent from the very beginning. Easier said than done. </p><p>So. . . what is woven-ness? Over-under-over-under. Interlacement. Warp and weft crossing in specific patterns. All of these, and also: the making of a web, the combining of two or more elements into one integrated whole, the weaving <i>together</i>. Not for nothing do we speak of the <i>fabric of society</i> and the <i>worldwide web. </i>If we probe deeper into the modality of weaving we find an approach, attitude and orientation, that is crucially different from that offered by knitting and crochet, different from surface embroidery, different from felt- and paper-making. All of these connect elements in different ways and moods and for different purposes. All can make images, but those images will be very different from each other because of their modality. <br /></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4Wu8xPKpVFkvl3XQNsTQ5b8AN_2jhJXpFUgIXjpVMhlQ79yUqGajfS-zBLP9joTLw6CyQdhjzjM3g2rMXFu36j0rUUOxMgyWiaJ_Khxs6iJLMuk6CAGScNOkJxf9Qz6SdMFgSrw_1-m-W5IUwzpQj0tRo9zFjwk_7hUfojkxifSm9ThtTBROhflN7ds/s3839/IMG_8314.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3004" data-original-width="3839" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4Wu8xPKpVFkvl3XQNsTQ5b8AN_2jhJXpFUgIXjpVMhlQ79yUqGajfS-zBLP9joTLw6CyQdhjzjM3g2rMXFu36j0rUUOxMgyWiaJ_Khxs6iJLMuk6CAGScNOkJxf9Qz6SdMFgSrw_1-m-W5IUwzpQj0tRo9zFjwk_7hUfojkxifSm9ThtTBROhflN7ds/w400-h313/IMG_8314.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, studies: burlap canoe; hardware cloth and fabric strip canoe in progress<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lXvY7OX8Oy3vGAdD4Z_oqw1vk1lcpxcViTDmsveuaphM-95HxGKxkoQMpLQvSVr5qrQasTfCBXzW0PnAHxIN3I8RVZFmCTOfGcPgACeWEk8LZ0uBzhlLiH3CTGqJYLib3lc4qkMH23X7lTdFzz-W-aCGaoheYwFVI4_oy1BKpHedpVYUd4thpaFL_Bs/s4032/IMG_8040.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lXvY7OX8Oy3vGAdD4Z_oqw1vk1lcpxcViTDmsveuaphM-95HxGKxkoQMpLQvSVr5qrQasTfCBXzW0PnAHxIN3I8RVZFmCTOfGcPgACeWEk8LZ0uBzhlLiH3CTGqJYLib3lc4qkMH23X7lTdFzz-W-aCGaoheYwFVI4_oy1BKpHedpVYUd4thpaFL_Bs/w300-h400/IMG_8040.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, study: linen, yucca pods, crocheted <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>So I continue to read and to make small experiments, seeking to find the magic center place in the Venn diagram where technique, material, form and concept all converge. I am a weaver, and weaving is a beautiful, ancient, and nuanced language. But all languages grow and change by incorporating "foreign" words and phrases too. Is it tapestry when the weft is plastic? Grass? When the warp includes
wire? Is it weaving when strips of fabric are interlaced into metal
hardware cloth? I'm about to find out. If you're still with me, thanks for following along. </p><p>* Once a volunteer, always a volunteer. . . If you've thought about volunteering for ATA, now is always a good time! What you get in terms of new friendships and inspiration is more than worth the time and effort you'll contribute. There's a job for everyone. Go <a href="https://www.americantapestryalliance.org/board/" target="_blank">here</a> for more info. <br /></p><br /><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><dl class="instances"><span class="detail"></span></dl><br />Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-30041443881705937642024-01-10T07:20:00.000-07:002024-01-10T07:20:10.646-07:00Reading, writing and thinking are part of our weaving practice too<p>Heads-up: Wordy post ahead with not much eye candy. If I know anything about
tapestry weavers, it's that when we're not weaving, many of us are reading! If
you're looking for your next good book to curl up with,
maybe something here will help. </p><p>Lately I've been having to cut down on my weaving time, alas, because my shoulder is complaining. I know better than to weave for 2 hours without a break, but I get into the zone and then my body reminds me later, in a most unpleasant tone of voice. <a href="https://rebeccamezoff.com/blog/2022/9/15/staying-pain-free-while-you-weave-wellness-for-makers?rq=ergonomics" target="_blank">Rebecca Mezoff</a> reminds me that above all, I need to stop and take a break every 25 minutes. The link on Rebecca's name takes you to her review of a book called <i>Wellness for Makers</i>. Now I'm setting the alarm on my phone for 25 minutes every time I start to weave. And forcing myself to obey!<br /></p><p>Here are the two projects that have been mostly stalled for a few weeks as I recover. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsP070TYxO3wam03iMa8s3OMpmPSaVVvypGB-WBdQ584CcAcr_AMD-eNHQ9Q2lND6UMKOGKtGixCWzTfctg192AOOU8LgXForDEuh5J0Rxj-Jt3zw1j5eeWETL8OkOpPbdoRMaDL8Ci9Mx4Qb5QOLRJqZlrcygq7FdLD12DObyqg11GQYJyMDZjxWAgnw/s3919/WreckCollageTap.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3919" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsP070TYxO3wam03iMa8s3OMpmPSaVVvypGB-WBdQ584CcAcr_AMD-eNHQ9Q2lND6UMKOGKtGixCWzTfctg192AOOU8LgXForDEuh5J0Rxj-Jt3zw1j5eeWETL8OkOpPbdoRMaDL8Ci9Mx4Qb5QOLRJqZlrcygq7FdLD12DObyqg11GQYJyMDZjxWAgnw/w309-h400/WreckCollageTap.jpg" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This tapestry will be layered on top of the larger, previously woven piece. Working title: The Wreck. Warp: 12/6 cotton seine twine; wefts: plastic, silk, wool, cotton, paper. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMo4CFzXaoRfS8cZt0aW9_Q6p-Gjlu63jaAOw9iUr8ZOHpPWAL1en4V9QPmKrezn2cMJlDLHJU2gsH1o8DBJ9OIpxq3Jo7kFpFXQr9n6SJITuuQmNWYkcb6jBOT-ztAhoZy1SjxQoLu0mJtqQdGuYC8Lf67RXdEdOOuaTi8jP34hbyPlfSL7kEuPm0NQ/s3920/PulledWarpCanoe.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2415" data-original-width="3920" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicMo4CFzXaoRfS8cZt0aW9_Q6p-Gjlu63jaAOw9iUr8ZOHpPWAL1en4V9QPmKrezn2cMJlDLHJU2gsH1o8DBJ9OIpxq3Jo7kFpFXQr9n6SJITuuQmNWYkcb6jBOT-ztAhoZy1SjxQoLu0mJtqQdGuYC8Lf67RXdEdOOuaTi8jP34hbyPlfSL7kEuPm0NQ/w400-h246/PulledWarpCanoe.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pulled warp canoe. Working title: Bivium. Warp: 12/6 cotton seine twine; wefts linen, plastic, paper, wire. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The upside of this down time is I have time to play/work/write in my sketchbook and especially time to read the art books I received over Christmas. This has been really good as it allows me time to think about where am I going in my work, and <i>why</i>? What am I trying to say? And what's the best way to say it? Does every idea I have need to be woven by hand, or are there pre-existing woven grids I can use as I continue to explore 3D options? Cheesecloth? Hardware cloth? Experiments await. . . </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTv6H27p0-E3_f5N-2tHGuWH6x-TuHpWjH000n2U1FCk0vOzFFQ4BaEQj1kxyY6_J_nJZBZQ2NeeeeCPvD87KL4YRXw-quYxv6qh7RUu-E4BcxfzUhlQOzK4ORwms1vvIi0eRHOwZYHKNytLcm6t9PYMSyl37_h7X4HU6ZtDDfnTwsDxffhXpsnH0J4BI/s4025/BOOKS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4025" data-original-width="2827" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTv6H27p0-E3_f5N-2tHGuWH6x-TuHpWjH000n2U1FCk0vOzFFQ4BaEQj1kxyY6_J_nJZBZQ2NeeeeCPvD87KL4YRXw-quYxv6qh7RUu-E4BcxfzUhlQOzK4ORwms1vvIi0eRHOwZYHKNytLcm6t9PYMSyl37_h7X4HU6ZtDDfnTwsDxffhXpsnH0J4BI/w281-h400/BOOKS.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two fiber books I've really enjoyed recently. The top one is the catalog for the current exhibit (closing 1/21) of the same name at LACMA in Los Angeles. This book was named the "one of the best art books of the year" by the <i>New York Times</i>! The second book is a fun look at loopy open mesh constructions being used in all sorts of non-traditional ways. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUTagnduRgPwOrVT1buWqE5qEUcJVX3DSV4lm9OPOeQcXkus4YN_gzMMReSkfOrqJEb0F52WNhCJGmBbddE5ZKdiizuVJ12C-ZpTjqeKchl-QmnexRWuIAYy93IBARkII-5xyEat8NkMYLvaP57Hcv4xER9mhJxO87YZy3Ro-e1hcvRT0GQdZEaEaIdY/s3839/browngrottacatalogs.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3839" data-original-width="3016" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrUTagnduRgPwOrVT1buWqE5qEUcJVX3DSV4lm9OPOeQcXkus4YN_gzMMReSkfOrqJEb0F52WNhCJGmBbddE5ZKdiizuVJ12C-ZpTjqeKchl-QmnexRWuIAYy93IBARkII-5xyEat8NkMYLvaP57Hcv4xER9mhJxO87YZy3Ro-e1hcvRT0GQdZEaEaIdY/w314-h400/browngrottacatalogs.jpg" width="314" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the browngrotta gallery catalogs I've been enjoying. There are way too many to choose from!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> I've been swooning over the elegant, finely crafted work in the
catalogs from browngrotta gallery in Connecticut, a home for fine craft
for the past several decades, and publishers of <a href="https://store.browngrotta.com/" target="_blank">dozens of gorgeous catalogs</a>.
I know that for me it's important to make work that is as visually
attractive and finely crafted as possible. And like the work browngrotta
features, my scale is small to medium. It is made entirely by me (not a
workshop of artisans) and it's destined for the home rather than the
massive public installation. </p><p>As I read, I'm mulling over what exactly I want to say in my work. Just calling viewers' attention to the climate crisis is no longer enough. How do we respond? Where do we go from here? How do we manage our grief and despair? I dislike work that preaches at me overtly, no matter how much I appreciate the sentiment, and that work is not mine to make. I've read or am reading a couple books on this subject recently that have enriched my thinking: <i>Solastalgia: an Anthology of Emotion in a Disappearing World</i>, edited by Paul Bogard, and <i>We Survived the End of the World: Lessons from Native America on Apocalypse and Hope</i> by Steven Charleston. I recommend both if this is a topic that interests you. <br /></p><p>As I think about the enduring appeal and importance of fine craft, I realize that hard-won human craftsmanship, in weaving or any other medium, craftsmanship honed by instruction, practice, and time, is actually a hopeful thing that points toward our own abilities to find creative and beautiful solutions to problems. And the same symmetry, pattern, color and textures that I love in fine weaving are an imitation of these same qualities in the natural world, qualities that inspire many of the weavings we make. It's a beautiful feedback loop: nature-->craft-->nature. And it has been going on for as long as humans have been making art. </p><p>I've just started reading a book adjacent to this subject by Adam Gopnik, <i>The Real Work: On the Mystery of Mastery</i>. Gopik takes on the subject of mastery, how is it achieved, what is the "real work" involved, in all sorts of fields, not just art (he discusses magic and magicians at great length). And the chapter on how this modern art critic decided to take drawing lessons from a traditional realistic painter is fascinating. <br /></p><p>It's clear that climate change is happening with devastating effect, everywhere. The best we can do now is try to slow it down and to ameliorate its effects. We need to cultivate every ounce of resilience in ourselves, in our communities and in our global community to meet the challenges head-on. </p><p>I do believe, outlandish as it may sound, that our creative practices and even our tapestry weaving, allow us to hone our own resilience. We are constantly problem-solving as we weave, looking at the problem from various perspectives, crowd-sourcing solutions from the hive mind, doing our very best to do our best work. This is the creative persistence and cooperation we need everywhere. </p><p>I'll close with my favorite line from the apocalyptic novel I read during the pandemic, <i>Station Eleven</i> by Emily St. John Mandel. In it a traveling troupe of players makes their way through the landscape of a ruined society, struggling to survive and offering performances for the ragtag communities they encounter. Painted on the side of their wagon of instruments and supplies is this: "Survival is insufficient." Humans need art, and always have.
</p><br /><br />Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-28906869104552804682023-12-13T13:21:00.001-07:002023-12-13T13:21:25.487-07:00Spiraling<p>I've been noticing spirals a lot in my life and work lately. This will be a post short on words and longer on images, because frankly I'm not sure yet what exactly the spirals are about. Of course I know they are a multi-faceted symbol in cultures around the world. But how they pertain to the current situation? 🤷Sometimes we have to feel our way, trusting that the meaning will come if we follow the . <br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsXy-sIdvoBA__atsWa_W3L2kh1QnbOw72i8j2QWe13poiKkTr8EVhmqyla_ZDshmloQvE7633TLYu8O0fQ76qd1rFgp_YTKCdIBgJ7_owcDxsH1QY7Tm1xsKQC8q_5DuK9AFQGw3tWedszuiDFW0jJDVWUelpPBi4CjXCnSZHtnImC6VFnD3U_TfyyU/s3167/IMG_8167.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3167" data-original-width="2798" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghsXy-sIdvoBA__atsWa_W3L2kh1QnbOw72i8j2QWe13poiKkTr8EVhmqyla_ZDshmloQvE7633TLYu8O0fQ76qd1rFgp_YTKCdIBgJ7_owcDxsH1QY7Tm1xsKQC8q_5DuK9AFQGw3tWedszuiDFW0jJDVWUelpPBi4CjXCnSZHtnImC6VFnD3U_TfyyU/w354-h400/IMG_8167.jpg" width="354" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These narrow strips were woven on wire warps with a variety of fibers including wool, paper and plastic. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Cgo6IXHv8Y-hThAHnEsZCtWEiA1Rwe8VjlBknC1tyzzIKg_VlSkNJLofHbCdYbIAfBN9nT283U67p_4LKTuAK1XijHDzho5qW1d8TCr2Law8rOoKmnqfSMsQDiamnFwm0SGapbktnG85PG4sGKJUgEMPr_E9LQswpW2KU-SLgNb6oX5CmTmwfugULdg/s4032/IMG_6546.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Cgo6IXHv8Y-hThAHnEsZCtWEiA1Rwe8VjlBknC1tyzzIKg_VlSkNJLofHbCdYbIAfBN9nT283U67p_4LKTuAK1XijHDzho5qW1d8TCr2Law8rOoKmnqfSMsQDiamnFwm0SGapbktnG85PG4sGKJUgEMPr_E9LQswpW2KU-SLgNb6oX5CmTmwfugULdg/w300-h400/IMG_6546.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKj_uKEghm9Vr0h-pKfHzBPygmtVgWs0MXDNKvfWO_5tNSyolT5hcnAEEQgH2jSdJ9j14RjoTMh-4_84ExJ4ZO8J-Gsw1xWGe7-IDxNplpzEi-D18512EPvIymO4H8Da8VdxJFb6ADf7OIKpLJAvGiHwgwOnfZDVmIj915_FqpobbVCaifDmpZz8HW5A/s4032/IMG_6545.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKj_uKEghm9Vr0h-pKfHzBPygmtVgWs0MXDNKvfWO_5tNSyolT5hcnAEEQgH2jSdJ9j14RjoTMh-4_84ExJ4ZO8J-Gsw1xWGe7-IDxNplpzEi-D18512EPvIymO4H8Da8VdxJFb6ADf7OIKpLJAvGiHwgwOnfZDVmIj915_FqpobbVCaifDmpZz8HW5A/w300-h400/IMG_6545.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two details from the Shipwreck scene in the medieval Apocalypse tapestry
in Angers, France. I love the carefully stylized spirals in the waves
that are overturning the boat. Pattern and order amidst destruction.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5HxWRCa7FfonAr2g5_I4r1lzTcreud9lbcdlDOJ_BhIkCRadDoGIB62i_CWTQJtWWUOEwcAALuCMGom78LrgTmPOGAqhGK9EEF8JdP2X9Ic-X6kIYYVwuWH9OsHEaxLVj2yOYQo3Bvj29A9ebSpSifA-vyKA6bvM4R5p7Y_AQMpCrVALaT9jYZkOLds/s4032/IMG_8168.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5HxWRCa7FfonAr2g5_I4r1lzTcreud9lbcdlDOJ_BhIkCRadDoGIB62i_CWTQJtWWUOEwcAALuCMGom78LrgTmPOGAqhGK9EEF8JdP2X9Ic-X6kIYYVwuWH9OsHEaxLVj2yOYQo3Bvj29A9ebSpSifA-vyKA6bvM4R5p7Y_AQMpCrVALaT9jYZkOLds/w400-h300/IMG_8168.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail from my own tapestry entitled <i>The Wreck</i>, based on a collage I made five years ago (before I saw the Apocalypse) but recently decided to weave. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6879aritmmrHq5LjFQz-unKZIZAKI56sb_5MXf0iNBrikAR9KvMI_wkD5QVZn0xuebEUcffdWa_K5vaeO67qqyn-Yl1Akki4BfkmJay_NUwPjLUBX9bjFQmUMHTujp1Z2aO99xjQLXvmLQZeNUZKbpjKZa8FUpl64GWQ6FxVHtCPUJIOo3dxsJeoZ98/s4032/IMG_8160.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6879aritmmrHq5LjFQz-unKZIZAKI56sb_5MXf0iNBrikAR9KvMI_wkD5QVZn0xuebEUcffdWa_K5vaeO67qqyn-Yl1Akki4BfkmJay_NUwPjLUBX9bjFQmUMHTujp1Z2aO99xjQLXvmLQZeNUZKbpjKZa8FUpl64GWQ6FxVHtCPUJIOo3dxsJeoZ98/w300-h400/IMG_8160.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yW194E9lSPf4Y6Evea81I3_En6YNm9vGdLKDXVH23acXE2i63bNrNkZGJTG4v1wJdy3t2vZlSMmqox3kpUBuouOm9UcR2YmxtPPVGYmVejF6FBhht-WIsH8x1UYHMvbIKbZAfqK_oOYl8aYJdJ29PryW6BrglEqz6wKKNcdeJGlMbLEm_ljEaz3Uo1I/s4032/IMG_8159.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yW194E9lSPf4Y6Evea81I3_En6YNm9vGdLKDXVH23acXE2i63bNrNkZGJTG4v1wJdy3t2vZlSMmqox3kpUBuouOm9UcR2YmxtPPVGYmVejF6FBhht-WIsH8x1UYHMvbIKbZAfqK_oOYl8aYJdJ29PryW6BrglEqz6wKKNcdeJGlMbLEm_ljEaz3Uo1I/w300-h400/IMG_8159.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views of a small sample of a 3D woven spiral done in an online class with Vanina Bujalter. I highly recommend the class if you are interested in weaving with supplemental warps and innovative techniques to create 3D forms in tapestry. Find Vanina on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/p/Vanina-Bujalter-Textiles-100063657912410/?paipv=0&eav=AfbyvMdOQrJDndSfQlVA3ck-jWWBx_QHfhCRew3k5NttdyOhLODF-bpEh2rJR2pqbUs&_rdr" target="_blank">Vanina Bujalter Textiles</a> and on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vaninabujalter/" target="_blank">@vaninabujalter</a><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumG8KoY5HXhn8vc1Xr4pTfmsMjIvKeYHavBOyav4y7MW-9gRu1mSjj55dr8xVsS1UgzhHXUxiGgFTc7eziAas8BizQD9t0SEH8Z5RuIr50YV_0Ow2AiUPLlxptPktBRQ5AM_f-VfkaOCaEW998KyIoB0RQ52cusE0-8s4sSERzgxV2T86Ce8FOxnvzic/s4032/IMG_8123.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgumG8KoY5HXhn8vc1Xr4pTfmsMjIvKeYHavBOyav4y7MW-9gRu1mSjj55dr8xVsS1UgzhHXUxiGgFTc7eziAas8BizQD9t0SEH8Z5RuIr50YV_0Ow2AiUPLlxptPktBRQ5AM_f-VfkaOCaEW998KyIoB0RQ52cusE0-8s4sSERzgxV2T86Ce8FOxnvzic/w300-h400/IMG_8123.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the labyrinth at Ghost Ranch, near Abiquiu, NM. I spent a few days there on an art retreat last month and walked the labyrinth in the remains of the snow. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Of course labyrinths and spirals are not exactly the same. Spirals are potentially infinite coils that circle on and on, up and up or down and down (or sideways, I suppose). Labyrinths are planned to have a definite entry point, an exit point and a center point for stillness. When you walk a labyrinth, you find the path laid out for you so that you are frequently reversing direction. It can call to mind the path of life--or of art--you take a few steps "forward" only to encounter a barrier that directs your steps "back." You must trust that eventually you will reach the center, and then that you will eventually work your way back out and emerge. It is perhaps the longest, least efficient way to go from A to B. <br /></p><p>Labyrinths allow for both movement or energy and stillness. Spirals seem to me to embody only energy. Whether it is positive energy or destructive energy, progress or regression, can be hard to know. I often use the image of a spiral to describe the creative process for my students. We might want to move in a direct, linear fashion from idea to finished weaving, with no missteps or stalls along the way. But often the process is more circular--we move forward, then learn we must reconsider, return to the drawing board. We move forward again with our new knowledge, only to find we might have to again pause to reconceive our project. We are making progress, but it's not the shortest line possible between A and B! <br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-8926428092280805882023-11-09T08:13:00.002-07:002024-02-12T10:49:15.094-07:00Taking a quirky look back<p>If you've followed this blog for long you know I love to look back and to look forward as we approach the end of a calendar year. I truly believe the best information about our personal and studio goals for the next year are to be found in reflecting on what we've done, not done, succeeded at--and failed at--in the recent past. </p><p>This year I decided to take a twist on my usual approach, where I look at the extremely . . . um, optimistic goals I set back at the beginning of the year and note ruefully how many of them remain unaccomplished. </p><p>This time I thought I'd be super-specific and quirky about this exercise in a way that is fun and maybe even inspiring for you to read as you look backward and forward for your own practice. </p><p>So here are some questions you can ask yourself, and my own answers at the bottom, if you're interested.</p><p>1. <b>What did you make this year that you are proudest of?</b> And (here's the really important part) <i><b>Why?</b> </i>Why did you make it? Why are you proud of it? Do you want to make more like this? </p><p>2. <b>What rabbit hole(s) did you go down</b> that turned out to be fruitful? Or that turned into dead ends, but necessary ones? </p><p>3. <b>Did you travel anywhere that inspired you?</b> What exactly inspired you? The scenery? The art or craft you saw? The people? How can you bring that into your practice?<br /></p><p>4. <b>If you read any helpful books or articles this year, what were they?</b> How did they inform your practice?</p><p>5. <b>Did you use any new materials in your work?</b> This can range from something as simple as silk instead of wool weft, or linen instead of cotton warp. . . or something more unusual like plastic or paper or wire in your weaving. Will you continue to explore these or other new-to-you materials? How can you choose your materials for their own expressive potential?<br /></p><p>Of course the questions you ask yourself really depend on your own grounding assumptions about why you do what you do in the first place--what you hope to experience as a result--or in the process--of your weaving.<i> </i>So that's a useful question too. I find it helpful to journal about these things (I'm a wordy person) but you may prefer just mulling them over as you overunderoverunder, or talk about them with weaving or art friends. </p><p>Here are my own answers to the questions. <i></i></p><p>1. <b>Piece I made in 2023 that I'm proudest of</b>, and why. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVuqdAVPbGefZ-xz65B156I9763RCUud7Id9lJI9i3DvV1_be1aAOaLMO5tpYXohkjBBJkR4g2cuTRcUAMndm3ftJduOsQD3-yV9nLNHr0p4-NPN8275h5TXPlVzjB6sVD8DD883Aa4jtR9Tg5m9Mt25h-dqvzoxw6j_EEyJhskt60dpgBguIIxFcxG4/s4032/IMG_8036.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVuqdAVPbGefZ-xz65B156I9763RCUud7Id9lJI9i3DvV1_be1aAOaLMO5tpYXohkjBBJkR4g2cuTRcUAMndm3ftJduOsQD3-yV9nLNHr0p4-NPN8275h5TXPlVzjB6sVD8DD883Aa4jtR9Tg5m9Mt25h-dqvzoxw6j_EEyJhskt60dpgBguIIxFcxG4/w300-h400/IMG_8036.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, canoe study. Wire, various fibers, blue grama grass, plastic survey marking whiskers<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>This piece was tedious as all get-out to make. I set up a small pin loom on foamcore with some nails, in the shape of a flattened canoe pattern. I wove the piece in lots of little patches of different yarns, all of whose ends had to be tucked or sewn in. I inserted the grass as I wove and tried really hard not to break it as I worked. And then I removed it and stitched the seams that formed it into a canoe. <i>Every single thing about it was fiddly . . .</i>and I hate fiddly! And yet . . . I really like it and am planning to make more such vessels, and to make them larger. There you go. <br /></p><p><b><i>2. </i>Deepest rabbit hole</b> that ultimately led to a dead end for me:<i> </i>basket-making.<i> </i>As
I became interested in making 3D forms I realized basket makers solved
this mystery millenia ago, and that their weaving techniques might prove
fruitful for me. I experimented with making a few small baskets and
soon realized this was a much more challenging and deeper medium than I
had thought. (I seem to re-discover on an almost daily basis how humbling weaving of all sorts can be!) I decided to stick with what I know, cloth-like weaving, and continue
to explore its 3D potential.<i> </i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWQm7AjIVl-f54z7ECJG8ekSB9axEI06N6I6GOYnnwHDHDT1SI6a9CF19e0e5rLEgcFKtjckO3vdZb4Vn6n_FGfekn1Jjzbe29uJNqo28SK2Csp6umToP2KxDRLgpfg-dar-UZ3NUwGESrlTWB1ISVutddXFoxwKKCFC1N2a4qM9JbeugaewYBbS1OIM/s3011/IMG_8054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1945" data-original-width="3011" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWQm7AjIVl-f54z7ECJG8ekSB9axEI06N6I6GOYnnwHDHDT1SI6a9CF19e0e5rLEgcFKtjckO3vdZb4Vn6n_FGfekn1Jjzbe29uJNqo28SK2Csp6umToP2KxDRLgpfg-dar-UZ3NUwGESrlTWB1ISVutddXFoxwKKCFC1N2a4qM9JbeugaewYBbS1OIM/w400-h259/IMG_8054.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, twined and coiled baskets from kits by <a href="https://www.traditionalcraftkits.com/" target="_blank">Traditional Craft Kits</a><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> I'm not showing you the really sad little twined experiment that convinced me to stick to weaving. <b><i><br /></i></b></p><p><b><i> </i>3. Most inspiring travel</b>:<i> </i>It was a crazy-busy year for travel for me, never to be repeated!<i> </i>I
was fortunate to see gorgeous landscapes in Iceland, in Nova Scotia, and in France. But
for my work, the tapestry tour to France has been the most influential on my current
thinking. I also keep thinking about the art I saw in Houston on a teaching jaunt to the Contemporary Handweavers of Texas conference. (I wrote in previous blog posts <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2023/07/in-short-it-was-mind-blowing.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2023/08/impact-of-tapestry-tour-of-france-part-2.html" target="_blank">here</a> about the tapestry tour and <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2023/06/nothing-but-blue-skies-in-houston-for.html" target="_blank">here</a>
about the amazing art to be found in Houston.) Mark Rothko's Chapel
paintings continue to haunt me, with their dark but not wholly black
palette. Most of all, I'm haunted by this image from the Apocalypse tapestry in Angers. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLe6z1vtZuoEv1_VvASpHMFr4I2Fv8Tg-uiUGnsJdaqq6Udks-28cRWSxXEWtGArCcA2bvEFvdgpjX6WcvFLEHYMFxtKjCK7Tu-MXx4k5GcL6YvfI6kYmE367-M6RHDo_WOnXQU9vxyJ28KwfwXvljgAuAHtRcyL6ymCa4-xzGkFq4nIMEY0V8zefVB60/s3299/IMG_6542.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2427" data-original-width="3299" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLe6z1vtZuoEv1_VvASpHMFr4I2Fv8Tg-uiUGnsJdaqq6Udks-28cRWSxXEWtGArCcA2bvEFvdgpjX6WcvFLEHYMFxtKjCK7Tu-MXx4k5GcL6YvfI6kYmE367-M6RHDo_WOnXQU9vxyJ28KwfwXvljgAuAHtRcyL6ymCa4-xzGkFq4nIMEY0V8zefVB60/w400-h294/IMG_6542.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Apocalypse</i>, detail: <i>The Second Trumpet: The Shipwreck</i>, commissioned by Louis I of Anjou, designed by Jean Bondol, made by once-known weavers in the workshop of Robert Poisson, 1373-1382. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>For me this image, with its fire from the sky and on land, its perfect storm tossing people into the sea, is an apt metaphor for the climate disaster we face in our own time. My current work is about this. <br /></p><p><b>4. Best book purchase</b>: <i>Baskets as Textile Art</i> by Ed Rossbach. Despite what I said about basketry not working out for me, this quotation from it now resides on my studio wall:</p><p></p><blockquote>"<span style="font-size: medium;">The perishable thing which survives speaks most potently of time, of all time rather than the moment of its existence</span>." --Ed Rossbach, p. 49. </blockquote><p></p><p>The book was published decades ago but it provided useful context for the moment in which approaches to basketry moved toward sculpture. Beyond that, though, I love to ponder the paradox, expressed so well here, that fiber work is both supremely perishable. . . and can, against all odds, last hundreds of years. <br /></p><p>As it happens, it's impossible to choose just one "best book" for me, for 2023. Here's a few more: <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>The Apocalypse Tapestry of Angers</i>, Liliane Delwasse. Also: <i>Front and Back: The Tapestry of the Apocalypse</i> by Francis Muel. I am currently obsessed with this tapestry. These books are instrumental in my understanding of this amazing work.<i> </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>Martin Puryear: Multiple Dimensions. </i>I saw one of <a href="https://matthewmarks.com/artists/martin-puryear" target="_blank">Puryear</a><i>'</i>s pieces in Houston and really loved it. Then I saw him featured on PBS' <i>Art 21</i> and now I appreciate even more his craft-based approach to sculpture. <i> </i>His forms are abstract but so evocative. <i><br /></i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">I've splurged on a couple of catalogs from the well-known craft gallery <a href="https://store.browngrotta.com/catalogs/?utm_source=browngrotta+arts+Master+List&utm_campaign=e41ab1cd4e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2023_08_21_04_32_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-2e8fc85115-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=e41ab1cd4e&mc_eid=b2fcef5df7" target="_blank">browngrotta</a> and they have given me new food for thought in terms of 3D form and technique:<i> An Abundance of Objects </i>and <i>Influence and Evolution: Fiber Sculpture . . . then and now. </i>More catalogs are on my wish list for Santa. These catalogs allow me to broaden my perspective by looking at some of the most elegant and beautiful craft-based work being done in the world today.<i> <br /></i></p><p><b>5. Weirdest new-to-me material used in weaving</b><i>: </i> I've been using a number of non-fiber materials in my weaving the last couple years--dried grasses, wire, plastic<i>. </i>I am far from the first weaver to use these but for me they feel weird and challenging<i>--</i>and tremendously exciting for their expressive potential. I explored a number of books about weaving with wire and natural materials: <i> Weaving with Wire by Christine K. Miller </i>and<i> Wild Textiles </i>by Alice Fox.<i> </i>The classic in the field is<i> Textile Techniques in Metal </i>by Arline M. Fisch<i>. </i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NmATIIOzdi5Y8vCPA5xCMrDI4HdXMPnSfBQUNImXenktsWDFA80wvnUHhjhJ1KtooT2u3nhmVL3oj5TfpHb0kMliFVobF8ZP2swmizyL27vptisJQyJiGUWKfgrvDLFzwRMqGy0cllFpD6dIACQVdGJV7SJSqr7xiQyY8GMir4yKWUdf4Kdw-6rS1uU/s4032/IMG_7958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NmATIIOzdi5Y8vCPA5xCMrDI4HdXMPnSfBQUNImXenktsWDFA80wvnUHhjhJ1KtooT2u3nhmVL3oj5TfpHb0kMliFVobF8ZP2swmizyL27vptisJQyJiGUWKfgrvDLFzwRMqGy0cllFpD6dIACQVdGJV7SJSqr7xiQyY8GMir4yKWUdf4Kdw-6rS1uU/w400-h300/IMG_7958.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, Bivium study. Wire, wool, linen, survey marking whiskers. 2023.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>This standing panel is another direction I want to explore in 2024. Where does your work this year point you for next year?<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p> </p><p> <br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUttpf7H44Z_92n_LFE2NIgzxwat4qb0XdqvgAkmbN5rgzDnPcI31DAtujEWiNFYsA3l-u7QpbRoSmL3JJdIIBmJKGewAIGC7YxNQksYlHpMyOiMoO0ONXz4HfZvIb-BToKTfm8w80SkBx589SQvUB9NykS52ApKFRagv_GV6dbk3ApdKBv6JFqRdsBQ/s4032/IMG_7958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUttpf7H44Z_92n_LFE2NIgzxwat4qb0XdqvgAkmbN5rgzDnPcI31DAtujEWiNFYsA3l-u7QpbRoSmL3JJdIIBmJKGewAIGC7YxNQksYlHpMyOiMoO0ONXz4HfZvIb-BToKTfm8w80SkBx589SQvUB9NykS52ApKFRagv_GV6dbk3ApdKBv6JFqRdsBQ/s320/IMG_7958.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-40327301813580318922023-10-11T08:40:00.002-06:002023-10-11T08:40:28.625-06:00Tapestry myths--or truths??<p>It was great fun to participate in a panel discussion last week hosted by <a href="https://weavespindye.org/" target="_blank">Handweavers Guild of America </a> as part of <a href="https://weavespindye.org/spinning-and-weaving-week-2023/" target="_blank">Spinning and Weaving Week</a>. Hosted by <a href="https://www.weaversguildnorthshore.org/julia-blake-artist-page/" target="_blank">Julia Blake</a>, <a href="https://spinninguru.com/" target="_blank">Patsy Zawistoski</a> and <a href="https://comfortclothweaving.com/" target="_blank">Tegan Frisino </a>and I talked online about those weaving and spinning myths that get handed down through the generations and that ain't necessarily true. We discussed how some myths are really just rules that are helpful for beginning spinners and weavers, and that once you get some experience working within the rules, you can understand how to break them effectively. We talked about how some myths might start as just one person, maybe a teacher's, preferred way of doing things (warping back to front or vice-versa), and that as with most things, there is usually more than one "right" way to do something. I held forth about how you don't have to weave tapestry on a cotton seine twine warp, or even weave over already-woven warps, or avoid linen warps, or conform to the tapestry traditions that dictate a certain size, shape, or theme for a piece to be a tapestry. You can find the recording <a href="https://web.cvent.com/hub/events/8b0ebcc7-6276-48f7-bc65-daba856edc41/ondemand" target="_blank">HERE</a> if you were a registered attendee. <br /></p><p>One question Julia posed stumped me: Are there any myths you can think of that are actually <i>true? </i>Rules you maybe shouldn't break? After the program was over, I had a few thoughts.</p><p>For the best results in tapestry, in which the weft yarns are beaten down firmly between rather widely spaced warps to make a weft-faced fabric, tightly spun, non-stretchy <i>yarns for weaving really are better than yarns made for knitting or crochet</i>. You simply need a sturdy, non-fluffy yarn to fill those spaces between the warps, a yarn that won't stretch as you bubble it in or pack down so much that you feel like it takes you forever to weave a half-inch. Rebecca Mezoff <a href="https://rebeccamezoff.com/blog/2019/2/19/tapestry-yarns-which-are-good-and-why" target="_blank">has written</a> knowledgeably and extensively on this topic, and I refer you to her discussions if you're not convinced. Yes, this means you usually have to mail order your tapestry yarns rather than popping down to the local yarn store and fondling the goods in person. Take comfort in knowing that online stores can often stock far more options than a local brick-and-mortar place.<br /></p><p>Does this mean you have to stick with wool? Not at all! Silk, linen, cotton, and more exotic fibers like stainless steel, hemp, paper and kudzu are all possibilities. They each pose particular challenges in handling that require some practice and experimentation. And then there are the found objects and upcycled materials . . . dried grasses and strips of plastic are two materials I'm playing with right now. Really, the sky is the limit on wefts as long as you are willing to experiment. <br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LUIUxMYdrsNRdTWOwbYN7AjYxw2u4AbKKpr6EZJVOp6tCMU_-Qf0BXL5fKhIRNQYFWW7PeGFAcJVepNzvanuir9_fZ5TICTWf9xL_YoaUNAGomna6V3uofhehm5Q_IOILWRTI8rkXuw0Pn90QoApZWVD1DfXMYGpLEHBRxo7fnrx87eY2YqLxCEXhyphenhyphenc/s4032/IMG_7957.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2LUIUxMYdrsNRdTWOwbYN7AjYxw2u4AbKKpr6EZJVOp6tCMU_-Qf0BXL5fKhIRNQYFWW7PeGFAcJVepNzvanuir9_fZ5TICTWf9xL_YoaUNAGomna6V3uofhehm5Q_IOILWRTI8rkXuw0Pn90QoApZWVD1DfXMYGpLEHBRxo7fnrx87eY2YqLxCEXhyphenhyphenc/w300-h400/IMG_7957.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woven sample of various blue yarns in my stash: cotton, linen, paper, Churro, soysilk and linen, on linen warp, 8 epi<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8phtwhB6Y-oRh7RLBa72qmdtD30G9Q3DsiQcZQrWQWymUeAVQuKpnOxbKO9cw2sJGkwZ2uKWusLd1nkF4Mma6gbnCFzWFWPN_bgI5N8R2cTauEOueWbaX4SfygkwCemD5PXLeetgUHOEgjAuTA2BT5AIS33xNASnLany8SS0HQHhu7Xr3xIEddWvK48/s3688/WUI%20ashen.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2965" data-original-width="3688" height="321" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8phtwhB6Y-oRh7RLBa72qmdtD30G9Q3DsiQcZQrWQWymUeAVQuKpnOxbKO9cw2sJGkwZ2uKWusLd1nkF4Mma6gbnCFzWFWPN_bgI5N8R2cTauEOueWbaX4SfygkwCemD5PXLeetgUHOEgjAuTA2BT5AIS33xNASnLany8SS0HQHhu7Xr3xIEddWvK48/w400-h321/WUI%20ashen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>WUI 4: ashen</i>. Linen warp, paper, plastic survey whiskers, blue grama grass wefts, rubbed with ashes<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDls70mGOw-5x6-qwJKEqzlkG3aPzLBOR4Wj0NLgbeGpuPoBBMm3j0VsYUgEKY9usLy-o1D0HsvQD3x6EbxCDvDSu7_HeWAnVNsg7bYCACrDo09BClTZdB4svwQCk-bRD0RoIda3MwZP9pYVbSj7VGZXPZdcK6-1gIvDhTvCOiQV8qWL6yMWir2De4vhI/s3333/WUI%20ashen%20Detail%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2974" data-original-width="3333" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDls70mGOw-5x6-qwJKEqzlkG3aPzLBOR4Wj0NLgbeGpuPoBBMm3j0VsYUgEKY9usLy-o1D0HsvQD3x6EbxCDvDSu7_HeWAnVNsg7bYCACrDo09BClTZdB4svwQCk-bRD0RoIda3MwZP9pYVbSj7VGZXPZdcK6-1gIvDhTvCOiQV8qWL6yMWir2De4vhI/w400-h358/WUI%20ashen%20Detail%201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail, Molly Elkind, <i>WUI 4: ashen</i>. Linen warp, paper, plastic survey whiskers, blue grama grass wefts, rubbed with ashes</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Another thought that occurred to me is that <i>tension is always important</i>. Adequate and consistent warp tension make your weaving easier and yield a more consistent woven surface. I re-learned this lesson recently when weaving with a wire warp. The wire was springy and bendy and just wouldn't stay lined up nicely and in place, especially as I was finger-picking on a loom without heddles or a shedding device. I worked around it, but it wasn't fun. Next time, I'll use a Mirrix. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzlLWuWR4yOEghkfz6GkGPg76cNSj7_AiiNpQTzVzfxarM8SGibpgfIlT8x2fte6Sa314JCI4xQETOM8xX8vtEi5jGRe7iFvBLYiHJE3BesQO39CNPAOIBJkzZE_KNJEjG428W6TT1hJMNnkx9WJaRfmEJhloRCmX3fIy3w7e-YkZCA6X3hXz02pyTlA/s4032/IMG_7958.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzlLWuWR4yOEghkfz6GkGPg76cNSj7_AiiNpQTzVzfxarM8SGibpgfIlT8x2fte6Sa314JCI4xQETOM8xX8vtEi5jGRe7iFvBLYiHJE3BesQO39CNPAOIBJkzZE_KNJEjG428W6TT1hJMNnkx9WJaRfmEJhloRCmX3fIy3w7e-YkZCA6X3hXz02pyTlA/w400-h300/IMG_7958.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>Bivium </i>study. Wire warp, wool and linen wefts, survey whisker bundles. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> Consistent weft tension is also important. Finding that sweet spot where you bubble enough to cover the warps comfortably with the just the right amount of weft takes practice. Too little weft, too little bubbling, and your whole piece starts to draw in. Too much slack in your weft makes little blips and bulges on the woven surface. Sloppy, loose turns on warps can not only look bad but also push the selvedges out as they add just that little bit of extra bulk across the width of the tapestry. Ask me how I know. . .</p><p>Indeed, when you think about it, in every fiber art tension is a factor--in crochet, in using a sewing machine, in embroidery, just to name a few--how you hold the needle or hook and pull the thread makes all the difference in the look of the finished piece. Controlling tension is key. (And that goes for the fiber practitioner too!)</p><p>My last thought on this topic is that <i>basic principles of good design are not myths</i>. Contrast is always important--contrast of value, color, shape, scale, line--this is what lends a piece visual excitement and interest. (Even monochromatic pieces contrast with their environment, making an impact that way.) Some contemporary artists might disagree, but I'd also say that unity, or at least coherence, is a key principle of successful design. As a viewer, I want to sense that a piece is thoughtfully put together and not a random conglomeration of materials and techniques. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktRgq77X90Bq8xi3iiCvMqK5bq_kExaJX5CP3RUJLzWCSf8w4kVQNFyMvs7gyK4uQAco-kL4ZKEK2cW9B2C8mcpirHVpLe3KkWvaMha-oge988_YPPzCY2pveT6sBzSjbtpUz2nFn6St5HFQU0_7OeEI-QrlWUotJYjAZIDtBmN3aidnQFB_NTz-NBqA/s961/Elkind_PeachtreeBoogieWoogie72ppi.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="785" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktRgq77X90Bq8xi3iiCvMqK5bq_kExaJX5CP3RUJLzWCSf8w4kVQNFyMvs7gyK4uQAco-kL4ZKEK2cW9B2C8mcpirHVpLe3KkWvaMha-oge988_YPPzCY2pveT6sBzSjbtpUz2nFn6St5HFQU0_7OeEI-QrlWUotJYjAZIDtBmN3aidnQFB_NTz-NBqA/w326-h400/Elkind_PeachtreeBoogieWoogie72ppi.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>Peachtree Boogie Woogie</i>, collaged tapestry in three layered pieces. Cotton warp, wool, linen, metallic wefts. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table>This piece started as a collage of papers chosen for their interesting patterns, textures and colors. Even though it is woven in three purposely contrasting parts, befitting its origin as a collage, its use of some repeated materials, techniques, and colors help to unify it. <br /><p>If you're interested in knowing more about the essentials of good design for tapestry, check out the online <a href="https://lessonface.com/apply/Essentials-Tapestry-Design" target="_blank">class I'm offering next month through MAFA Virtual</a>. Open to all who have a minimal background in tapestry weaving, it's all about the nine key principles and strategies for designing tapestry that I've discovered over the years. <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-30750751061317221302023-09-13T09:04:00.000-06:002023-09-13T09:04:26.947-06:00New class: Essentials of Tapestry Design<p>Next to weaving, making up new classes has been one of my favorite things to do. I love having an excuse to dive deep into a topic and share what I've learned with fellow weavers. Right now I'm in the middle of creating a new workshop: <i>Essentials of Tapestry Design</i>. I'm distilling the crucial strategies, tips and design principles that have been scattered across a whole range of my classes into one place. Plus I’m adding new content, since tapestry is bottomless and I keep finding out new things! This new workshop will make its debut online with Mid-Atlantic Fiber Association (MAFA) November 11, 16 and 18, 2023. Get all the details and sign up <a href="https://www.lessonface.com/apply/Essentials-Tapestry-Design" target="_blank">HERE</a>. You can also just keep reading while I tell you a little about it. </p><p>Over the years I've assembled quite a collection of lectures and workshops. Each class has a bin of materials, samples and notes devoted to it, and those bins were starting to crowd out valuable yarn storage space in my studio! Just kidding; you can always find room for more yarn, right? There's a more important reason I've streamlined my class offerings. I've found in each session I lead that the same questions and dilemmas keep coming up, and it seemed like it would be useful to gather all the crucial information together in one place, a kind of one-stop shopping for newer and intermediate weavers. You can see the new, tightly curated list of my workshops <a href="https://www.mollyelkind.com/workshops-with-molly.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>. </p><p>I've boiled down the key principles and strategies for designing tapestry to nine key concepts for <i>Essentials</i>. Of course I can’t tell you all nine here—you’ll have to take the class!— but here’s a teaser:</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg54HGU_r9dUa9NUalMZ0wPfG-Z1un8lSw8bsSzN7d1G96gpvJ-3xBR7zWCUC_2O4E2I0wyN6ZLZCOfT4GCqHvUZDmBLuGQiuDPLuWblfRzfwy7710OsR93CHxk2wFI4pONsr72wYBg1EINRp4D3e1PMM1gsqvFzkwZLRzTFL1BA6PNBpgnlKUJ--l8uxA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2378" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg54HGU_r9dUa9NUalMZ0wPfG-Z1un8lSw8bsSzN7d1G96gpvJ-3xBR7zWCUC_2O4E2I0wyN6ZLZCOfT4GCqHvUZDmBLuGQiuDPLuWblfRzfwy7710OsR93CHxk2wFI4pONsr72wYBg1EINRp4D3e1PMM1gsqvFzkwZLRzTFL1BA6PNBpgnlKUJ--l8uxA=w317-h400" width="317" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>WUI 1: platted</i>. Linen, rayon, grama grass. 15" x 12" x 1.5" framed.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>#1. <b> Observe your obsessions</b>. What in the world are you passionately interested in? What kind of art do you love to look at? You will be most inspired if you start with what already inspires you. We'll drill down deep to see how you can mine your own obsessions for material. If you've followed my work recently you know my own recent obsession has been the native plants in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) where I live. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsy1RCwU_SCZtqL7M1GJUSEmuPjzeVMQww2uki7sFC2BqBQ0t3NK-hXdhwql3fuAC0GPepCkbmYoCDxcIg8cu0q3o02_gHyODrI2b1nSZrLTmMsiSxfgre8YiVV8OIeQyEXMTCyojCkYCVTWTdPCRsbpF4LBzCLXaevjOjnIMbmUUJPElyKC1aD8fcy78" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsy1RCwU_SCZtqL7M1GJUSEmuPjzeVMQww2uki7sFC2BqBQ0t3NK-hXdhwql3fuAC0GPepCkbmYoCDxcIg8cu0q3o02_gHyODrI2b1nSZrLTmMsiSxfgre8YiVV8OIeQyEXMTCyojCkYCVTWTdPCRsbpF4LBzCLXaevjOjnIMbmUUJPElyKC1aD8fcy78=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, photo of yucca pod in desert environment, one inspiration for the tapestry below. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitM6yJWblIda1SejafdEBAWkoOwsAaehelUGdaKSUu5BtfuFh2YeZlvlyqt8CFMvWMbFO-I07LCQCeqNtLQ9MxecWHnBZsYcw15nqIQdzEmb8qLhEJYIlxQj-m8nux8z7rnL_prgGdLTjo4y4StgFKhQD1ECNpjp0LTMBYZkmUnD8NAn-0YYEZ8YjOi9k" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2523" data-original-width="3959" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitM6yJWblIda1SejafdEBAWkoOwsAaehelUGdaKSUu5BtfuFh2YeZlvlyqt8CFMvWMbFO-I07LCQCeqNtLQ9MxecWHnBZsYcw15nqIQdzEmb8qLhEJYIlxQj-m8nux8z7rnL_prgGdLTjo4y4StgFKhQD1ECNpjp0LTMBYZkmUnD8NAn-0YYEZ8YjOi9k=w400-h255" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>Faraway Nearby</i>. Cotton, wool, linen, metallic, kudzu. 32" x 17" overall<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>#3. <b>Transform your source material</b>. It's not enough to have a gorgeous photo and say to yourself, "I'll weave this." Learn how to go beneath the surface to discover what your <i>real subject</i> is and how you can interpret your source image to convey the important emotional charge the image has for you. Tapestry is a unique artistic medium. Images created in other mediums--whether photography, collage or paint--need to be significantly transformed to be weave-able. This is where the rubber meets the road—where the yarn meets the loom. Learn several strategies for making your image powerful—and weaveable. <br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjACkHF_lGuXMbN0GVpLQsT_JBdKtpkf561CW7IBZUPT_uuMfdF_5xFoxfRbojXHogLxcgEpGwab1RYoiWOmrPRGWw_ruVzoCngG_5PPHbxJyxgjkk6ESqBMUvWsPePlVMwOitdkEkYe18YUaWdPEENDv_TH9XFh9UDkwPmGR-1nnKsE6-wKMnZKn7i0v8" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2355" data-original-width="2740" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjACkHF_lGuXMbN0GVpLQsT_JBdKtpkf561CW7IBZUPT_uuMfdF_5xFoxfRbojXHogLxcgEpGwab1RYoiWOmrPRGWw_ruVzoCngG_5PPHbxJyxgjkk6ESqBMUvWsPePlVMwOitdkEkYe18YUaWdPEENDv_TH9XFh9UDkwPmGR-1nnKsE6-wKMnZKn7i0v8=w400-h344" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>Virga</i>. Cotton. Weaving is 6.5" x 9.5", mounted to 12" x 14". How much more effective would this be if it were four times larger? Six times? <br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>#4. <b>Size matters. </b>One of the most critical decisions you'll make is deciding what size your tapestry will be. For many of us, constraints of space, time, and our available loom dictate this choice for us, often leading us to choose to weave small pieces. Small can feel quicker, easier and just less risky. Here's the thing, though: not every image we'd love to weave is suitable for weaving in small format. Learn how to figure out details of sett, warp size, weft size and direction of weaving to see if you can do justice to your image on the loom you have in mind. <b><br /></b></p><p>Intrigued? Want to learn more? Sign up for the MAFA class <a href="https://www.lessonface.com/apply/Essentials-Tapestry-Design" target="_blank">HERE</a>. <b> </b> <br /></p><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-14269515274266767842023-08-09T05:52:00.000-06:002023-08-09T05:52:08.042-06:00Impact of the Tapestry Tour of France part 2<p>Today I'm picking up <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">where I left off last month</a>, talking about my takeaways from the two-week tour of tapestry in France that I was fortunate to take in June. I ended that post with this thought:</p><p></p><blockquote>For me, the most moving work retains an essential mystery at its core, a stillness. I experienced this when looking at the <i>Lady and the Unicorn</i>, the <i>Apocalypse</i>, and the <i>Song of the World</i>. </blockquote><p><i> </i></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h7mxMYg-Mrrq9fh2fPRAQRMcbqCOMNh_Ug4lGVr7McJlHOvkDbW95A-L_zYBNG-4kygQvQhKU3We3AAemC3xMvOax4P_ueA3bVRtCgDmxtJZBuTYYIyMrGqAW3CS1uyjumby3Cx8Jnk3zyw0dvsHbsTmtjmAKhOMlqrTjM_4X82T0-VAnYvCOkfv2Tw/s4032/IMG_6347.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h7mxMYg-Mrrq9fh2fPRAQRMcbqCOMNh_Ug4lGVr7McJlHOvkDbW95A-L_zYBNG-4kygQvQhKU3We3AAemC3xMvOax4P_ueA3bVRtCgDmxtJZBuTYYIyMrGqAW3CS1uyjumby3Cx8Jnk3zyw0dvsHbsTmtjmAKhOMlqrTjM_4X82T0-VAnYvCOkfv2Tw/w300-h400/IMG_6347.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mon Seul Desir</i>, detail, from <i>The Lady and the Unicorn</i> cycle of tapestries at the Museum of the Middle Ages, (formerly the Cluny) in Paris. (Sorry--photo distorted due to unavoidable camera angle.)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><i> </i><div><i>The Lady and the Unicorn</i> is famously mysterious (kind of like Mona Lisa's smile). No one agrees on what exactly the unicorn symbolizes. The meaning of the sixth and final tapestry in the series, <i>Mon Seul Désir (My Sole Desire) </i>is especially up for debate.<i> </i>Is the lady placing jewels into the jewelry box or taking them out to wear them? Why? Each of the other five tapestries in the set focuses on one of the five senses (sight, hearing and so on)--does this sixth one refer to a sixth, more spiritual sense? If she is putting away her jewels, is she renouncing sensory and worldly delights? The lady, her lady-in-waiting, the lion, the unicorn, and the rest of the menagerie--they're not saying. There are many theories about the meaning of the tapestries, and it may be that there are multiple, complementary interpretations that are all valid.</div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcyner4kwmVrYmHL6DTW6nuxjk0ZcglvMsUs8ugQ-K_9ISAELjWRLkekhw3zbKJ6N9SGdVAV3zPn5Nu3cE1I0a3hEm5rGwwSvvQ9D3C4LmZAuiu7LCl_QotANG0-bGpYLIimcjxnGyJ922vRpgbXqFIOoM4DTG4UMQ6vRpotraN6GEIwTcFFRHFG2P6M/s4032/IMG_6442.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcyner4kwmVrYmHL6DTW6nuxjk0ZcglvMsUs8ugQ-K_9ISAELjWRLkekhw3zbKJ6N9SGdVAV3zPn5Nu3cE1I0a3hEm5rGwwSvvQ9D3C4LmZAuiu7LCl_QotANG0-bGpYLIimcjxnGyJ922vRpgbXqFIOoM4DTG4UMQ6vRpotraN6GEIwTcFFRHFG2P6M/w300-h400/IMG_6442.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Taste,</i> detail <i>from <i>The Lady and the Unicorn</i> </i>at the Museum of the Middle Ages<i> </i>(formerly the Cluny), in Paris</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Ultimately it didn't matter to me what the story was. The lady and her servant stand still, frozen in mid-graceful gesture, enacting a mystery known only to them. The animals seem to know their roles as supporting cast: the lion and unicorn raise the heraldic flags, framing and focusing always on the lady and her servant in the center; the smaller animals cavort amid the flowers. I was enchanted by the gorgeous detail of the millefleurs, the animals and their textured fur, the richly decorated fabrics on the ladies, the still-vibrant color. Stepping into the small-ish dim room where the six large tapestries encircle you is a magical and transporting experience to another world. And isn't that one of the reasons we look at art?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OUdqq5K-Y3ymui0vnAPPgT6r53WYHShLBh3CMjPphQ8dYRvwVVRewozE9HKtw0iDuppOWoP4bDwEpDDTkT6AArOZmESe2YwU74Y-r16drhFyJHYNmbr80fwgoeV4YXLcPgXfQTa-b7fqZod_QeF9XoUmC9m7xpo39l623bWnWn_POTS0hTAB1c0oQh8/s4032/IMG_6352.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OUdqq5K-Y3ymui0vnAPPgT6r53WYHShLBh3CMjPphQ8dYRvwVVRewozE9HKtw0iDuppOWoP4bDwEpDDTkT6AArOZmESe2YwU74Y-r16drhFyJHYNmbr80fwgoeV4YXLcPgXfQTa-b7fqZod_QeF9XoUmC9m7xpo39l623bWnWn_POTS0hTAB1c0oQh8/w480-h640/IMG_6352.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Touch</i>, detail from the <i>Lady and the Unicorn</i> at the Museum of the Middle Ages (formerly the Cluny), in Paris. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The narrative behind the mammoth and hugely important Apocalypse tapestry is better known. This series of weavings, over 100 meters long now but even longer when it was woven in the 14th century (much has been lost), is based on the Revelation of John, the last book in the Christian bible, also known as the Apocalypse (the Greek word literally means "revelation" though it has come to be synonymous with the end of the world). It is a mystical vision full of symbol, allegory and human and fantastical creatures engaged in the ultimate battle of good versus evil. </p><p>I spent some time at the beginning dutifully consulting my guide, trying to follow the whole epic story, but after awhile I surrendered to just enjoying the details and appreciating the phenomenal weaverly skill involved. These weavers were not reproducing brushstrokes and paint colors from a cartoon; they were <i>weaving</i> the images as they saw fit, exploiting the hatching, hachure, slits and other tools in the weaver's toolbox to create bold woven imagery. </p><p>I was particularly interested in a panel depicting a shipwreck. Look at the faces on the poor drowning sailors, each one an individual. Look at the waves--remember these tapestries were woven from the side, so the warp as we see it is running horizontally. Those stripe-y and spiral-y waves were woven as steep verticals. <br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_MQfizpIz9KNJ1IqQCVqSLKZuQTC9BuaaygQ_3nBc0MndUBOJ0GZ0FJ_gPKEoenXHBRcfcpFun2wHj3JyKnX2jXScxtK90zbVgjfIsNsfSD_A-lB6j1rBGBCxIGX2wDdCH-Y2VUW1swSQokFq9Mx19x69_beGFl9Pi7C2eJj2ETGZ8uWdJQ_FDVQf9E/s4032/IMG_6548.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_MQfizpIz9KNJ1IqQCVqSLKZuQTC9BuaaygQ_3nBc0MndUBOJ0GZ0FJ_gPKEoenXHBRcfcpFun2wHj3JyKnX2jXScxtK90zbVgjfIsNsfSD_A-lB6j1rBGBCxIGX2wDdCH-Y2VUW1swSQokFq9Mx19x69_beGFl9Pi7C2eJj2ETGZ8uWdJQ_FDVQf9E/w640-h480/IMG_6548.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Apocalypse</i>, detail, at Angers Chateau</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DxAgfK4yeVA0UEzJdsThw-b1UNzk0yH-XyHHWxfPcI1A2TD7KRewaoaJQuVqe4H2dEp6Pb2JS_WPxvi49xhD5ZRnBApzVUk1j-8b0sIQT5gOvqp-qHJKiJv1nQ6u9PzCWAEtyQK_TgVE_ZpOJoI4Tfm65YpRzy5A_2R8lbBdK08ovbQn1HHSRehdptc/s4032/IMG_6546.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_DxAgfK4yeVA0UEzJdsThw-b1UNzk0yH-XyHHWxfPcI1A2TD7KRewaoaJQuVqe4H2dEp6Pb2JS_WPxvi49xhD5ZRnBApzVUk1j-8b0sIQT5gOvqp-qHJKiJv1nQ6u9PzCWAEtyQK_TgVE_ZpOJoI4Tfm65YpRzy5A_2R8lbBdK08ovbQn1HHSRehdptc/w480-h640/IMG_6546.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Apocalypse</i>, detail, at Anger Chateau<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Notice the hatching on the ground above the waves in the upper right. <br /> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqlDEEoV5wWhJ9DxSZag3ppsz6jwEyGSCZ20eMhkr_NHAKGxbK6BIcxl6uo_tQkG-wAj2Z3j603eJKlF_aGVXuSVEoEKi6MvZJ0JGpzsGSYMhM6fJeenCajnmt71U6sXkjqA2jc1OdXjmhuiloQquoj1vclv72xCzBG3tpq4hR2CYWOSdqrTbEGghXcc/s4032/IMG_6568.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXqlDEEoV5wWhJ9DxSZag3ppsz6jwEyGSCZ20eMhkr_NHAKGxbK6BIcxl6uo_tQkG-wAj2Z3j603eJKlF_aGVXuSVEoEKi6MvZJ0JGpzsGSYMhM6fJeenCajnmt71U6sXkjqA2jc1OdXjmhuiloQquoj1vclv72xCzBG3tpq4hR2CYWOSdqrTbEGghXcc/w640-h480/IMG_6568.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Apocalypse</i>, detail, at Angers Chateau<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>In one way, the Apocalypse theme and imagery seem more timely to us than ever. There is so much larger-than-life action here, so much death and destruction on a planetary scale. We are horrified but we can't look away. The theology may be arcane and mysterious but the vision draws us in nonetheless. The making and the survival of this massive cycle of tapestries<i>--which were completed in just ten years--</i>is one of the wonders of the world. It stuns you into silent amazement. </p><p>I was similarly awed by Jean Lurçat's twentieth-century Apocalypse, called the <i>Song of the World</i>, which was inspired directly by the medieval one. Lurçat conceived of a cycle that would address humanity's position on the nuclear brink after World War II, depicting both the near-end of life as we know it and the rebirth of life, hope, joy and art. I felt the emotional arc of these tapestries even more keenly than either the Unicorn or the Apocalypse tapestries. </p><p>In this panel near the beginning, a human figure guides an ark full of ghostly animals who have been contaminated by radioactive fallout. They are fleeing the nuclear explosion to the left, not seen in this detail. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoc2JAT1t7awZh41YzNjQtico5FFBd0iFZvQYJ-wvzRIvzSQ7ZPeW3DYY12lD7-0b-6xkzbj9cjzra4-210lojyLDHXg2ngpnKptceS8cMxOzOphMwGajNhClZKQE2sTmTjhJA8Y9KGKtQxeifCPjzsyJISITWCM-TeTbqpuOCB-mpWo-lS_ZRU6GGE2Y/s4032/IMG_6651.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoc2JAT1t7awZh41YzNjQtico5FFBd0iFZvQYJ-wvzRIvzSQ7ZPeW3DYY12lD7-0b-6xkzbj9cjzra4-210lojyLDHXg2ngpnKptceS8cMxOzOphMwGajNhClZKQE2sTmTjhJA8Y9KGKtQxeifCPjzsyJISITWCM-TeTbqpuOCB-mpWo-lS_ZRU6GGE2Y/w640-h480/IMG_6651.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jean Lurçat, detail,<i> The Great Threat </i>from <i>Song of the World</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G5BkzwKMfEkQqD_l3s6tLWlCoxY2LHmatfU31l_KcHvWlO5IoF74s0kw6LYsRjE14FtYZtk4yERhEmUfGKNg_jf_0eSW2wMueesfuTnSkboz1pmFbYhZwcDZEW-05b6xCv6x7f6Hf1dM1SB2NXB-VqcK8I9cipZJoxaVjgdP6UP5HsFC7sp8AQtKy1Y/s4032/IMG_6656.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G5BkzwKMfEkQqD_l3s6tLWlCoxY2LHmatfU31l_KcHvWlO5IoF74s0kw6LYsRjE14FtYZtk4yERhEmUfGKNg_jf_0eSW2wMueesfuTnSkboz1pmFbYhZwcDZEW-05b6xCv6x7f6Hf1dM1SB2NXB-VqcK8I9cipZJoxaVjgdP6UP5HsFC7sp8AQtKy1Y/w480-h640/IMG_6656.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jean Lurçat, detail, <i>The Mass Grave, </i>from<i> Song of the World<br /><br /></i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9p_oc5-S5_U_UQLrX7Fhhic2WNJXlmBFQPTXiTv7Gj-F2bv0lyiOwbjWsfEBSOToxrfftoRnF8ILH3FDLHT14qBUYipRZVVPW4af13dLrMGA97jd6ywD-o7nozvCdZM9qg2akLJg4cSUnl-NzsrQYbsANSihclbDCXOyZuNEtfNwSlzeA1RpXODRO_fU/s4032/IMG_6664.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9p_oc5-S5_U_UQLrX7Fhhic2WNJXlmBFQPTXiTv7Gj-F2bv0lyiOwbjWsfEBSOToxrfftoRnF8ILH3FDLHT14qBUYipRZVVPW4af13dLrMGA97jd6ywD-o7nozvCdZM9qg2akLJg4cSUnl-NzsrQYbsANSihclbDCXOyZuNEtfNwSlzeA1RpXODRO_fU/w480-h640/IMG_6664.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jean Lurçat, detail from <i>Man in Glory at Peace</i>, from <i>Song of the World</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqCjjNytT4EG-nHjSszopGwn6MJE_78dZqjwqrwLuBOAp4CZTntJlsgDgU_FR0CzXsWH8zhy21S4TQb7xvd9yqXMctQ38uIhp5hVqnJL-uGLeUDObxFhZCoBxCvhe8q3R2k1Mu-qoftYkUJ2JINU5JN_SpFZ1yQFgOqG4GDA_915IE9R5jitQ8hmP-Kg/s4032/IMG_6658.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKqCjjNytT4EG-nHjSszopGwn6MJE_78dZqjwqrwLuBOAp4CZTntJlsgDgU_FR0CzXsWH8zhy21S4TQb7xvd9yqXMctQ38uIhp5hVqnJL-uGLeUDObxFhZCoBxCvhe8q3R2k1Mu-qoftYkUJ2JINU5JN_SpFZ1yQFgOqG4GDA_915IE9R5jitQ8hmP-Kg/w480-h640/IMG_6658.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jean Lurçat, detail from <i>Man in Glory at Peace</i>, from <i>Song of the World</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div> After several panels depicting horror and despair, <i>Man in Glory at Peace</i> depicts life returning to the earth. The owl, symbol of wisdom, perches on the man's head, and humans are once again integrated into nature. The dove of peace is atop the circle of earth, bursting with new life. Colorful stars are everywhere. I felt a palpable sense of joy and relief when I encountered <i>Champagne</i>, bubbling over with flowers, butterflies and generally the joy of regenerated life.<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmW7KD6KX87_FjjzTUbJvYNezxwzFY304-5YQYiCYNY3yF6XYHHav9K1DOrWGSI_Nl3aKqQJQNiXV9RrVwNzS7jB8GhwK7WJBYZ3uDnrUToKV_d1syfIzp0Ro8vJSUjWpJ3JgWn0DtnMZc_2kB7hcCGWRzu0SZ7d4-CJrli53tPvVzWL1NztURaA0cgAM/s4032/IMG_6672.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmW7KD6KX87_FjjzTUbJvYNezxwzFY304-5YQYiCYNY3yF6XYHHav9K1DOrWGSI_Nl3aKqQJQNiXV9RrVwNzS7jB8GhwK7WJBYZ3uDnrUToKV_d1syfIzp0Ro8vJSUjWpJ3JgWn0DtnMZc_2kB7hcCGWRzu0SZ7d4-CJrli53tPvVzWL1NztURaA0cgAM/w480-h640/IMG_6672.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jean Lurçat, detail, <i>Champagne</i>, from <i>Song of the World</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Elsewhere in the <i>Song of the World</i>, Lurçat depicts the exploration of space that was happening in the 1960s, when these tapestries were being woven (by workshops in Aubusson, not by Lurçat himself). He clearly had a post-war faith in human technology and in the potential of humans to save themselves from destruction. Sixty-some years later, that faith is harder to hold on to. <br /></p><p>For me the privilege of seeing these masterworks of tapestry up close and appreciating their vision and careful craftsmanship is cheering and life-affirming. We wonder sometimes why we bother working in such a time-consuming and misunderstood (or ignored) art form as tapestry. But we can remember that it sometimes it <i>does</i> survive, and it <i>does</i> speak across the decades and maybe even the centuries to viewers like us who long for evidence that we can do great things, one pick at a time. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-57047873699404642852023-07-12T09:35:00.000-06:002023-07-12T09:35:09.748-06:00In Short: It was Mind-Blowing<p> I returned from a tour of tapestry in France two weeks ago and I'm still processing what I saw and learned. I expect to be doing that for a long time to come. Under the expert guidance and unfailing good humor of our leader <a href="http://www.cressidecollette.com/" target="_blank">Cresside Collette</a>, we journeyed from Paris to Angers, Albi and Soreze, and Aubusson, with a few side trips thrown in. We saw what my Art History 101 professor would have called the "key monuments" of tapestry: <i>The Lady and the Unicorn</i>, the <i>Apocalypse</i>, and Jean Lurçat's <i>The Song of the World</i>. We also saw lots of contemporary work and got behind-the-scenes looks at some of the auxiliary businesses that support the tapestry industry: mills, dyers, conservators and independent weavers. It was full-on immersion in tapestry with a wonderful group of textile fans. I am deeply grateful that the tour did occur, after being postponed three times since 2020. <br /></p><p>During the tour, I posted daily on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mollyelkind/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mpelkind/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> some of my photos and thoughts, so I will not recount all that information here. The question I keep hearing from fellow weavers--and the question I asked Rebecca Mezoff when she returned from the same tour in 2019--is "how do you think this will impact your own work as a weaver?" (By the way, <a href="https://rebeccamezoff.com/blog?category=France%20Tapestry%20Tour" target="_blank">Rebecca's blogposts</a> on the trip are very complete and well worth a read.)</p><p>As you might expect, my answer is complicated and still evolving. Here are some of my thoughts so far: </p><p><b>Size matters</b>. The historic tapestries and many others we saw that were produced by large workshops are huuuuuge. The viewer is engulfed in them. You have to stand far back to take them in, and then move in close to appreciate the fine technical detail. They are spectacular, awe-inspiring, overwhelming. I came home energized to work larger again--even if as a tiny one-person practice I can't make something wall-sized. See below <b>Who pays</b>, etc. for more on this. <br /></p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3F6yUYQx8KJGxuDsEt1r1int04SujhYD-u2FHJ5v01Z7mNKlcWqFkZa9yGsjrfe8xj6tV7R9MEAFQko97cmVhG4JvcyEBbGkngH07wnYKjRrvRLMihhYXCOuYrfX3yYZHiER_HcWigGTHpSK0F3o-61_AZJJUdzn8o9EsBOBuroysNnIrF1z3NDQGOAQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3F6yUYQx8KJGxuDsEt1r1int04SujhYD-u2FHJ5v01Z7mNKlcWqFkZa9yGsjrfe8xj6tV7R9MEAFQko97cmVhG4JvcyEBbGkngH07wnYKjRrvRLMihhYXCOuYrfX3yYZHiER_HcWigGTHpSK0F3o-61_AZJJUdzn8o9EsBOBuroysNnIrF1z3NDQGOAQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partial installation view of <i>the Apocalypse</i> in Angers. The full tapestry is over 100 meters long. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLki80Ldy_Jrj2Yx2-q3ohg5yC0DAuSiJ_51nuQ6PUC--1Y8KvX85iIV4okNmIbA91UR22hpix7lFPfbkM4g9-9E0gP9pWB4Ty6a66QOgYqZC0PhQ5LMJX6riQLiui3ZdbGtYq6IbfBnSuEBobvwv1W7d7Pqy-GkH2ocPD6WkkjGxchpgM7NjJff1XhRI" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLki80Ldy_Jrj2Yx2-q3ohg5yC0DAuSiJ_51nuQ6PUC--1Y8KvX85iIV4okNmIbA91UR22hpix7lFPfbkM4g9-9E0gP9pWB4Ty6a66QOgYqZC0PhQ5LMJX6riQLiui3ZdbGtYq6IbfBnSuEBobvwv1W7d7Pqy-GkH2ocPD6WkkjGxchpgM7NjJff1XhRI=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tapestry commissioned by and hanging in the Cité: <i>La Famille dans la Joyeuse Verdure (The Family in the Joyous Verdure)</i>. 3 meters high by 5 meters wide. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p><b>Technique matters</b>. . . <b>but for me is not enough. </b> I was in awe at the perfect weaving technique I saw everywhere, the attention to a uniform woven surface, perfect selvedges, gorgeous color blending, beautifully executed hatching and so on. I returned newly determined to continue to improve my own technique and not to shy away from difficult bits of weaving if it's important to the concept of the piece. </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4EOi9MdpYwVHfGEGKs1tFwFG1lJjUZdp1Jo1_Lg1cEA3gFtiSt9Lr03g-ptzdw9ahcYnCLelAhl9IoWEgEGh5y2tqiUSv0KLYM1Gmt3pEzldayQGi2HwXJVbh8a1pijDDe5x7Yw3BptuIAkCY3Iih5Y_ZZ4-Ajl12JcrHydrsFHAURDQvmPN6uy466CA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4EOi9MdpYwVHfGEGKs1tFwFG1lJjUZdp1Jo1_Lg1cEA3gFtiSt9Lr03g-ptzdw9ahcYnCLelAhl9IoWEgEGh5y2tqiUSv0KLYM1Gmt3pEzldayQGi2HwXJVbh8a1pijDDe5x7Yw3BptuIAkCY3Iih5Y_ZZ4-Ajl12JcrHydrsFHAURDQvmPN6uy466CA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, the <i>Family in the Joyous Verdure</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>That said, I saw pieces whose technique was impressive but the subject did not seem to me to justify the huge size and the expense of time and effort. Why did Tolkein's small watercolors need to be translated into a series of large tapestries? </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgns8OozKfB0REkp0VUQ_NTvQfO91f8NQJtTC-aBh8aQp16wooSwJK7gfQmfjbiZcp-DL-UR6p0up37JjASNr5XMIIcm0dm01Qv0eoxbcl9ZvrqyJ9pjRR1wJBHX08ft7moh5QhfTAfEs0Nb4mWQ_nFHGCf2OZq_sZXC2W11NqheVMewXJD5_xVnSQzdcI" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgns8OozKfB0REkp0VUQ_NTvQfO91f8NQJtTC-aBh8aQp16wooSwJK7gfQmfjbiZcp-DL-UR6p0up37JjASNr5XMIIcm0dm01Qv0eoxbcl9ZvrqyJ9pjRR1wJBHX08ft7moh5QhfTAfEs0Nb4mWQ_nFHGCf2OZq_sZXC2W11NqheVMewXJD5_xVnSQzdcI=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Conversation with Smaug</i>, Original watercolor by JRR Tolkein, 1937. 3.2 meters by 2.48 meters. Cartoonists Anne Boissau and Delphine Mangeret. Woven by Patricia Bergeron, Elisa Gastaud-Lipreau, Aiko Konomi and Natalie Mouveroux of Atelier A2, 2022 <br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>Why do the images of Hiyao Murasaki need to find giant life in woven wool, when they already wow audiences in movie theaters? </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8m4wBbojqDNWe7d4a-ouvtyAy0c06MkUQ7ZgAYoKWjZsA4KCScd3i_1S2p575h9jVZorEKqiT4hcOJ1kq2z1QAiBmrFGE1irCBBESk653aJlY-mFfbfSjuljDRl0Umg4a-13kuDg0iJgS7s8A60P5jYUbbI-DNhAiI8DDAggfMs5ZPjddTOusG3qhp3s" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8m4wBbojqDNWe7d4a-ouvtyAy0c06MkUQ7ZgAYoKWjZsA4KCScd3i_1S2p575h9jVZorEKqiT4hcOJ1kq2z1QAiBmrFGE1irCBBESk653aJlY-mFfbfSjuljDRl0Umg4a-13kuDg0iJgS7s8A60P5jYUbbI-DNhAiI8DDAggfMs5ZPjddTOusG3qhp3s=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Moving Castle at Sunse</i>t, based on still from film <i>Howl's Moving Castle</i> of Studio Ghibli-NDDMT. 5 meters by 5 meters. 2022-23. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <p></p><p>The Cité states that the purpose of these monumental series of work is to reach a worldwide audience for Aubusson tapestry, to pull in with popular narratives the younger viewers who might not otherwise go to see a tapestry. Fair enough. Tapestry has always been about depicting epic narratives, and the Miyasaki tapestries have found wide acclaim in Japan. <br /></p><p><b>Who pays for the weaving? </b><b>Who designs the tapestry? Who weaves? For whom?</b> These questions may sound crass, but they are at the heart of how tapestry has always been done in France and how much of it is done today. Huge blockbuster works have always been underwritten by those with power, status and deep pockets. They are designed to impress, and in some cases intimidate, viewers. The designs are created by artists who are not weavers, though they may (one hopes) be deeply informed about both the potential and the limits of translating designs conceived in other media into tapestry. These designs are woven by weavers who expertise is critical to make the best judgments about color and technique to interpret the design. </p><p>This is a very different tapestry ecosystem than most of us individual designer-weavers are familiar with. We weave on spec, usually, often mostly for our own pleasure, perhaps hoping to find an audience and a buyer if we are lucky and work hard at it. We determine constraints of size, timeline, purpose and audience based on our own circumstances. For most of us, this means we are <i>not</i> weaving tapestries that are both huge and insanely detailed. </p><p>The most extreme version of the workshop system is found at the Gobelins state manufactory of tapestry in Paris (which I thought of privately as the CIA of tapestry, so focused were they on secrecy). Since the time of Louis XIV, since the time of Louis XIV, workers there--and also at the Beauvais state workshop--have made tapestries for France. Today, they may take up to ten years to complete a single tapestry that will go into a national storehouse of works available to decorate French buildings and embassies. Weavers at the Gobelins and at Beauvais may never know where a tapestry that they worked on for years actually ends up. That said, they are on the federal payroll. . . to weave! <br /></p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_ZgJ1EiqsXel9r6DlgFSc3HJrCQufkDmq2rs1-wP86RTlqSmNadk_vg7LcvSSCaoFa4PRB8hI4FxvtEp5fZ1FwKBmSQnwoGmKf8Vq1oMJS7nZ4TAyv6R2fGuoT088KNbqOP8F8YAKv-DlSuyfP2I6yhqRnLvYpnlQPQvquPA9ZZbztal7dJ3jFC87AbA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_ZgJ1EiqsXel9r6DlgFSc3HJrCQufkDmq2rs1-wP86RTlqSmNadk_vg7LcvSSCaoFa4PRB8hI4FxvtEp5fZ1FwKBmSQnwoGmKf8Vq1oMJS7nZ4TAyv6R2fGuoT088KNbqOP8F8YAKv-DlSuyfP2I6yhqRnLvYpnlQPQvquPA9ZZbztal7dJ3jFC87AbA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Composition after Roberto Matta</i>. 2.72 meters by 4.70 meters. Wool and silk, 2016. Woven and displayed at the Gobelins.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><b>Weaving is a powerful creative language. </b>I am re-committed to exploring weaving as my primary medium, even as I explore other techniques. As impressed as I am by the power of traditional pictorial tapestry, I am also confirmed in my own recent direction toward mixed media and shaped or 3D work. I admire <i>so much</i> the expert weaving I saw--there is something undeniably magical in rendering a recognizable scene in tapestry--but that work no longer feels like it is mine to do. The modern and contemporary weavers I saw who are experimenting with the potential of tapestry were tremendously exciting to me. </p><p>For me, the most moving work retains an essential mystery at its core, a stillness. I experienced this when looking at the <i>Lady and the Unicorn</i>, the <i>Apocalypse</i>, and the <i>Song of the World</i>. I will say more about this in the next post. Here's one 20th century example to whet your appetite:</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqIGqbS2MdNWlE9G41LvUFT_8iplSj-PO1LbMxkF5a-6mob17ZrZVCJnlNDqpwihLZAiecpUEXxA7UPFubUZWTogCCG0KxPPr7korU3Q7WTyeYvTSzn7hsKJH0LDhHOcTKGI_zwxo_VPVaxIUJqcMjnBYHUNFc0Sx6cjw1fXsFOTpBj2juTiQJ8_7h_0M" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqIGqbS2MdNWlE9G41LvUFT_8iplSj-PO1LbMxkF5a-6mob17ZrZVCJnlNDqpwihLZAiecpUEXxA7UPFubUZWTogCCG0KxPPr7korU3Q7WTyeYvTSzn7hsKJH0LDhHOcTKGI_zwxo_VPVaxIUJqcMjnBYHUNFc0Sx6cjw1fXsFOTpBj2juTiQJ8_7h_0M=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Zohar.</i> Thomas Gleb, designer. Woven by Atelier de Saint-Cyr/Pierre Daquin, Saint-Cyr-en Arthies. Cotton and wool. 1970. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOEtuG9OB5_txRcgofHLkNHBEl4SZjs5F6AstJSj02lLHnj6WjGo8SYoE1zXKvEYTpfQl2Yck2WBqW2YGik5qvePxNN-ibjXIqX7cGoT52SoPGWOpBDhbvw-Tj9qG8YEOMicQke0PTzYFjt6UZhKSrGdNcTBUipuYkNL2SSjuRk3vIDgsJ2qchcjuME9c" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOEtuG9OB5_txRcgofHLkNHBEl4SZjs5F6AstJSj02lLHnj6WjGo8SYoE1zXKvEYTpfQl2Yck2WBqW2YGik5qvePxNN-ibjXIqX7cGoT52SoPGWOpBDhbvw-Tj9qG8YEOMicQke0PTzYFjt6UZhKSrGdNcTBUipuYkNL2SSjuRk3vIDgsJ2qchcjuME9c=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, <i>Zohar</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-92000255233161925302023-06-06T10:04:00.001-06:002023-06-06T10:51:38.444-06:00"Nothing but Blue Skies" in Houston for CHT conference<p>I'm just back from a fun few days in Houston at the <a href="https://weavetexas.org/" target="_blank">Contemporary Handweavers Guild of Texas</a> (CHT) conference. I taught two classes, "Using Photos to Design Tapestry" and Sampling: Your Tapestry Superpower. It was great being with so many engaged tapestry people! The keynote speech by <a href="https://www.nathaliemiebach.com/" target="_blank">Nathalie Miebach</a> was interesting and thought-provoking. As usual, once students entered my classroom I got caught up in the moment and totally forgot to take photos, so sorry about that. What imaginative, curious and welcoming artists! </p><p>I was also bowled over by the art on offer in Houston. Sam and I went a couple days early so we could tick off a bucket list item for both of us: the <a href="https://www.rothkochapel.org/" target="_blank">Rothko Chapel</a>.* Photos inside the Chapel are prohibited, so I don't have any to share, but my photos wouldn't do justice to the experience of being in that space anyway. Visitors observed strict silence and indeed several were clearly practicing prayer and meditation. Upon entering from outside, my immediate reaction was disappointment: "Oh, all these panels are the same dull gray. Hmm. I've been misled. Not much to see here." </p><p>And then my eyes adjusted to the diffuse light entering through the oculus in the center of the ceiling. </p><p>I noticed that in fact each large painted panel was a slightly different color from the others and had subtle color and tonal variations within itself. Violet, dark purple, maroon, dark green, and rich grays and blacks were all present. There were subtle changes in brushstrokes and paint application. And here's the magical thing: the more you looked, the more you saw. And as time passed and the clouds moved in front of the sun outside, the light inside shifted too, and the colors changed subtly. The experience of looking at these massive, overwhelming panels was humbling, fascinating, and definitely inclined me to confront the noisiness of my own mind and to ponder for a few moments the mysteries of perception and even the divine. This is art that throws you back on your own resources and invites slow contemplation. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm30Dk6pVvvW0vls-r8aHiDIXs1xJ-F4zY8t1PL3PuaolmQNsNZ2Nf7Rw_OTjfwFW1m32sbAAo7VohlQok8tRuFzCNATvtQ7upWRbLr7sSGXpfc3CBXj8z7W85fwDfKRqwNr_MvC36RcaQeCCT95w7VFWSf56ucw02UEkJ4sGqT8NpJie6Oo_qmzs/s4032/IMG_6090.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpm30Dk6pVvvW0vls-r8aHiDIXs1xJ-F4zY8t1PL3PuaolmQNsNZ2Nf7Rw_OTjfwFW1m32sbAAo7VohlQok8tRuFzCNATvtQ7upWRbLr7sSGXpfc3CBXj8z7W85fwDfKRqwNr_MvC36RcaQeCCT95w7VFWSf56ucw02UEkJ4sGqT8NpJie6Oo_qmzs/w300-h400/IMG_6090.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barnett Newman, <i>Broken Obelisk</i>, outside the Rothko Chapel<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The next day we visited the <a href="https://www.mfah.org/" target="_blank">Museum of Fine Arts, Houston</a>, which has a new wing, the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, devoted to contemporary and modern art. We experienced the <a href="https://pipilottirist.net/" target="_blank">Pipilotti Rist</a> video and light installation called <a href="https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/pipilotti-rist-pixel-forest-and-worry-will-vanish" target="_blank">Pixel Forest and Worry Will Vanish</a>, which was a 180-degree contrast to the Rothko Chapel: bright, almost overwhelmingly stimulating, art as spectacle for the contemporary audience already saturated with video and color and imagery. Like the Rothko Chapel, the installation was huge and immersive, but it was full of motion and color rather than still and near-monochrome. It was fun to walk through the forest of changing colored lights and be surrounded on two sides by giant video projections of natural forms processes both vegetal and human. It felt magical and very of-the-moment. To my mind, it's perhaps not as enduring as the Rothko Chapel installation--and it may be that temporality and mutability are Rist's main concerns. On second thought, perhaps that is what the two installations have in common after all. . . <br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzJLIvJ3HDODmfpU0treYjGIAnAMpC3q_JWCXWgdkUn27Z5nwMnO4U6rm7KOuD9L0-RAKlnvgQhaAklJ09lkA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div> <p></p><p>For me the art objects I saw in conversation with each other at the MFAH are what I will keep coming back to. I was delighted to find work by two of my favorites, <a href="https://matthewmarks.com/artists/martin-puryear" target="_blank">Martin Puryear</a> and <a href="https://elanatsui.art/" target="_blank">El Anatsui</a>, in company with each other, commanding a large space in the new wing. Both use weaving/stitching techniques to assemble powerful objects that invite our imaginative attention. Puryear's work is often rooted in basketry, though his piece here was made of bronze. I loved how the open mesh layers looked from various angles. And behind it, spanning a loooooong curved wall, hung the largest Anatsui "tapestry" I'm aware of, composed of stitched together bottle caps and metallic foil strips in rich folds. Weavers can't help but respond to the way the image grows one "pixel" at a time, in parts becoming what seems to be an urban map, and to be awed by the sheer labor involved. Walking along this piece is akin to taking a journey through a varied landscape. <br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi810k8XXFjoDiDeH_omhatfTLXigaljWD8u6toRW9zuJR_cFTj1YCW3AUeZQM8RbIMj134nJEt9_8Pru00GeSTQ8qj3wl794xihd_rAnt-hWM8PaivFCJ20JR4bvapEY35NKsEfCD2IRtTeCotaLL2IsVqoWv9GPARSt73K7M7k4qqDOjkjUsHOXcC/s4032/IMG_6120.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi810k8XXFjoDiDeH_omhatfTLXigaljWD8u6toRW9zuJR_cFTj1YCW3AUeZQM8RbIMj134nJEt9_8Pru00GeSTQ8qj3wl794xihd_rAnt-hWM8PaivFCJ20JR4bvapEY35NKsEfCD2IRtTeCotaLL2IsVqoWv9GPARSt73K7M7k4qqDOjkjUsHOXcC/w640-h480/IMG_6120.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">foreground: Martin Puryear, <i>Aso Oke</i>, 2019, edition 2/3, bronze. background: El Anatsui, Untitled, 2020, found aluminum and copper wire</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaW8SHtNz3NIuaEMmoFv8AvQIJG0oXNobR07o58uaFuN-kyKk-zRqG0C6AQHH0y8-sLw7iYkL-NTiAs-k0LMAKZFaNg8rx7eMYsujD98YYoOTNHTpOdv5Z7oKODw3Epuij8FFhEpsMKHm6Fr4g6VPj6eu4RNiGX2Ohbyd5o43tnC2MVwT6QmwsvwV/s4032/IMG_6142.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaW8SHtNz3NIuaEMmoFv8AvQIJG0oXNobR07o58uaFuN-kyKk-zRqG0C6AQHH0y8-sLw7iYkL-NTiAs-k0LMAKZFaNg8rx7eMYsujD98YYoOTNHTpOdv5Z7oKODw3Epuij8FFhEpsMKHm6Fr4g6VPj6eu4RNiGX2Ohbyd5o43tnC2MVwT6QmwsvwV/w300-h400/IMG_6142.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, Puryear, <i>Aso Oke</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRwU0FKx_aeEBeB1vpTncRrCiPKMRO3m__Okr2npOwk01ysdX4gUGTfxKPJJWeWhW7-c60V56lNUS1Oxyb4Mj3g6ml2w4LgzKjmbnTcvwCJ-AdblYPn3uZHoCsBZVJcAZnB-a0jsHn-PFW8P8g5i9FgdgweOK50Dd6kX8--6miX72lqKMcMkFcNKf/s4032/IMG_6123.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRwU0FKx_aeEBeB1vpTncRrCiPKMRO3m__Okr2npOwk01ysdX4gUGTfxKPJJWeWhW7-c60V56lNUS1Oxyb4Mj3g6ml2w4LgzKjmbnTcvwCJ-AdblYPn3uZHoCsBZVJcAZnB-a0jsHn-PFW8P8g5i9FgdgweOK50Dd6kX8--6miX72lqKMcMkFcNKf/w400-h300/IMG_6123.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, Anatsui, Untitled<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEllhARwZVKn1b5VIZO_hTx5CYze0J9ObWPfw_CkxTmg4iD9Atrc3yXrYyM1GIYnliES9XcTkM_inFuqQ5r3EP5TbgM3BV-bODd5CJQrdMO5BCgIZwOpAma0lZgp4KgM2YTv7X7rZszwUuxEM1sRLvzVfM-83DF1jA4og9hQDwNFJ6Hp82KK4DNOX/s4032/IMG_6124.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEllhARwZVKn1b5VIZO_hTx5CYze0J9ObWPfw_CkxTmg4iD9Atrc3yXrYyM1GIYnliES9XcTkM_inFuqQ5r3EP5TbgM3BV-bODd5CJQrdMO5BCgIZwOpAma0lZgp4KgM2YTv7X7rZszwUuxEM1sRLvzVfM-83DF1jA4og9hQDwNFJ6Hp82KK4DNOX/w400-h300/IMG_6124.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, Anatsui, Untitled</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>I am sort of a museum geek, I admit it. I loved how the curators at this museum assembled and interpreted the work on display. No dry academic marches through chronological art history here, strictly segregated by geography and medium. Artworks from throughout time and space were grouped so they could spark off of each other. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYD8_he9Pz-fgv0fCYAuOVIcsxbwtbY5psKSvTktekKCQGYi95_y1u49Df-FGnrIggzmCHM24wyUfWapRlEJA3Ccc-kkG2RhgJopv3x1OUJ62GOpQmzdih8cMiOp5krhIoXzrTWx841gtqwc8k_q7MnXfsQAkiHNY7HtZitiohwH5LIXQsK_Q-q_u/s4032/IMG_6174.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYD8_he9Pz-fgv0fCYAuOVIcsxbwtbY5psKSvTktekKCQGYi95_y1u49Df-FGnrIggzmCHM24wyUfWapRlEJA3Ccc-kkG2RhgJopv3x1OUJ62GOpQmzdih8cMiOp5krhIoXzrTWx841gtqwc8k_q7MnXfsQAkiHNY7HtZitiohwH5LIXQsK_Q-q_u/w300-h400/IMG_6174.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front: Gego, <i>Esfera no. 8 (Sphere No. 8)</i>,
1977, steel wire with metal leader sleeves. On wall, left: Agnes
Martin, Untitled # 12, 1990, acrylic and graphite on canvas. Wall,
right: Tone Vigeland, <i>Wall Piece I</i>, 2002, lead and steel<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Sam and I spent a lot of time in the <a href="https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/galleries/inaugural-installations-kinder-building" target="_blank">Line into Space gallery</a>, where I was delighted to find work by Ruth Asawa and the sensational Gego, currently having a much-talked-about exhibit in New York's Guggenheim Museum. Both have an amazing power to manipulate simple wire into fascinating forms that marry drawing with sculpture. Having recently emerged from a <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2023/04/r-d-or-why-i-just-crocheted-alligator.html" target="_blank">long and tangled rabbit trail</a> trying to crack the code on Asawa's looping technique, it was great to be able to examine her piece up close. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PYB1ucwXisaymTUKe4p5qu5buz1bTSBML9crmyirkRB4zY-HyCCjk67n5XNm5vQh00DAMbPo7d76J7kL77serZBv56jPnk8zOQxrEoulicA4oxHr4DMPT42p9Oc0DEBIR_wyxudm6r9Tw_HFwmdlsTTbS1al2dvTbO-MPJZphIyo_Jh2Kp0TjIzR/s4032/IMG_6152.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PYB1ucwXisaymTUKe4p5qu5buz1bTSBML9crmyirkRB4zY-HyCCjk67n5XNm5vQh00DAMbPo7d76J7kL77serZBv56jPnk8zOQxrEoulicA4oxHr4DMPT42p9Oc0DEBIR_wyxudm6r9Tw_HFwmdlsTTbS1al2dvTbO-MPJZphIyo_Jh2Kp0TjIzR/w300-h400/IMG_6152.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruth Asawa, Untitled (S. 562, Hanging Sphere with Two Cones that Penetrate the Sphere from Top and Bottom), c. 1954, galvanized steel wire and brass wire</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufe7l7YVNH6hzh20x9MKZQaLY7LMmMW_etu9UD12PCBDfi7F5m_bEw1gBwXOnBx9cJWA_52sQbKafLEL8gfkTCYp3W3nDKuHvozd7E8ekMA7po_Zrox3DfCxS4qdpihC-njkj8wdTHFWT-dMU8EgzNfW0G98D8o7A-DbFDcaMRbkWMzKIbyPi_mQp/s4032/IMG_6157.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufe7l7YVNH6hzh20x9MKZQaLY7LMmMW_etu9UD12PCBDfi7F5m_bEw1gBwXOnBx9cJWA_52sQbKafLEL8gfkTCYp3W3nDKuHvozd7E8ekMA7po_Zrox3DfCxS4qdpihC-njkj8wdTHFWT-dMU8EgzNfW0G98D8o7A-DbFDcaMRbkWMzKIbyPi_mQp/w300-h400/IMG_6157.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gego (Gertrud Goldschmidt), Sin título (Untitled), c. 1987, perforated and painted metal netting</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LtejCU2YO7deoIfQ6LE_lC6y91ab3C0WaBTt7h0NaYfMQ_7WNDeBIUpQ0GYqXlYZMRqZUcLBcA4rbxFeoxtEwl0MkX-puGpR1-zQe4H9fmqHIF2Z4IvfvDSU9RpyCL1K8ZOajIe8_s-p2ivuCjqADbK4HSMixFGXPfMO83pJMFBWqgVUTl0nqHPy/s4032/IMG_6164.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LtejCU2YO7deoIfQ6LE_lC6y91ab3C0WaBTt7h0NaYfMQ_7WNDeBIUpQ0GYqXlYZMRqZUcLBcA4rbxFeoxtEwl0MkX-puGpR1-zQe4H9fmqHIF2Z4IvfvDSU9RpyCL1K8ZOajIe8_s-p2ivuCjqADbK4HSMixFGXPfMO83pJMFBWqgVUTl0nqHPy/w300-h400/IMG_6164.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gego<i>, Apliqué de Reticulárea</i> <i>(Reticulárea<br />Wall Appliqué)</i>, 1969, iron and stainless-steel wire, nylon, and lead weights</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgMCZ1dbA0cBVAzHQyFXMSoNvw7zDoVG0g1NR6x8E4WyNwU0NH_0Yut5p1-UDzE74Awb6hKUilsewkX0Sz_qQ_zy_4nt47SsvI2d_b9W72SZ-0F6Wjc81aTiHee8q4ndRLFngFgMfpn1tkooS9C6Bz645oxR3NWs1LkCcjE86OAK_qgWtfrThLvUT/s4032/IMG_6147.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgMCZ1dbA0cBVAzHQyFXMSoNvw7zDoVG0g1NR6x8E4WyNwU0NH_0Yut5p1-UDzE74Awb6hKUilsewkX0Sz_qQ_zy_4nt47SsvI2d_b9W72SZ-0F6Wjc81aTiHee8q4ndRLFngFgMfpn1tkooS9C6Bz645oxR3NWs1LkCcjE86OAK_qgWtfrThLvUT/w300-h400/IMG_6147.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gego, <i>Vibración en negro (Vibration in Black)</i>, 1957, aluminum painted black</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>In a few days I leave for a long-postponed two-week tapestry tour of France led by <a href="http://www.cressidecollette.com/" target="_blank">Cresside Collette</a>. I imagine my brain will continue to explode as we see both monuments of medieval tapestry and the studios of contemporary weavers! Stay tuned for more about that in July! <br /></p><p>* Interestingly, the main photos on the Rothko Chapel website are in black and white. Even they don't try to capture the colors! It's up to the viewer to come and discern them for herself.<br /></p><br />Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-45822553517313075702023-05-13T14:44:00.001-06:002023-05-13T14:44:29.329-06:00 Where should you show your work?<p> You’ve been making your tapestries (or other fiber art) for a while now and frankly, your work is pretty good! You’d like to to get it out there. Where do you start? Maybe you already share your work on social media, but you’d like to show in physical shows, maybe even juried exhibits, where more people can see your pieces up close. </p><p>If you’re a member of a local weaving guild or art center, their member shows are a great start. Volunteer for the hanging committee, or to be a scribe for a visiting juror or judge, to get behind-the-scenes experience in what’s involved in putting a show together. The more you know about what’s involved, the better prepared you will be to mount, present, and pack your work. </p><p>Applying to juried shows is a whole ‘nother ballgame. Here you are competing against dozens or hundreds of other artists for the chance to have your work seen by a knowledgeable expert and by viewers in an art venue. To find out about juried exhibits you can enter, look for Calls for Entry in your favorite fiber arts publications, and sign up for emails from <a href="https://www.callforentry.org/how-it-works/" target="_blank">CaFE</a>, the online clearinghouse of exhibit opportunities across all media. Here are some of the main things to keep in mind when you apply to juried exhibits:</p><p><span> <b>Photography, photography, photography</b>. The importance of submitting high-quality photos of your work cannot be overstated. Your photo is the only way jurors can see how wonderful your work is; make sure it does your work justice. Learn how to take your own excellent photos or pay a professional (I have always found it to be money well-spent). Photos must be in focus, free of distracting backgrounds, well-lit and without shadows, straight and square within the frame, and free of fingers and toes poking out around the edges! What’s good enough for friends on Facebook is most definitely not good enough for submission to a juried exhibit. <br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_rFCsMhHRxuePMgdjzX0dxVdn9c9xpg-XujdvL6jlf8HiuN1AuQSay-O-lCfIEpMX33RbhlrpDmrVKu9h4Q3OaMAChB2MjcVdna1wtwQ8Ue9wWjkjTaPGYcM8VQrBlHbY3g1dilOYhO9-mzLitaQU69lKnnhxsJ7fXJkD8BB36Qv1kejOtwhZ2Tv/s6146/WUI%208_sky-cable_300ppi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6146" data-original-width="5000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_rFCsMhHRxuePMgdjzX0dxVdn9c9xpg-XujdvL6jlf8HiuN1AuQSay-O-lCfIEpMX33RbhlrpDmrVKu9h4Q3OaMAChB2MjcVdna1wtwQ8Ue9wWjkjTaPGYcM8VQrBlHbY3g1dilOYhO9-mzLitaQU69lKnnhxsJ7fXJkD8BB36Qv1kejOtwhZ2Tv/w325-h400/WUI%208_sky-cable_300ppi.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8y0g8JabDQjenoyzSy5OcInbOIiKJ0msTs-Wak3DaqkcA2cqjpK0SKBTbWrJrYAv3kTRrbBlwltdXF5oyZNaBy7ANW7JVbETBEwrN9tUkPGaRDBfrxJCr9AqL_en-6rt-53FMesWWd5sc2ZlT1VZaTBoYWDPV7k506hsgFI1SRaLl8vjJTkZph8V/s1600/WUI_8_sky-cable_detail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8y0g8JabDQjenoyzSy5OcInbOIiKJ0msTs-Wak3DaqkcA2cqjpK0SKBTbWrJrYAv3kTRrbBlwltdXF5oyZNaBy7ANW7JVbETBEwrN9tUkPGaRDBfrxJCr9AqL_en-6rt-53FMesWWd5sc2ZlT1VZaTBoYWDPV7k506hsgFI1SRaLl8vjJTkZph8V/s320/WUI_8_sky-cable_detail.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>WUI 8: sky/cable</i>. 15" x 12" x 1.5"; cotton, wool, plastic survey marker. 2023<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span><br /></span><span>I took these photos with my phone and
cropped them with Photoshop Elements. The lighting is not perfect but
in my view the shadows are not distracting. In the detail shot I zoom in on a part of the piece that gives a good look at everything going on in the work. I am thrilled that the juror for the Surface Design Association exhibit <i>Safekeeping</i> selected this piece for the show. <br /></span><p></p><p><span>The second part of taking good photos is understanding how to edit them to be the required size and resolution, and to crop out or straighten any that are perhaps a tiny bit wonky. Jurors and exhibit organizers will not spend the time to fix your photos for you; they will disqualify you and move to the next entry. <br /></span></p><p> <b>Read the prospectus or call for entry very carefully</b>, and follow it to the letter. Re-size photos exactly as asked. Label them exactly as directed. Include a bio, statement, and other information exactly at or less than the number of words or characters specified. Spend some time crafting carefully worded, clear text about yourself and your work. If the exhibit has a stated theme, explain how your work is related to the theme. We live in a time when, for better or worse, the words you use about your work matter just as much as the work itself. Again, jurors don't have time to guess what you're trying to say or edit your writing. <br /></p><p><span> </span>If you are entering a number of shows at the same time, <b>check very carefully the deadlines</b> for entering, notification dates, dates that your work is due for delivery to the venue (unless of course it’s an online exhibit), and return shipping or pick-up dates. Try not to make the rookie mistake of entering two exhibits with overlapping exhibit and shipping dates at the same time! Jurors and gallery people get very annoyed when this happens, and it doesn’t help your image as a professional. </p><p><span> </span>I use a table like this to track the shows I've entered. When I fill in all the relevant dates for shows I'm thinking of entering, I can see right away if I'll have a conflict. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6SNk0j5FREDaAey4enXjbbinbUVEbtwDDI5lm0nVs0jN4zCMlgvqJuIPZKhEAwdGZdYcKSkqOu1dSPFSAInlO_A3fxjtqqg8kfhjgpRZpqM4WVPQwpjtoGrlkbqsqA6Z4tztv79Y1tFaZJDMDErgG-G5fZevVxtiWat8nmVKoPj0rXiL51XkrFFo2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1388" data-original-width="3822" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6SNk0j5FREDaAey4enXjbbinbUVEbtwDDI5lm0nVs0jN4zCMlgvqJuIPZKhEAwdGZdYcKSkqOu1dSPFSAInlO_A3fxjtqqg8kfhjgpRZpqM4WVPQwpjtoGrlkbqsqA6Z4tztv79Y1tFaZJDMDErgG-G5fZevVxtiWat8nmVKoPj0rXiL51XkrFFo2=w640-h232" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p><p><span> <b>Check your ego at the door</b>. Fine and well-crafted work is rejected from juried exhibits All. The. Time. Many factors that have nothing to do with your specific piece or your own worth as an artist go into selecting or rejecting work for an exhibit. Dust yourself off and submit somewhere else. Keep at it. </span><br /></p><p><span><span> Once you’ve had your work accepted into a number of juried shows, you may start to be more selective about where you apply. <b>Consider the venue and the juror</b>. Is the juror someone whom you think will be receptive of what you do, or someone you want to introduce your work to? Is the venue or exhibit a prestigious one? There are many many juried all-media exhibits at many small, out of the way local art centers, that when you are accepted will give you a line on your resume but not much else. This may be all you need as you establish yourself, and that’s fine. Only you can judge which exhibits are worth applying to. Try not to be seduced by the potential for selling your work or winning one of the advertised awards or prizes. In my own experience, work seldom sells at juried exhibits, and prizes are even rarer! <br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span> So why do it then? </span><b>Be clear about your own goals</b> above all. <i>Why</i> do <i>you</i> want to show in a juried exhibit? For myself, it's a way to share what I do with the wider world, and to take part in the ongoing conversation about tapestry that's always happening among weavers. It also builds my credibility as a professional visual artist. <br /></span></span></p><p><span><span>This leads me to my last point, a story about choosing venues. I’ve had the good fortune to have the chance to show an entire body of work, 10-15 pieces, twice so far this year. The first time was in a two-person show in Farmington, NM. The work was sensitively hung in a beautiful well-lit art gallery on a college campus. It was a gorgeous installation. However, the opening reception was poorly attended, I knew no one in the community, and I have no idea how many people ultimately saw the work. It is nice to list a two-person show on my CV however. It shows that I am an actively exhibiting artist. </span></span></p><p><span><span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1g4W0BkHOtVQYMdoAvUgGb07juK9URGHs1HNo55m-7ND933mJWQwLeh_3L19O3BqdQR0FfstyJXRPxi6Hyo-EQM36yCbW8ysNPfx1fwWrHXsbptLHVPWWkWVLeshlJnYhKfyq0WENnGzC8xm7L4FjI6NH5DuVXyxzdDi9hnUUw40A-MfEfxEyBUWU/s4032/IMG_5605.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1g4W0BkHOtVQYMdoAvUgGb07juK9URGHs1HNo55m-7ND933mJWQwLeh_3L19O3BqdQR0FfstyJXRPxi6Hyo-EQM36yCbW8ysNPfx1fwWrHXsbptLHVPWWkWVLeshlJnYhKfyq0WENnGzC8xm7L4FjI6NH5DuVXyxzdDi9hnUUw40A-MfEfxEyBUWU/w400-h300/IMG_5605.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Installation view of <i>Whispers from the Land</i> at San Juan College, Farmington NM in Feb. 2023. Framed tapestries by Molly Elkind; quilts are the work of Patricia Joy. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span>The
second exhibit is a one-person show at the local library in my
community, happening right now for the month of May 2023. As it is a
very busy month for me and for the library, it was impossible to
schedule an opening reception. The work is hung above bookshelves and
among book carts and signs on the library walls. So, no reception, no
beautiful gallery installation. And yet</span></span><span><span> because the library is a very busy place,</span></span><span><span> I suspect more people will see this exhibit than saw the one at the college art gallery. And that’s just fine. </span></span></p><p><span><span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJz4cWRVuNXk-zxGq5A7eEn1ujDFjlktTK7BwyG1mQ9xfOHR_7oGEe_GZY0rpjki_-ktRMRoOe0n2nmjIWEAZPGT6nyJJPvoARIo6Z-2HerensvqqMhcj9-EokWFbPaqcOeMU-YX_kZL5BqzoONexkgCOF2s1vaejgD9fw2N7Rvau2NPVg2sx9R2EA/s4032/IMG_5967.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJz4cWRVuNXk-zxGq5A7eEn1ujDFjlktTK7BwyG1mQ9xfOHR_7oGEe_GZY0rpjki_-ktRMRoOe0n2nmjIWEAZPGT6nyJJPvoARIo6Z-2HerensvqqMhcj9-EokWFbPaqcOeMU-YX_kZL5BqzoONexkgCOF2s1vaejgD9fw2N7Rvau2NPVg2sx9R2EA/w400-h300/IMG_5967.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span><span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtHEZdpGAUpRFXG85NCaNmW5poRQj5cc6_eJfG0vkwsPoDAiCIVkuouWHrdPIHKtrXgGwos0kgrKgBioa5XAtINhokzc6R7nKtWLl3G8aovZYWxap3ElNACi0o45YdyDEN8aEgM4IcfrYr37Qm7UBvX_D2U5wMKdod-MmAYBhfGwloo-GFYQnHG_9/s4032/IMG_5970.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQtHEZdpGAUpRFXG85NCaNmW5poRQj5cc6_eJfG0vkwsPoDAiCIVkuouWHrdPIHKtrXgGwos0kgrKgBioa5XAtINhokzc6R7nKtWLl3G8aovZYWxap3ElNACi0o45YdyDEN8aEgM4IcfrYr37Qm7UBvX_D2U5wMKdod-MmAYBhfGwloo-GFYQnHG_9/w300-h400/IMG_5970.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Installation views of <i>Woven Grasses</i> (above) and other recent work by Molly Elkind at the Vista Grande Public Library in Eldorado at Santa Fe, NM through May 30, 2023. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </span></span><p></p><p><br /><span><span> </span></span></p><p><span><span> </span></span></p><p><span><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span><span><span> </span><br /></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h4><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-55713094276511328632023-04-12T09:40:00.000-06:002023-04-12T09:40:10.084-06:00R & D, or, Why I just crocheted an alligator <p><i>Warning: long post ahead wherein I talk to myself and invite you to follow me down multiple rabbit holes.</i> <br /></p><p>The muse sometimes strays deep into the weeds, and you’re helpless not to follow. </p><p>For a while now, I’ve been working toward <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2020/03/objects-not-pictures-or-both.html" target="_blank">making my tapestries more like objects</a> in themselves, less like pictures. I’ve used collage not just as a design strategy for the imagery, but as a construction and materials approach to my weavings. </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcJAYhOHRFA6BFdAu4Esr0DStBMiz4u8aJoc9km4S41q6-nuYEdwgngWd1y4D-lbmTJxqoUAblvVUDWoOjMU-eugPfRyzw9WU02LbkN_2tsBzNJioy18-0gt7z6XfCLsTcp2GRnZ37fH-fD2B83u3ctWC9tatQD9RXpelJw3Tnq3W_pL-b1b5RiPX/s1200/WUI_7_gas_oil_detail.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzcJAYhOHRFA6BFdAu4Esr0DStBMiz4u8aJoc9km4S41q6-nuYEdwgngWd1y4D-lbmTJxqoUAblvVUDWoOjMU-eugPfRyzw9WU02LbkN_2tsBzNJioy18-0gt7z6XfCLsTcp2GRnZ37fH-fD2B83u3ctWC9tatQD9RXpelJw3Tnq3W_pL-b1b5RiPX/w300-h400/WUI_7_gas_oil_detail.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>WUI 7: gas/oil</i> (detail). Linen, plastic survey marking whiskers, blue grama grass. 17 x 12 x 1.5" framed, including fringe. 2023<br /><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKw2TKoPH_iMUXWioCMlPTvS7mERVsIa0e7k4J-mxAd2rJGhJHWAtlv1i8PUsFNxLYhR9ErpHJd4M-lUMUr6ERBUJWsJfRIMIWdt6rlOY4NiOtJEAtNFJnT03TUMJCtrgtdJ81v-wYfUDnMzE1-JyYXwOu9QjpzmwqWjfIm9BdwEzG8dQWVsMMncgx/s961/PeachtreeBoogieWoogie72ppi.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="785" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKw2TKoPH_iMUXWioCMlPTvS7mERVsIa0e7k4J-mxAd2rJGhJHWAtlv1i8PUsFNxLYhR9ErpHJd4M-lUMUr6ERBUJWsJfRIMIWdt6rlOY4NiOtJEAtNFJnT03TUMJCtrgtdJ81v-wYfUDnMzE1-JyYXwOu9QjpzmwqWjfIm9BdwEzG8dQWVsMMncgx/w326-h400/PeachtreeBoogieWoogie72ppi.jpg" width="326" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Peachtree Boogie Woogie</i>, 20" x 16" mounted. Cotton, wool, linen, metallic; woven in three collaged pieces. 2021<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>The idea is for the materials, form and construction of the piece to carry as much or more meaning than the image. </p><p>So. I’ve been musing a lot on the state of our built and natural environment here in the high desert, recalling that a year ago, what became the largest wildfire in New Mexico history started—the result of a controlled burn that quickly got out of control under extremely windy conditions, thought to be a by-product of climate change. For six weeks crews battled the fire and on some days we could see the smoke plumes from our driveway. I packed a “go bag” and made an evacuation plan for the first time in my life. </p><p>Some of you may be thinking, Welcome to my world. This is not news to many people. I have been learning that like millions of Americans in over 70,000 communities, I live in what firefighters call the Wildland-Urban Interface, the WUI, where human habitation butts up against forests, grasslands, and other wildfire prone areas. It’s not just a western phenomenon: there was a devastating wildfire a few years ago in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. </p><p>Back to art. So I was playing in my sketchbook recently, sketching shapes that looked like boats run aground on rocks, thinking of the old metaphor of the ship or boat as a microcosm of the earth and all its people, when it struck me: instead of making a <i>picture</i> of a boat</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wjnZwQhxygzuhWsW6HgRMV1a_HOMajNiCrRQ2owoQvGxQOWtfdhg48sGZpv2SFOCKci9ZJhLWH8tZUAhYCsUIfIS8EEkFOQdCglyhjnHHx1wzxVeaTPj-r0AC3jZ8sB3gG-zRQTEy3_kKwm7Pd5gpqWrHdASgdbv7bWflsrp4p_-3by0GbuzF_U2/s3646/IMG_5923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2709" data-original-width="3646" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2wjnZwQhxygzuhWsW6HgRMV1a_HOMajNiCrRQ2owoQvGxQOWtfdhg48sGZpv2SFOCKci9ZJhLWH8tZUAhYCsUIfIS8EEkFOQdCglyhjnHHx1wzxVeaTPj-r0AC3jZ8sB3gG-zRQTEy3_kKwm7Pd5gpqWrHdASgdbv7bWflsrp4p_-3by0GbuzF_U2/s320/IMG_5923.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>. . . why not make an <i>actual </i>boat? I reflected on how my recent attempt to weave a "tapestry on a box" with wire warps and plastic wefts (possibly a bad choice for a first attempt) was frustrating. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIQQ1n1QPdBgMRuktk7nvA0K5nrh9kHMlKeZsp5NluCsTGqjoxIPi8XAhfJ9y9aanBH8uc4tFevhhogfGw14E4l11PONgRrh_1WR5q3UrBAgObje1Ismdcyrvwe4AOW5nT378wnc5ANwCtPxwVeS727McWpl_f4LSfpnOvUcZChBk5O4qAO9KMEBB/s2182/wire-plastic-woven-box.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1838" data-original-width="2182" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxIQQ1n1QPdBgMRuktk7nvA0K5nrh9kHMlKeZsp5NluCsTGqjoxIPi8XAhfJ9y9aanBH8uc4tFevhhogfGw14E4l11PONgRrh_1WR5q3UrBAgObje1Ismdcyrvwe4AOW5nT378wnc5ANwCtPxwVeS727McWpl_f4LSfpnOvUcZChBk5O4qAO9KMEBB/w400-h338/wire-plastic-woven-box.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wire warp, plastic dry-cleaning bag wefts, golden rain tree pods. About 3" square<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I made some paper-and-tape models of boats and canoes. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJXGa4qSLFbifEWH-MySgLc-hphKLLoTZz5PdTceGy37RNaBXI524Ht-7lsy-cUBQ_GYTQAUvn5KmQBdF1-rx2oQecXQO94m7OVlErDsGCSk0ZzKEQCChmrUKSoYv8-dOxLvq1DR6PTiTNo3TPg64AVy5dpOLVENBKPMXyAdbR5lZTWsDPdq2VQjd/s4032/IMG_5727.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJXGa4qSLFbifEWH-MySgLc-hphKLLoTZz5PdTceGy37RNaBXI524Ht-7lsy-cUBQ_GYTQAUvn5KmQBdF1-rx2oQecXQO94m7OVlErDsGCSk0ZzKEQCChmrUKSoYv8-dOxLvq1DR6PTiTNo3TPg64AVy5dpOLVENBKPMXyAdbR5lZTWsDPdq2VQjd/w400-h300/IMG_5727.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>I wove a small pulled warp piece in a linen open weave, inserting for
good measure some plastic wire survey markers and some grass. It pulled into a shape that looks more like a pod than a boat. Plus, all those warp ends were a pain to deal with and I ended up just cutting them short. Hmmm. <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhVGCngfSKzBCkiE7mUcHoBLgkiV8AFx3CrlXBLhDZvEzR5S3-y5TI2IbiY0PDBT-04vuM1Z3iaU56a2a3rXUg6NPppCNQekmajdpV_Bq42TPCN4GzQotFMqqU5B76i-o0ngkL-9rgGKwjBu5SGZkZXp8MFTtflwNPsfBNdQWbukXFHazZl4lQUfA/s4032/IMG_5753.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixhVGCngfSKzBCkiE7mUcHoBLgkiV8AFx3CrlXBLhDZvEzR5S3-y5TI2IbiY0PDBT-04vuM1Z3iaU56a2a3rXUg6NPppCNQekmajdpV_Bq42TPCN4GzQotFMqqU5B76i-o0ngkL-9rgGKwjBu5SGZkZXp8MFTtflwNPsfBNdQWbukXFHazZl4lQUfA/w400-h300/IMG_5753.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>And so I was off, down multiple rabbit holes, looking at the work of <a href="https://ruthasawa.com/art/sculpture/" target="_blank">Ruth Asawa</a> and <a href="http://www.normaminkowitz.com/" target="_blank">Norma Minkowitz</a>, taking an online class in weaving with wire with <a href="https://christinekmiller.com/" target="_blank">Christine Miller</a>, trying to figure out how to use the skills I have, weaving and possibly crochet, to make a 3D form that can stand up. I got Kathe Todd-Hooker's book <i><a href="https://betweenandetc.com/store/" target="_blank">Shaped Tapestry</a> </i>off the shelf and studied how to make a pin loom for shaped weaving<i>. </i> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8yYacj2KRiF2N0sAjX9AlodM17vTZq1BB1seuEctIgK7kwIl5K__PDTDTUSOgW2o68JzuvJNR1TzNc37c7tcLa2e9R_meuW0sJlOPcVqV2yb4ggNYzWIscBRNb8SOUuI3dp_j2qdUvSJoRSkhceyiIJvzIDVKFImBTX8zZeesYsxHIFyl_P8GJR5/s4032/IMG_5813.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8yYacj2KRiF2N0sAjX9AlodM17vTZq1BB1seuEctIgK7kwIl5K__PDTDTUSOgW2o68JzuvJNR1TzNc37c7tcLa2e9R_meuW0sJlOPcVqV2yb4ggNYzWIscBRNb8SOUuI3dp_j2qdUvSJoRSkhceyiIJvzIDVKFImBTX8zZeesYsxHIFyl_P8GJR5/w300-h400/IMG_5813.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woven canoe in progress on pin loom. 28 gauge wire warp, plastic weft; 10 epi, 7.75" x 5.5". The twining in the middle was to order and space the warps and eventually came out. Wire warps are unruly!<br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpO_UqnhOY-vwEjCbDgIbJ8K47L7pd-QgHCFUlA-J7k5KlmUzlaIYijSWo7_2d65FSE5dY2CFBYSuyTKySVtCxn-YGOxP-mWozHd7LfwO-MR_8SEbFuQ6AAEYPRKqniyMHq6DO7ts01JJrdUkufI32V7pLxoGA5H7B2goR_wXkDVWDjstN7F5voZL/s4032/IMG_5825.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpO_UqnhOY-vwEjCbDgIbJ8K47L7pd-QgHCFUlA-J7k5KlmUzlaIYijSWo7_2d65FSE5dY2CFBYSuyTKySVtCxn-YGOxP-mWozHd7LfwO-MR_8SEbFuQ6AAEYPRKqniyMHq6DO7ts01JJrdUkufI32V7pLxoGA5H7B2goR_wXkDVWDjstN7F5voZL/w300-h400/IMG_5825.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completed canoe. 7" L x 2" H x 2.75" W<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>My favorite bit is the tiny wire mesh hole on the top back side. My least favorite bit was figuring out how to sew the edges together. Plastic strips do not like to make construction stitches. Sewing thread is very thin and slips out. Further research needed!<br /></p><p>I wove the strips below with a 28-gauge wire warp and various fiber and plastic wefts on the Mirrix Saffron. (Wire is the perfect warp for the Saffron by the way: no shredding!)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCIi5CeZ-pddeaP_Br-BouehU3T1jBtZngPQh-SV4RG-DD9pehH-uerhPQp9Q5PG1u3VEPTMlLBoLlFYfkJYkHLhiBn5U7AMMS5QzfkolMLAase4K3WhPyV9pzHu0ZUGx6IxvfAfQQmOItLwxSFdi3gSvd1sMfVYhh8Xc1vP8Yad87MKyPKlNhEmQ/s4032/IMG_5752.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtCIi5CeZ-pddeaP_Br-BouehU3T1jBtZngPQh-SV4RG-DD9pehH-uerhPQp9Q5PG1u3VEPTMlLBoLlFYfkJYkHLhiBn5U7AMMS5QzfkolMLAase4K3WhPyV9pzHu0ZUGx6IxvfAfQQmOItLwxSFdi3gSvd1sMfVYhh8Xc1vP8Yad87MKyPKlNhEmQ/w400-h300/IMG_5752.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi005g4yr4Y_BcLbSZOca0SIA7WTE0iTm8W-pyFWWO-gyq9i3YOLdQfszsjzOb4oyTnJR7r-MrtVGLDo2-nLRTNofO9NGTVyZDOJubsrQNtzxci8Pq5MNfXjPYygY4g2V32XiMgGkEKpLKq61ViolFPqm6fI-Y1GrIhUS0jkbchZJNsA3g-2yL40NGT/s4032/IMG_5768.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi005g4yr4Y_BcLbSZOca0SIA7WTE0iTm8W-pyFWWO-gyq9i3YOLdQfszsjzOb4oyTnJR7r-MrtVGLDo2-nLRTNofO9NGTVyZDOJubsrQNtzxci8Pq5MNfXjPYygY4g2V32XiMgGkEKpLKq61ViolFPqm6fI-Y1GrIhUS0jkbchZJNsA3g-2yL40NGT/w400-h300/IMG_5768.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These strips are definitely shape-able and can even stand up!!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Looking at Ruth Asawa's work led me down the rabbit hole of wire crochet. Her work, it turns out, is often erroneously described as crochet when in fact it's more of a looping technique. A whole 'nother story. Anyway, I made this little experiment and liked it but it feels like someone else's technique, not mine. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TIywB7LpYV-OqKbF1DgJ6f98lZclP_sSzkNSW0KYcfK3kRzthtFipv5F0ul-hAVcUBQ8MMbvL-SGh4aXV1li3796jpXVEXCidvFoFi87lBQSNiQAe2nvYnxVDx8Qx_G8nk_HMLCQXGouAM9sBoFUBggNyHDvK0AShghAkq0lsT_Hm1SsDD5XryR_/s2154/IMG_5925.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2154" data-original-width="2096" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TIywB7LpYV-OqKbF1DgJ6f98lZclP_sSzkNSW0KYcfK3kRzthtFipv5F0ul-hAVcUBQ8MMbvL-SGh4aXV1li3796jpXVEXCidvFoFi87lBQSNiQAe2nvYnxVDx8Qx_G8nk_HMLCQXGouAM9sBoFUBggNyHDvK0AShghAkq0lsT_Hm1SsDD5XryR_/w389-h400/IMG_5925.jpg" width="389" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Meanwhile I dove into the wacky world of amirugumi to learn how to use crochet to construct 3D forms. Here's the experiment that makes me smile every time I see it: </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlePNPXwJ7YFJxts7-Xc7dc9eC0GQt3ZgGSVCI9wPgcHQQYol2IXoARfp0oPVcJiVgDnfuU14CTzMKfSHOEIx2Ay0b4fcZ1QU_jMdzeFjzrIiS-OkBqoVJk3bCi1Rzlckp5Gk2-4qhvvuTQZSh2Yiwrr-OjCrm3mIyOpxYUHpkmYUjAKI5q4OJKI3/s4032/IMG_5898.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2399" data-original-width="4032" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidlePNPXwJ7YFJxts7-Xc7dc9eC0GQt3ZgGSVCI9wPgcHQQYol2IXoARfp0oPVcJiVgDnfuU14CTzMKfSHOEIx2Ay0b4fcZ1QU_jMdzeFjzrIiS-OkBqoVJk3bCi1Rzlckp5Gk2-4qhvvuTQZSh2Yiwrr-OjCrm3mIyOpxYUHpkmYUjAKI5q4OJKI3/s320/IMG_5898.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We call him the Elongator because I may have forgotten, I mean skipped, checking gauge so he turned out longer than expected. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> <div>Next: a wool lobster! <br /><p>I experimented with wire crochet as a way of making armatures and forms, but crocheting wire is incredibly frustrating for me. Perhaps the irregularities would disappear with practice; perhaps not. Where do you draw the line between appealingly casual and spontaneous. . . and just plain sloppy? I do have this sort of cool swatch collection though.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fuYGb4PjptcObKJ_ovupyBVtjNQGhjfZi8TjcJKKXF-CoVrC-yjaUEHoj9LslMbMWPsgfr-sqvNkRkvWsFZjpnrfjl-d-Mt_otOBhS5Z-81-Cchm1X49KQx_1YF3TnG2my5C6nrisz8kYAwfZc3w1ZEDBjjWViOPufnUnh2WnO9EoLWnMfcOc5H2/s3627/IMG_5924.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3627" data-original-width="2975" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fuYGb4PjptcObKJ_ovupyBVtjNQGhjfZi8TjcJKKXF-CoVrC-yjaUEHoj9LslMbMWPsgfr-sqvNkRkvWsFZjpnrfjl-d-Mt_otOBhS5Z-81-Cchm1X49KQx_1YF3TnG2my5C6nrisz8kYAwfZc3w1ZEDBjjWViOPufnUnh2WnO9EoLWnMfcOc5H2/w328-h400/IMG_5924.jpg" width="328" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All samples use 28 gauge wire. Clockwise from top left: single crochet (hook D), half-double crochet (hook C), double crochet (hook C). <br /></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><div>So. . . what's next? The obvious thing I haven't explored much yet is basket-making. Basket-makers have been using weaving techniques to make vessels for millenia, duh! I'd love to figure out how to use my tapestry skills to weave interesting surfaces in 3D forms. That's the goal. Stay tuned! </div><div><p>Have you been doing any R & D lately? Tell us!</p></div>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-53403400374901256472023-03-08T10:48:00.002-07:002023-03-08T10:48:37.759-07:007 things to do in the studio when you're out of ideas<p>Sometimes you're just not feeling it. Not feeling the excitement of a new idea, not feeling the energy you need to do serious creative work. Maybe Life has Intervened one time too many, or you've caught the dreaded plague, or you're just back from traveling and can't remember what you were doing before you left. But you have some time you could spend in the studio. What can you do that will feel productive, be useful, and make you feel better about yourself rather than inadequately inspired? </p><p>In order of least amount to effort to most (in my mind anyway): </p><p>1. <b>Stare out the window</b>. Or better yet, go for a walk outside. Seriously. Just stare out there/walk out there and daydream a while. It's amazing what a relief this can be, just to free yourself for a few minutes from thinking and doing. Try five minutes, and if you still are enjoying it, do it for as long as you can get away with. Who knows what might happen? You might get an idea or two! At least you'll feel refreshed.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1hNFTOZFe0Cp0lgwTkZf__HPMQXgC12gHav8vD0CapQ7gTdyxBS5Em6MDhLcx-gTNn0lSn13na2pk9C3uNHUq43_kEJu0DbFYBG-qsCOZtdAo4LH6NgDuZbirpIaIXl7yVvG9FK0Vk36spAYr-zsulX2jYKl0vmx8qDUwViXdebzG2tRmiX6MMUm/s4032/IMG_5745.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1hNFTOZFe0Cp0lgwTkZf__HPMQXgC12gHav8vD0CapQ7gTdyxBS5Em6MDhLcx-gTNn0lSn13na2pk9C3uNHUq43_kEJu0DbFYBG-qsCOZtdAo4LH6NgDuZbirpIaIXl7yVvG9FK0Vk36spAYr-zsulX2jYKl0vmx8qDUwViXdebzG2tRmiX6MMUm/w300-h400/IMG_5745.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning light from kitchen window</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote><p><i><span style="font-size: medium;">You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait. Do not even wait, be quite still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet. </span></i> -- Franz Kafka </p></blockquote><p>2. <b>Tidy up</b>. Put stuff away you're not using at the moment. Put things back where they belong. See if you can clear at least one blank surface to open a sketchbook on or make a yarn pile. For me this tidying is ridiculously satisfying. I tend to spread out everything everywhere, and then I find I have no open space at all when I need it, and it makes me itchy. I am a born tidier and purger. You might also discover you have stuff you forgot you have. Yay! If you stumble across UFOs and you aren't instantly inspired to finish them, put them away in a drawer or throw them away. On the other hand, if creative clutter inspires you, skip this one. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IWty0kCeQuKxsmvB7c-hmW3_QdBeAC_-t_o7LvHengs5VIDqc_0r6-99BbDB0F5kH0Mq23PB7IODw9dif-YaQxFNDh0274Olpb_lUafhBEooK98l-rTo4uZcRYH_AtNA2ukG8ID5sxVoKLrMJK6WbWJEmElEh82yKGKNyWTcs4_ra6EAAVylccYw/s4032/IMG_5760.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2IWty0kCeQuKxsmvB7c-hmW3_QdBeAC_-t_o7LvHengs5VIDqc_0r6-99BbDB0F5kH0Mq23PB7IODw9dif-YaQxFNDh0274Olpb_lUafhBEooK98l-rTo4uZcRYH_AtNA2ukG8ID5sxVoKLrMJK6WbWJEmElEh82yKGKNyWTcs4_ra6EAAVylccYw/w400-h300/IMG_5760.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As clean as this table ever gets!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>3. <b>Catch up on listening to podcasts and watching videos</b>. I have a folder in my email called "Watch & Listen" where I put links to programs I want to hear/see but didn't have time for at the moment. When I'm doing rote tasks I go there and tick one off. </p><p>4. <b>Read one of those books</b> you've been meaning to. Usually I don't allow myself to read until bedtime, and then on some nights I get maybe 5 minutes of reading in before I nod off. I've just started this book and am looking forward to getting farther in:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifP5Eja-oq8SQSXtDqyFtx8xJxaOQQ-c3rVlK1tmi-HKlN45J3edqHzFEFj0enOswJDoRzFf1y0jibaqYtMIH1nOJYoiBo_bKRpbXto5M-bIwp7O55VjndJA-gWJdGUgOZ_tXxgThl9hlwM_6qxm2Vx_L946_eFmDXTgoU2x6B5fFPNuvymDSP3-_l/s4032/IMG_5763.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifP5Eja-oq8SQSXtDqyFtx8xJxaOQQ-c3rVlK1tmi-HKlN45J3edqHzFEFj0enOswJDoRzFf1y0jibaqYtMIH1nOJYoiBo_bKRpbXto5M-bIwp7O55VjndJA-gWJdGUgOZ_tXxgThl9hlwM_6qxm2Vx_L946_eFmDXTgoU2x6B5fFPNuvymDSP3-_l/w300-h400/IMG_5763.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>5. <b>Finish projects</b> that just need that little final push. Hem that tapestry. Make a label for it with your name, date, title and other relevant information. Mount it or frame it. Hang it! Take a photo for your files. Share on social media if that's your thing. Add it to your inventory list. Done and dusted! SO satisfying!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBi3d8pFQNSdvIi960GynG13MMRZXUch0Gh8NKcl4Gtjy-T8iWKIYsQgCVCoNGnCpbUW2eb2TSqYO-0ndUp5tuTMgGOxjV4kvTCXMo6IKcHALSlqbSm832_NxgjPFkekFlTO4fvo_I5mji76_9GbSTtRqhZ0dQ6FGyhFSIYOz5dPwkQsPuzLBiB2tf/s1200/WUI%20mark%20this_under5mb.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="1200" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBi3d8pFQNSdvIi960GynG13MMRZXUch0Gh8NKcl4Gtjy-T8iWKIYsQgCVCoNGnCpbUW2eb2TSqYO-0ndUp5tuTMgGOxjV4kvTCXMo6IKcHALSlqbSm832_NxgjPFkekFlTO4fvo_I5mji76_9GbSTtRqhZ0dQ6FGyhFSIYOz5dPwkQsPuzLBiB2tf/w400-h333/WUI%20mark%20this_under5mb.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>WUI: mark this. <br /></i>Linen, lavender, plastic survey marking whiskers. 12" x 15" x 1.5"</td></tr></tbody></table><p>6. If you sort of have an idea, or even if you don't, <b>make a yarn wrap</b> or three. Just pull out some yummy yarns you haven't played with and see what looks good together and wrap them around a piece of stiff card or strip of mat board. I can do this all day. So much fun to play with putting colors together. . . and it might inspire a tapestry, who knows? For me it was interesting to see how much better the grama grass showed up on the dark yarns than on the light ones. Value, value, value. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2PAGLnZii55gNCcO070tCKMG5C2yFV3c5uN2Jbo6wSVwyRFEMoy-UtFC5q3xNXqnA9CkPLDnkvAMhGwyeDI5kM1CAOv5LlNHVpzW3GaaBqaaxCIYsU9bgZbf9bUKDRP57iSuyjReIRYc8yYzFcqOLcpMy2c78IkamowQZMyvf7MF8yRm-Mi0OP-F/s3015/IMG_5761.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3015" data-original-width="3009" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2PAGLnZii55gNCcO070tCKMG5C2yFV3c5uN2Jbo6wSVwyRFEMoy-UtFC5q3xNXqnA9CkPLDnkvAMhGwyeDI5kM1CAOv5LlNHVpzW3GaaBqaaxCIYsU9bgZbf9bUKDRP57iSuyjReIRYc8yYzFcqOLcpMy2c78IkamowQZMyvf7MF8yRm-Mi0OP-F/w399-h400/IMG_5761.jpg" width="399" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">recent yarn wraps (with grama grass) while thinking of possible new weavings </td></tr></tbody></table><p>7. If your yarn wraps get the juices flowing, <b>weave a small sample</b> (doodle, woodle, sketch tapestry--lots of names for the same thing). Do horizontal stripes or wedge weave if you enjoy that, or just lots of squares or rectangles. Just to keep your fingers in the yarn and keep that muscle memory active. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevsGGljqTxnfXwrRHu97LmV33wlQ0tmxet4sMZbtLRRkquK7K8UWjJrTV3ja_z4EuhSvWpffirSWRODHF9K6CE3aHRHjD_yE3HdaZpzUX_Al5Lsu-iVS7IFVJiLc2LqQiLSYE8F77bz2T31ic8ESJGE75eDHOv6YX67FN7FDGLktbv6OGadPDWKZ4/s3780/IMG_5762.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3780" data-original-width="2855" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjevsGGljqTxnfXwrRHu97LmV33wlQ0tmxet4sMZbtLRRkquK7K8UWjJrTV3ja_z4EuhSvWpffirSWRODHF9K6CE3aHRHjD_yE3HdaZpzUX_Al5Lsu-iVS7IFVJiLc2LqQiLSYE8F77bz2T31ic8ESJGE75eDHOv6YX67FN7FDGLktbv6OGadPDWKZ4/w303-h400/IMG_5762.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">recent sample: linen, paper yarn, blue grama grass</td></tr></tbody></table><p>What do you do when you feel uninspired in the studio? </p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-40673110724455460612023-02-08T08:00:00.000-07:002023-02-08T08:00:26.847-07:00Whispers from the Land: a two-person fiber show in the Four Corners<p>It was a real pleasure to see my recent work up on the gallery walls alongside that of Colorado quilt artist <a href="http://patriciajoy.com" target="_blank">Patricia Joy</a> at the <a href="https://www.sanjuancollege.edu/community/departments/san-juan-college-art-galleries/current-gallery-showing/" target="_blank">Henderson Fine Art Gallery</a> at San Juan College in Farmington, NM. This exhibit was something of a last-minute opportunity that arose when the newly arrived director of the gallery, Julie Napientek, discovered there were gaps in her exhibit schedule. Julie was a delight to work with and did a beautiful job integrating my work and Patricia's into one coherent, visually exciting show. You can see a short video walk-through at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mpelkind/" target="_blank">this link</a> on Facebook (Feb. 4 post).</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAhB76nsU-DEiWBkT-rFJTqS3G4H7ZxY4mV5kE-WMtZVQ19hqFRGTjDhJkbkRUhN83xiRTX2UBKJdhwNb1VKkqJNYQSMd19d-6ffTiS3MEoHQIHK8KPHs0V8KirFF7zm9dYV_09VOoNXmiVLo1BtRz8zlZqCWQKJ5liNdOJenyvgp-QmJuu5wUJRA/s4032/IMG_5605.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAhB76nsU-DEiWBkT-rFJTqS3G4H7ZxY4mV5kE-WMtZVQ19hqFRGTjDhJkbkRUhN83xiRTX2UBKJdhwNb1VKkqJNYQSMd19d-6ffTiS3MEoHQIHK8KPHs0V8KirFF7zm9dYV_09VOoNXmiVLo1BtRz8zlZqCWQKJ5liNdOJenyvgp-QmJuu5wUJRA/w640-h480/IMG_5605.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">view of <i>Whispers from the Land</i> exhibit <br />Clockwise from top left: Molly Elkind, <i>Ashy Sun, Fold, Dark Sky, Snowgrass, Dusty Sun. <br /></i>Right: Patricia Joy<i>, Scorched Earth.</i> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>It's tremendously exciting to have the chance to get your work out there, especially in a one- or two-person show. It can be tempting to say, "Heck yeah! When? Where?" without thinking through what is involved. Today I want to share not just the pictures of the work in a beautiful space but also take a look behind the scenes at what's involved for the exhibiting artist. </p><p>Gathering, documenting and transporting your work for a significant show takes time and effort! First of all you need to put it all in one place and make sure it's in good condition, mounted effectively, and labeled. I know I have a bad habit of putting my work up on my own walls without sewing a label on the back first, and then I find I have to do that later. For framed pieces, be sure they are in ready-to-hang condition and have labels on the back. I also label all my packing materials so I can be sure to get them all back. </p><p>When gathering your work, stand back and look critically when choosing what to include. Does it seem coherent? Do the pieces provide a useful context for each other and do they speak in a unified artistic voice? While it might be tempting to put in everything you've done, that approach can end up looking scattered and amateurish. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hIm3EAdCs_rCGFerd8eXfq479gEfQCfsVt4AzOsPVj34rsRU7V9gIUK4TYe_KPkjw_MttQD76f3RB6Hm9_DIudBiQxWq11HPSQ8Kx8Qnvbn2OLUQaeG6ULJdVhVM4Kgw7IQfKv9r8tF4-XSf-8vWCk7-pLiiZF8pXmuvR0A2qg_wiWIfF4nKtLir/s4032/IMG_5588.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hIm3EAdCs_rCGFerd8eXfq479gEfQCfsVt4AzOsPVj34rsRU7V9gIUK4TYe_KPkjw_MttQD76f3RB6Hm9_DIudBiQxWq11HPSQ8Kx8Qnvbn2OLUQaeG6ULJdVhVM4Kgw7IQfKv9r8tF4-XSf-8vWCk7-pLiiZF8pXmuvR0A2qg_wiWIfF4nKtLir/w480-h640/IMG_5588.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind. Top: <i>Ashfall</i>, linen, paper grasses, ashes, matte medium. <br />Bottom: <i>Ash Wednesday</i>: linen, hemp, paper, cotton, ashes, matte medium.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejAQxxkKvkt7WcWaNOtk1Nqcwy73AAmvfglgydoHn9c6Ribsn4W0xxONxMmDG4SMrZcNaCby9_fs664Mbt3SLxwXNnwmbL7RSQGoKqngXwUv-PNhz-jLrg_DJb2n-0Bh8kikZ852K6JJnFfcwcFQUinkUhGQ6N0IsYifC-kfkqlzuu1ZGULH-WXVz/s4032/IMG_5591.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejAQxxkKvkt7WcWaNOtk1Nqcwy73AAmvfglgydoHn9c6Ribsn4W0xxONxMmDG4SMrZcNaCby9_fs664Mbt3SLxwXNnwmbL7RSQGoKqngXwUv-PNhz-jLrg_DJb2n-0Bh8kikZ852K6JJnFfcwcFQUinkUhGQ6N0IsYifC-kfkqlzuu1ZGULH-WXVz/w640-h480/IMG_5591.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind. Left: <i>FarawayNearby</i>: cotton, wool, linen, metallic, kudzu. <br />Right: <i>SkyGramaGrass</i>: cotton, wool, metallic.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Galleries want details about each work for a checklist: titles, dimensions, materials, information about price or insurance value if not for sale. They also need artist statements and images of some pieces for their own publicity. I've written <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-dark-side-documentation.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2018/02/document-document-document.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/05/seize-day-or-advantages-of-keeping.html" target="_blank">here</a> on this blog about the importance of keeping good records and of keeping them up to date, so you can respond quickly when opportunities arise. As your visibility increases, these opportunities can come with short notice. In fact, my significant other, <a href="https://www.samelkind.com/home" target="_blank">Sam Elkind</a>, had a similar last-minute opportunity for a two-person show arise recently and because he had a stack of framed work, a bio and an artist's statement at the ready, it was easy to pull off on short notice.) </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgf4-orUuDRzDYYWpEPxE3U_h3MdzLOU0rsp089S_7OBJ-qCjAan8ru2M9wQw1JnMztm0iSLwB6mDKYPxR4ZbgveMlQbYtkdJUWdsx42k0ljaJPXq6gXndeMcNKs_GeREDvHMp65hKxOFS52di4g_9487AldRUSVgewMnWbjO8VPREumCYtmqCi9d/s4032/IMG_5632.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRgf4-orUuDRzDYYWpEPxE3U_h3MdzLOU0rsp089S_7OBJ-qCjAan8ru2M9wQw1JnMztm0iSLwB6mDKYPxR4ZbgveMlQbYtkdJUWdsx42k0ljaJPXq6gXndeMcNKs_GeREDvHMp65hKxOFS52di4g_9487AldRUSVgewMnWbjO8VPREumCYtmqCi9d/w400-h300/IMG_5632.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">part of checklist, with notations </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Then there is the matter of getting the work to the gallery. In this case, I live a 3.5 hour drive away from the gallery, and I was taking 15 pieces, so I opted to drive the work there. I will make another all-day round trip to retrieve the work. There was another round trip to attend the opening. Because the opening was late in the day, I opted to stay overnight. My point here is that there are hidden costs involved in participating--paying for gas, meals, and lodging. In the initial excitement you might not think of these! Shipping the work might be cheaper, or it might not, depending on the number and size of the pieces, the carrier, and the cost for insurance during shipping. There's also the hidden cost of your own time, in the travel and in all the preparation in advance. Only you can decide if the expense in time and money is worthwhile for you and your own goals. </p><p>Finally, there's the intangible of "Is the gallery a good fit for my work?" Not having seen the San Juan College gallery, I looked at the college website and found photos that showed it was indeed a beautiful space. It was harder to tell from the website what the art program is like, whether there were many art students and what their mediums are. As it turned out, few students or faculty turned up at the opening, which was disappointing. It was gratifying to see how the students who did come studied the pieces at length, analyzing the details. It doesn't get any better for an artist!</p><p>It is always instructive to see your own work in a new setting, all hung together so it can make a full statement. In this show with an artist also working on the theme of the western landscape, it was especially interesting to note how we speak in different voices and styles about similar subjects. Farmington is in the heart of oil-and-gas country, and Patricia's piece entitled <i>The Real Western Landscape</i> is a pointed commentary on the plundering of the West for fossil fuels. My own recent work considers in a very different style the close juxtaposition of human and wild habitats and the challenges that poses. I hope viewers of the exhibit will be prompted to ponder these kinds of things as well. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLasMxYYKdvYb1hsqVmsoD5lrZQxMA6mtsTnLTVtgUUWv1eoyzA6BA1uJCvkBUe9zMAVKrRYy4sVcFqWRfTLu9dyU_T7C6sXrn2p7C9qUy_ekircQRW7XRMgsj6andbftzRnDdpWBzH6-ljIsaVbDaQu7ybjrkMaU1umVFYEuNRVEKcxqBNy6M4uEB/s4032/IMG_5592.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLasMxYYKdvYb1hsqVmsoD5lrZQxMA6mtsTnLTVtgUUWv1eoyzA6BA1uJCvkBUe9zMAVKrRYy4sVcFqWRfTLu9dyU_T7C6sXrn2p7C9qUy_ekircQRW7XRMgsj6andbftzRnDdpWBzH6-ljIsaVbDaQu7ybjrkMaU1umVFYEuNRVEKcxqBNy6M4uEB/w400-h300/IMG_5592.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patricia Joy,<i> The Real Western Landscape</i>, <br />artist-dyed fabrics, commercial fabrics, threads, shredded currency</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbY1WcIXGineWcXN4rWsJ-zmHmAWrfz9ex6HgDmACCmcmNJjTHp8tVkYYg7wyBcLREEc_k-QTFrhrQ7Sjpcgq76Zt9ACRMSkqWxsNatxq201CH_9RUye9IXJmxTS15bLdSu0SdEaceDYQpNN7VwFdpDQiCfHY9kBYY8dW8zTPB6WzgN-iucQX35ynb/s4032/IMG_5593.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbY1WcIXGineWcXN4rWsJ-zmHmAWrfz9ex6HgDmACCmcmNJjTHp8tVkYYg7wyBcLREEc_k-QTFrhrQ7Sjpcgq76Zt9ACRMSkqWxsNatxq201CH_9RUye9IXJmxTS15bLdSu0SdEaceDYQpNN7VwFdpDQiCfHY9kBYY8dW8zTPB6WzgN-iucQX35ynb/w300-h400/IMG_5593.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patricia Joy,<i> The Real Western Landscape</i>, <br />artist-dyed fabrics, commercial fabrics, threads, shredded currency, detail<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CKnnok8ta_wryP6m4cuW_eyjWczLahVopAUUp6cF6pFGmuOR2_qc3wSicRJKFrrP6vHSSzFiDFKoAgpzVyryfsX8Ffd8D9M4Qk0OtNRVrIBtBDdbnU9MeQYo8xNkgaIUGEPtuJJmFIkk062KqUHhwLaz-N6BSZTm2y1zpLXzcU58krPUFz40TgTy/s4032/IMG_5590.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CKnnok8ta_wryP6m4cuW_eyjWczLahVopAUUp6cF6pFGmuOR2_qc3wSicRJKFrrP6vHSSzFiDFKoAgpzVyryfsX8Ffd8D9M4Qk0OtNRVrIBtBDdbnU9MeQYo8xNkgaIUGEPtuJJmFIkk062KqUHhwLaz-N6BSZTm2y1zpLXzcU58krPUFz40TgTy/w640-h480/IMG_5590.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, clockwise from top left: <i>WUI: platted; WUI: co-exist; Woven Grasses; WUI: ashen; WUI: mark this</i>. Linen, paper, plastic survey marking whiskers, ashes, grasses. <br />WUI is short for wildland-urban interface. </td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: right;"></p><p>View my recent work in more detail on my <a href="https://www.mollyelkind.com/home" target="_blank">website</a>. </p><p><i>Whispers from the Land </i>will be on view at the Henderson Fine Art Gallery at San Juan College in Farmington, NM through Feb. 24. Hours for the gallery are 10-5, Monday-Friday. </p><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-47255190951876312822023-01-09T05:56:00.000-07:002023-01-09T05:56:19.692-07:00What I did on my art retreat <p>I did something new (for me) the week between Christmas and New Years. I packed up my studio stuff and checked into a <a href="https://www.abiquiuinn.com" target="_blank">country inn</a> about 65 miles away, in Abiquiu, New Mexico for three days of uninterrupted studio time. I wanted time and space to focus on the new direction my work is taking, time which had been in short supply over the past few months due to Life Intervening. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8NbGitu0zQdfYzg9oHY0V5vSGv2iW-zcF8vLr78nd4F3MXAVk2zUsl57qfTDSLJaFHG8sIY-sCzBsC_hUZkTzPjd7zjC3s0_nE4JeYpr-oFI3VPDXBa-P7Xm4K1fYuGgSSu4m0SMKam2ZFS7VaOPqgOY45Xa_KmMWFjVni-G7TW_weXewvPHjG9y/s4032/IMG_5272.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8NbGitu0zQdfYzg9oHY0V5vSGv2iW-zcF8vLr78nd4F3MXAVk2zUsl57qfTDSLJaFHG8sIY-sCzBsC_hUZkTzPjd7zjC3s0_nE4JeYpr-oFI3VPDXBa-P7Xm4K1fYuGgSSu4m0SMKam2ZFS7VaOPqgOY45Xa_KmMWFjVni-G7TW_weXewvPHjG9y/w400-h300/IMG_5272.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the view out my window at the Abiquiu Inn, showing the magical morning light on the mountains<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoHBOKzzw_O6eR_wSwFZ7ZhWxLh-tNJwrXzKg6_qrlvOAZnLcQ0AsJAsmmoSYCK62DX4jT7_HaLhr0dUcbayoxGyBvyjG09H8uGOoGfwwRzwORAaFMMioIw08dYFwDlagdUXmZEEuH22OAR450SneAZA3tL-kEy7jJrghD_TNog_Rjcmsp3uC3wKo/s4032/IMG_5276.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoHBOKzzw_O6eR_wSwFZ7ZhWxLh-tNJwrXzKg6_qrlvOAZnLcQ0AsJAsmmoSYCK62DX4jT7_HaLhr0dUcbayoxGyBvyjG09H8uGOoGfwwRzwORAaFMMioIw08dYFwDlagdUXmZEEuH22OAR450SneAZA3tL-kEy7jJrghD_TNog_Rjcmsp3uC3wKo/w300-h400/IMG_5276.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The living room/studio area. The narrow table already there by the window was adequate for my needs. <br />I did bring my own floor lamp. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdXjua9ClTMkWuqVaPVb-dh9TMP-gQxxa-Tb9-5xVvtiUq4nFFHN1WLipZY28JQV8MzzbN-kXJPNkwTmnmk1_OfIwCD2g8MOkMqgIqt8EN4tB-pvvhO3wcN6oLmi2Tk-_r3TbNlQcODeWz1KkZxh2M8D40DLKu8f4GbzTxYyNdWbLhmnXKhfNvSDn/s4032/IMG_5277.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdXjua9ClTMkWuqVaPVb-dh9TMP-gQxxa-Tb9-5xVvtiUq4nFFHN1WLipZY28JQV8MzzbN-kXJPNkwTmnmk1_OfIwCD2g8MOkMqgIqt8EN4tB-pvvhO3wcN6oLmi2Tk-_r3TbNlQcODeWz1KkZxh2M8D40DLKu8f4GbzTxYyNdWbLhmnXKhfNvSDn/w400-h300/IMG_5277.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I brought three looms (also the Mirrix Saffron) and used every one. <br />I love my new <a href="https://www.weaversbazaar.com/product-list/equipment/artisan-adjustable-tapestry-frame" target="_blank">Artisan Adjustable Tapestry Frame loom</a> from Weavers Bazaar! </td></tr></tbody></table><p>It was not cheap but I'm here to tell you, it was worth every penny, as much as any expensive tapestry workshop I've taken. I packed my own food for two meals a day and treated myself to one meal a day at the inn, and that controlled costs pretty well. I got up every morning and got right to work, working through the day and after dinner. I logged <i>27 hours</i> of studio time in three days--more than I managed to do in <i>the entire month of November</i> (yes, I am the kind of geek who tracks her time). </p><p>Here's some of what I was able to do. These are samples, shot in sketchy light. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAqB-JT30qEHHNltsdceL6Y_YOalBqC9U0z6hZBcvudfbteVpyy776xWtT8JHWiRi0CYXm-FQzUtV3Sg187YkBWT0EPImY5VYdz-u_rfcfQZGpis8zHFkkkdIOIsmGUY2qJCOC0l7AVymEQxhS5PEaBzMn1q6XXlII2ImBxnaJfGdjVqR-7QZz6GT/s4032/IMG_5256.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOAqB-JT30qEHHNltsdceL6Y_YOalBqC9U0z6hZBcvudfbteVpyy776xWtT8JHWiRi0CYXm-FQzUtV3Sg187YkBWT0EPImY5VYdz-u_rfcfQZGpis8zHFkkkdIOIsmGUY2qJCOC0l7AVymEQxhS5PEaBzMn1q6XXlII2ImBxnaJfGdjVqR-7QZz6GT/w400-h300/IMG_5256.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">linen warp; paper, blue grama grass and survey marker whisker* wefts, rubbed with ashes </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVd0oSf2YZrzgw6VUpH-mXiqjq0XVetQoQLoX9r-ih1ZrYdwaiAi0SK9wD2Br9tLsHd1v81fTd5l2GOEVQOKJ77h_0ND1VAcf-0o08UCMI7xo7fiGRuir8EZN4G5MiQgAPRSQniVjZ8-xtRKckvvGVVCGnHCyWkUOH02O3GyZI5alj49eh5Ku21oyj/s4032/IMG_5263.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVd0oSf2YZrzgw6VUpH-mXiqjq0XVetQoQLoX9r-ih1ZrYdwaiAi0SK9wD2Br9tLsHd1v81fTd5l2GOEVQOKJ77h_0ND1VAcf-0o08UCMI7xo7fiGRuir8EZN4G5MiQgAPRSQniVjZ8-xtRKckvvGVVCGnHCyWkUOH02O3GyZI5alj49eh5Ku21oyj/w300-h400/IMG_5263.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">littered plastic being twisted into cordage</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDoMJlPDq9v4RTbD4U8_vWNdEF3HciEJ0g0Nb4KsbHFLD2Lf0K1iWPxwuKG7snhC8kDau2211bDenKQYiKvtBDzWxLXbXkf21dPIzIVMKhUw-f_A8SxteyR9BqCmqSJmC0ot1Fh4rKnCT_cFWDxbpMg6AnPFn7ks-y_M5sSQfCQ1_nDua_wYClkuG/s4032/IMG_5279.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEDoMJlPDq9v4RTbD4U8_vWNdEF3HciEJ0g0Nb4KsbHFLD2Lf0K1iWPxwuKG7snhC8kDau2211bDenKQYiKvtBDzWxLXbXkf21dPIzIVMKhUw-f_A8SxteyR9BqCmqSJmC0ot1Fh4rKnCT_cFWDxbpMg6AnPFn7ks-y_M5sSQfCQ1_nDua_wYClkuG/w300-h400/IMG_5279.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">linen warp; rayon and blue grama grass weft</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIOhbJ3pgKF6InodOQXIzrlnmJMCCrRqu9BlRDAbHvqncpjUkPCKQ0l6z8_DzrerNSiJvU1at3pEn_LMAIyLx9kLHzMG4WyDINCIUTJclo6AxozkVz0UJ5neOcyHbjTJ1P3MfDTXUsk2BjPrN4KG17slpE0rjs3oYBsMq1WBb-t-qZZanNVUth4v_/s4032/IMG_5289.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcIOhbJ3pgKF6InodOQXIzrlnmJMCCrRqu9BlRDAbHvqncpjUkPCKQ0l6z8_DzrerNSiJvU1at3pEn_LMAIyLx9kLHzMG4WyDINCIUTJclo6AxozkVz0UJ5neOcyHbjTJ1P3MfDTXUsk2BjPrN4KG17slpE0rjs3oYBsMq1WBb-t-qZZanNVUth4v_/w300-h400/IMG_5289.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">strips woven with wire warp and paper and assorted wefts </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTmOy9hBh8vD12CZtI82ZJXVsYcWxTwTVQqswcKxWRPX_AevrjUYw_F5AK1jgIUY9X7btsb4kgyQrKFUm4rjYe2Az0_HnfdetO5RMQY_0zIbsxarZukMm0zPYWw6Q2jY9JLKFtnCBDcYcQAFtybzGJ9sXtarpaV_cei7R3yNICc0J-0lLaVdeRzj2R" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTmOy9hBh8vD12CZtI82ZJXVsYcWxTwTVQqswcKxWRPX_AevrjUYw_F5AK1jgIUY9X7btsb4kgyQrKFUm4rjYe2Az0_HnfdetO5RMQY_0zIbsxarZukMm0zPYWw6Q2jY9JLKFtnCBDcYcQAFtybzGJ9sXtarpaV_cei7R3yNICc0J-0lLaVdeRzj2R=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">folded weaving with wire selvedges and wefts, as well as linen wefts. <br />This approach will need quite a bit more sampling.</td></tr></tbody></table><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>six small sample weavings</li><li>twisted some plastic into cordage</li><li>finished one online class I'd signed up for months ago (Christine Miller's <a href="https://christinekmiller-fiber-studio.teachable.com/p/home" target="_blank">Weaving with Wire</a>) and got halfway through another one (<a href="https://rebeccamezoff.com/fringeless" target="_blank">Rebecca Mezoff''s Fringeless</a> with Sarah Swett--yes, definitely late to the party on that one, I know!)</li><li>finished reading three books</li><li>worked in my sketchbook</li><li>made pages of notes to myself about next steps</li></ul><div>It was incredibly nice to be able to stretch out in the studio, follow ideas to their logical conclusion all in one sitting, and just give myself permission to explore and play--all things that are hard to do when you're squeezing your creative work into scraps of time in between trips to the grocery store, loads of laundry, and walking the dog. Something about being in a slightly unfamiliar setting freed me up to be more playful and exploratory than I am in my home studio. Now that I'm back home, I'm super-eager to explore these experiments further. </div><div><br /></div><div>While it was wonderful to have so much uninterrupted weaving time, my body paid the price. I was stiff and sore and it didn't help that the weather was bad enough that I didn't even get out for my usual morning walk. So that is something to remember for next time: build in time for stretching and exercise!! </div><div><br /></div><div>Because there will be a next time. I'm already researching real artists' residencies to apply for. If this sounds interesting to you, check out <a href="https://artistcommunities.org/">https://artistcommunities.org/</a> which lists residencies searchable by state, type, and many other criteria.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>*Survey marker whiskers are brightly colored tufts of plastic wire embedded in the ground here where spray paint or other utility markers won't last (on our dirt and gravel roads, for example). They catch the eye because at first they look like improbably bright, exotic flowers. Each color symbolizes a different type of buried pipe or cable. So far I've harvested yellow, pink and red. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe60sA2LjI_uZPSMqBogeLaioMEEWI3M0uJIAdAZ_Njqge7S8U844krMIs71MlxQAPU-j4V7mxnsZYwtrJ7T8Q53gDTG5WvDzEpLx0mOjlPCmU6bvH3qoFamZ7KJVlWydYVwMDCNF-fmpP_7-sUlw-Xl7SHqqRPZ2j2vYd7njDFI8mK1jYt8iZrbAO/s4032/IMG_5287.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe60sA2LjI_uZPSMqBogeLaioMEEWI3M0uJIAdAZ_Njqge7S8U844krMIs71MlxQAPU-j4V7mxnsZYwtrJ7T8Q53gDTG5WvDzEpLx0mOjlPCmU6bvH3qoFamZ7KJVlWydYVwMDCNF-fmpP_7-sUlw-Xl7SHqqRPZ2j2vYd7njDFI8mK1jYt8iZrbAO/s320/IMG_5287.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't worry, I only cut a few strands from each marker!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-24552585335320569922022-12-14T06:02:00.000-07:002022-12-14T06:02:41.473-07:00What do your photos tell you about 2022? <p>At this time of year, I like to spend some time looking back at what I made, what I learned, and how much progress I made on the goals I set myself for the year. I putter around and declutter the studio and hope that helps to declutter my mind for the new year. Maybe you do something similar? </p><p>This year I added a new approach: scrolling back through all the photos on my phone, to see what struck me enough that I took a photo (or several). Perhaps there are clues there too for the way into 2023. If this sounds like something that might be useful, read on . . .</p><p>I found lots of process photos of pieces I worked on. I'm especially pleased with the pieces below as they seem to point in the direction I want to go. I'm noticing a shift toward black/white/gray and neutral tones. (Perhaps living with a <a href="https://www.samelkind.com/home" target="_blank">black-and-white photographer</a> for 30+ years is finally rubbing off?) As you look back at your work, what are you proudest of? What would you like to do more of in 2023? </p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcVQSgiDBYim8jmCr8T1RAYcxdhp3Oy8VssXg0wrjA_NlAK2s1ZZ-qZHmwewXS8Zw5_ovsNHydRxN-7x0SE-9Jm0LQpONRhtlfXhzO_9fsl5rBsxXFqndbuZFvOCRZeMBl1YMxNTG31EC9NsvwXpzFrNs-AMdoiuw7cSQ-ut0uWSwhn4L_bMI0rxT/s3831/Ashfall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3831" data-original-width="2663" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcVQSgiDBYim8jmCr8T1RAYcxdhp3Oy8VssXg0wrjA_NlAK2s1ZZ-qZHmwewXS8Zw5_ovsNHydRxN-7x0SE-9Jm0LQpONRhtlfXhzO_9fsl5rBsxXFqndbuZFvOCRZeMBl1YMxNTG31EC9NsvwXpzFrNs-AMdoiuw7cSQ-ut0uWSwhn4L_bMI0rxT/w278-h400/Ashfall.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ashfall</i>, (c) Molly Elkind 2022, linen warp, paper, grasses, ashes, matte medium.<br />Weaving 18" x 7" including fringe; shadowbox 18.5" x 12" x 3". </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnck4i5xwK5gV_JQUapGxekJH9qfoDpT3ojAUzxpDas0dE05543Bnf22XKv-f9102YX6kXplQ4nmOIfI6attNWXwOFPO8Kfo0VVCl20T3RX6p6b_xkvCL28M-khTx7Jv6oIEpkl51-oNmDAqDzO055hAuz1n0pmOU3D8Ue2pWlYfpLdPJQNigJyz6-/s1600/DarkSkyDetail.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnck4i5xwK5gV_JQUapGxekJH9qfoDpT3ojAUzxpDas0dE05543Bnf22XKv-f9102YX6kXplQ4nmOIfI6attNWXwOFPO8Kfo0VVCl20T3RX6p6b_xkvCL28M-khTx7Jv6oIEpkl51-oNmDAqDzO055hAuz1n0pmOU3D8Ue2pWlYfpLdPJQNigJyz6-/w300-h400/DarkSkyDetail.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>Dark Sky</i>, (c) Molly Elkind 2022, linen warp, paper weft. <br />Weaving 7" x 6" including fringe, farmed to 13". 13" </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSodCyQGYrLdC0mEwIduvnk46M_F2gz-ajq5hl8PPTT5nX6uZHSuviJlCG-O-Az4jTdnL-5rnVT0aiV8PFecOtYGe8V6mqBogfSry8cT67aAXUOw9iqKSZfazh14gyw7Tb5wjpV5Muwr1MzA_8ZUrta40oDxy9wzBvHNcMV5hoSdtCC3TLeAFRGJPj/s2164/Elkind_Woven_Grass_Study_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2164" data-original-width="1801" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSodCyQGYrLdC0mEwIduvnk46M_F2gz-ajq5hl8PPTT5nX6uZHSuviJlCG-O-Az4jTdnL-5rnVT0aiV8PFecOtYGe8V6mqBogfSry8cT67aAXUOw9iqKSZfazh14gyw7Tb5wjpV5Muwr1MzA_8ZUrta40oDxy9wzBvHNcMV5hoSdtCC3TLeAFRGJPj/w333-h400/Elkind_Woven_Grass_Study_1.jpg" width="333" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Woven Grasses Study</i>, (c) Molly Elkind 2022. <br />Weaving 18" x 6.25" including grasses and fringe. Framed to 21" x 17".</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I've completed the <i>SkyGrass</i> series with several small pieces, all but one of which sold. In retrospect I see that these pieces paved the way for me to weave with actual grass instead of depicting it with yarn, something I plan to do more of. But they were worth doing in themselves, too, and I’m proud of them. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKgHfeih0Odq8SlOHmRmjasgNIr6Zs6wGHCya15waLjBKlb5oU6mV1IvlJB86ZTJzz3xXk46ypiTp24iIvcm7yFxNJ9J5N8-rRmQc_hCVx2-PCV42QtgQm3nYrRLfRO4sEh9tU3nDGyTvNnQKur_2IEDgP2LiEywqlrqQVF1ukljbYzHPPq91HPrI/s720/BlueGrama4LoRes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="713" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfKgHfeih0Odq8SlOHmRmjasgNIr6Zs6wGHCya15waLjBKlb5oU6mV1IvlJB86ZTJzz3xXk46ypiTp24iIvcm7yFxNJ9J5N8-rRmQc_hCVx2-PCV42QtgQm3nYrRLfRO4sEh9tU3nDGyTvNnQKur_2IEDgP2LiEywqlrqQVF1ukljbYzHPPq91HPrI/w396-h400/BlueGrama4LoRes.jpg" width="396" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Blue Grama 4</i>, (c) Molly Elkind 2022, linen warp, wool, linen, Japanese ramie bark, cotton floss.<br />Weaving 5" x 5", framed to 13" x 13". Sold. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganBP2HU0mta7Nc7hXjJdY0gsTncoUKglFgTG9_scCLUmMg7J7vja92CtiJmlmYABq4NDsBZMUXIKkhGX8isTqUOJ9R6kXhedcG9TVqMYdSKfcx5QPK7DFP_gX3tUq4XyWGpmGD9VnU8pRYWQLC0WD30EkiWvKjyLu-eNljv9TLGe1NBBbYPE9WM4B/s1800/1E315C89-6434-446E-BBBA-07B769E993DA.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganBP2HU0mta7Nc7hXjJdY0gsTncoUKglFgTG9_scCLUmMg7J7vja92CtiJmlmYABq4NDsBZMUXIKkhGX8isTqUOJ9R6kXhedcG9TVqMYdSKfcx5QPK7DFP_gX3tUq4XyWGpmGD9VnU8pRYWQLC0WD30EkiWvKjyLu-eNljv9TLGe1NBBbYPE9WM4B/w320-h400/1E315C89-6434-446E-BBBA-07B769E993DA.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>MountainGramaGrass</i>, (c) Molly Elkind 2022. Linen warp; wool, silk, linen, Japanese ramie bark, cotton Weaving 9.75" x 7", framed to 21" x 17". Sold. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I saw a number of exhibits of art in various mediums. These have continued to reverberate in my mind, months later: </p><p><a href="https://fristartmuseum.org/exhibition/alma-w-thomas/" target="_blank">Alma Thomas at the Frist Museum in Nashville</a>. Thomas was an important African-American abstract painter whose work was mostly founded on a love of pattern inspired by the natural world. </p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBj9D-rRCoLT4OYhHpT1JEEvhJT1Bl5WC9ycJbiETOYaiNWcOJajZu9wutWpTvs8T_VfQqrS8KLYJm34MuMH4Pgv_-Ka3VeuBt6GCvAt9ohGQm3U9ss4rwtqr1CAk4c2yY7ee8PTqDdxZ1kitROg7LN4SHQra8la2-xoCHwGQgwLzCCKvMrxN6AF2/s4032/IMG_3734.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBj9D-rRCoLT4OYhHpT1JEEvhJT1Bl5WC9ycJbiETOYaiNWcOJajZu9wutWpTvs8T_VfQqrS8KLYJm34MuMH4Pgv_-Ka3VeuBt6GCvAt9ohGQm3U9ss4rwtqr1CAk4c2yY7ee8PTqDdxZ1kitROg7LN4SHQra8la2-xoCHwGQgwLzCCKvMrxN6AF2/w300-h400/IMG_3734.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alma Thomas, <i>Babbling Brook and Whistling Poplar Trees Symphony</i>, <br />acrylic on canvas, 1976. </td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="http://susaniversonart.com/portfolio.html" target="_blank">Susan Iverson</a>, <i>the Color of No</i> at the Surratt Gallery at Vanderbilt University, Nashville. See my blogpost about this exhibit <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/04/" target="_blank">here</a>. I was struck by the cumulative power of one concept, explored in depth, investigating particularly the power of color to change meaning. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7fTQFVxTb0DU10ka_DK-7iu6ylRkPu9PcreGvwEBc2K_JvxCMtRoDqVI1XzbjY2vdRY6jw33wdJDh_BnLPObZCZWFl9YQmWr1nbG0ACGq2UuUDXhz5tllxL_RbEJBKzrhHWc9XFQdxuHqHA_heqKzGubfVceytzGrTH2QPabuIWbZ3GRsSlYuF2_/s4032/IMG_3753.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7fTQFVxTb0DU10ka_DK-7iu6ylRkPu9PcreGvwEBc2K_JvxCMtRoDqVI1XzbjY2vdRY6jw33wdJDh_BnLPObZCZWFl9YQmWr1nbG0ACGq2UuUDXhz5tllxL_RbEJBKzrhHWc9XFQdxuHqHA_heqKzGubfVceytzGrTH2QPabuIWbZ3GRsSlYuF2_/w400-h300/IMG_3753.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan Iverson, <i>The Color of No</i>, installed at the Surratt Gallery, Nashville, TN.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://www.johnpaulmorabito.com/the-immaculate-collection" target="_blank">John Paul Morabito, </a><i><a href="https://www.johnpaulmorabito.com/the-immaculate-collection" target="_blank">The Immaculate Collection</a>: A Queer Tangent in Tapestry</i> at Indianapolis Art Center. John Paul had me right away with their focus on images of the Virgin Mary, specifically re-conceived images drawn from paintings by Raphael. They have souped up the colors and used Jacquard technology to transform the surface into beautifully complex mixes of pattern. I found the work disturbing, fascinating, mysterious and unforgettable. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zazvp-rYlpCpy0aNUFe6QRUDGixAX_24ZWHyDiuzSpDqK5jHYI9fF-gVoFjm4XCDaSGpVOPKyS-QPbPST5dbts6DBSJ5WBEnugEXRQPMb5HimfbjstF1Zm1ES86gfqY7E-nBqBHbznQ-ehLgMGTcG7-a2PaIqY5E5S4-wXLN2uj6-fGMAj-Xe5V2/s4032/IMG_3892.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1zazvp-rYlpCpy0aNUFe6QRUDGixAX_24ZWHyDiuzSpDqK5jHYI9fF-gVoFjm4XCDaSGpVOPKyS-QPbPST5dbts6DBSJ5WBEnugEXRQPMb5HimfbjstF1Zm1ES86gfqY7E-nBqBHbznQ-ehLgMGTcG7-a2PaIqY5E5S4-wXLN2uj6-fGMAj-Xe5V2/w640-h480/IMG_3892.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Paul Morabito, Left: <i>Madonna di San Sisto</i>, 2020, cotton, wool, glass beads <br />Right: <i>Madonna del Cardellino</i>, 2019, cotton, wool, glass beads, gilded masonry nails</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">At Convergence in July, I was intrigued most of all by the power of baskets in HGA's juried exhibit of basketry,</span><i style="text-align: left;"> Dogwood to Kudzu</i><span style="text-align: left;">. The strong object-hood (I don’t know how else to describe it) of 3D pieces using natural materials is continuing to cast a spell over my current explorations. Read my blogpost <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/08/report-from-convergence-3-two-more.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></div></blockquote><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28ZXQKDew5l8ef1XIxPVdcSQYp7W-Avjij1gwQ3vZLnc5yqpLzd3QUkmKWfS4gpTkF3SJGN6XwuXnQC5S37C2eNIknMvtwmts38DKTd7Pcig2wOSqFA7X8fFXyE6Q5LF5CkvCiqgtLX6notghRUhfWMNDkQddZb3Y_6UzOX3ZxqrBvfReFvUwaDoa/s4032/IMG_4252.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28ZXQKDew5l8ef1XIxPVdcSQYp7W-Avjij1gwQ3vZLnc5yqpLzd3QUkmKWfS4gpTkF3SJGN6XwuXnQC5S37C2eNIknMvtwmts38DKTd7Pcig2wOSqFA7X8fFXyE6Q5LF5CkvCiqgtLX6notghRUhfWMNDkQddZb3Y_6UzOX3ZxqrBvfReFvUwaDoa/w300-h400/IMG_4252.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judy Zugish, <i>Daughter on the Mountaintop</i>. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I saw some intriguing Northwestern native baskets in the Chihuly Museum in Seattle and fell in love with the fine patterns and intricate workmanship, again appreciating the power of the empty vessel form and the exquisite workmanship. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosaCwAPZ9td3thQRkLAkLJaMQyPoPQSGy2IvJkg82RQsUD7A7pK4s_BODbX3iUaE8ZlmDqmx9fE_FiWinjzJhGu6LAYonbYcxeRC8qQABB8IkiCIHsxmFf3TXJGCfd6FuVYTHbtszG6oihFOjifrK0S5vJzrbHqjamuQDgooniSbmObuQM5-bLMP8/s4032/IMG_4088.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosaCwAPZ9td3thQRkLAkLJaMQyPoPQSGy2IvJkg82RQsUD7A7pK4s_BODbX3iUaE8ZlmDqmx9fE_FiWinjzJhGu6LAYonbYcxeRC8qQABB8IkiCIHsxmFf3TXJGCfd6FuVYTHbtszG6oihFOjifrK0S5vJzrbHqjamuQDgooniSbmObuQM5-bLMP8/w300-h400/IMG_4088.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apologies; no further information available</td></tr></tbody></table><p>At the ATA Members' Retreat and Workshop with <a href="https://jennifersargent.weebly.com/#/" target="_blank">Jennifer Sargent</a> in July, I was intrigued by Jennifer's use of varied setts and open, balanced weave in her work. I am continuing to explore this in my own work. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1ug15Ze4d9uhMiDJeuyM4OqIiyG0YvxLSzxMykUss6utPB-caivrwEOzVPDfFVdM3Gfe44NzM6Sz2mqYN9NdsWKStehBikrTlX3GDXQZN-_fotOJKYqaldbMZjB8kIChpoFl2tVwfeZl_DvBtns5rl1G7kgRrCwSGv7p-JfOL96qc_Xtq9QnlwKN/s4032/IMG_4367.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1ug15Ze4d9uhMiDJeuyM4OqIiyG0YvxLSzxMykUss6utPB-caivrwEOzVPDfFVdM3Gfe44NzM6Sz2mqYN9NdsWKStehBikrTlX3GDXQZN-_fotOJKYqaldbMZjB8kIChpoFl2tVwfeZl_DvBtns5rl1G7kgRrCwSGv7p-JfOL96qc_Xtq9QnlwKN/w400-h300/IMG_4367.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer Sargent, woven sample</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Finally, there were several books that have led me to think more deeply about the practice of tapestry and weaving. I suspect one or two of these might be on your own list of such impactful books, too. What other books influenced your thinking this year? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BEtjSE3Z2cmI_FQpyxX-rBLQrz562oceS0qi-_gGbgsYXcNJugG5X1Mbv7FI4zPJZKgTvaM5dzGXcalubiUJvNTDKbn4PNhbHJQgbm6BleO_sw8CnS-mlJDbDL31IREZHJD6L7K-ekrXUUYsxXu9iXcOe_wa7oQtgrJvnDI5YW1Mu3_6YRCy2rnr/s3023/902E7FE6-67FF-4B70-AD51-CB17692754E8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="3023" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7BEtjSE3Z2cmI_FQpyxX-rBLQrz562oceS0qi-_gGbgsYXcNJugG5X1Mbv7FI4zPJZKgTvaM5dzGXcalubiUJvNTDKbn4PNhbHJQgbm6BleO_sw8CnS-mlJDbDL31IREZHJD6L7K-ekrXUUYsxXu9iXcOe_wa7oQtgrJvnDI5YW1Mu3_6YRCy2rnr/s320/902E7FE6-67FF-4B70-AD51-CB17692754E8.jpeg" width="320" /></a> </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Silvia Heyden, </span><i style="text-align: left;">Movement in Tapestry</i><span style="text-align: left;">. Her approach is very different from traditional tapestry but equally powerful and destined to become more and more influential, I suspect. Read my review </span><a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-genius-of-silvia-heyden.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="text-align: left;">. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-Ve26nBTi8DacB72UGKgDBpE_j4ixuiGkWp2OwbF0CVtadKBnrZEG1_87VhFPwUqbcAwaJspzbB15qnO5fuEjRF91wvRWMKBmiWduu-jB4sIcOX5jKGZO7ZnVN10Ez2xOYS3d-An0c8QEGEUkoNW8w4JFWJMpsODx8drdIOLGRNfz3gBU48xifO2/s4032/IMG_3585.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-Ve26nBTi8DacB72UGKgDBpE_j4ixuiGkWp2OwbF0CVtadKBnrZEG1_87VhFPwUqbcAwaJspzbB15qnO5fuEjRF91wvRWMKBmiWduu-jB4sIcOX5jKGZO7ZnVN10Ez2xOYS3d-An0c8QEGEUkoNW8w4JFWJMpsODx8drdIOLGRNfz3gBU48xifO2/s320/IMG_3585.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Archie Brennan, </span><i style="text-align: left;">Tapestry as Modern Art</i><span style="text-align: left;">, as told to Brenda Osborn. Every tapestry weaver working today can learn from this master and be stimulated by his thoughts on our art form, on fiber art and their connection to contemporary art. Read my review </span><a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/03/book-review-archie-brennan-tapestry-as.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="text-align: left;">. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlJvi-NDTyc5kXr-lZDa5hf8WsXMDZDaTT1CMNAFAPkBN0UWWEYXSXxSCAETs9ztr5nWbd58MvLblksreiy5N__6w_JPyNgNalH3czmd5fbyV-6ougJG0ZIR2gIVXjjdyLwZaVdACVa0KcnQlD7311v8kjkF_oX_jWMM6u3QpKQWQBFQMGPE6Ck_r/s4032/IMG_4680.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlJvi-NDTyc5kXr-lZDa5hf8WsXMDZDaTT1CMNAFAPkBN0UWWEYXSXxSCAETs9ztr5nWbd58MvLblksreiy5N__6w_JPyNgNalH3czmd5fbyV-6ougJG0ZIR2gIVXjjdyLwZaVdACVa0KcnQlD7311v8kjkF_oX_jWMM6u3QpKQWQBFQMGPE6Ck_r/s320/IMG_4680.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Alice Fox, <i>Wild Textiles</i>. A gorgeous book that deepens my excitement about foraging for and using natural materials in textile techniques and 3D forms. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbB0mCQrtY27kCoE1MDNPBl6aQzhQ6uFrFAVioFwgmoAta3PYlHX7bou_bvo9rUPZi9_gvpNlZlpP7W1LGtc24aUf2Or75XDxwoH4F4fesWbxZbSaKi4KuYKZg1V2-I8T__JOdyihzH-FMgOap5hrue04HGhEqDJz9p7MbywlRu26vW2_XCbMPWxN/s4032/IMG_4728.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbB0mCQrtY27kCoE1MDNPBl6aQzhQ6uFrFAVioFwgmoAta3PYlHX7bou_bvo9rUPZi9_gvpNlZlpP7W1LGtc24aUf2Or75XDxwoH4F4fesWbxZbSaKi4KuYKZg1V2-I8T__JOdyihzH-FMgOap5hrue04HGhEqDJz9p7MbywlRu26vW2_XCbMPWxN/s320/IMG_4728.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Solveig Aalberg, <i>Continuum</i>. A powerful example of the cumulative impact of a series of small textiles woven to a system. Read my post <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/10/solveig-aalbergs-continuum.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhp-mpbgt7QXfvkJ4uKCQXHOohq0anB32yWodh38PTpeyKHhcs4N7SZ9c0zW_oNE5MN1Zs6TT06_pxttDzub-mr13oRQyYbn_fgM-Oey27oEum47_cT62BEdO4U3t943OZZ7WYeaap749h4aQ49wxeV0qVcHLrNUyDxCId_W_riVeRHrPHrbyJKHKN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhp-mpbgt7QXfvkJ4uKCQXHOohq0anB32yWodh38PTpeyKHhcs4N7SZ9c0zW_oNE5MN1Zs6TT06_pxttDzub-mr13oRQyYbn_fgM-Oey27oEum47_cT62BEdO4U3t943OZZ7WYeaap749h4aQ49wxeV0qVcHLrNUyDxCId_W_riVeRHrPHrbyJKHKN=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></div><br />Howard Risatti, <i>A Theory of Craft: Function and Aesthetic Expression</i>. An academic work of art/craft theory. Risatti carefully and logically builds an argument that craft and art are not the same and should not be collapsed into the same category. For a long time I had thought that only by arguing that there was no fundamental difference between the two could craft take its place equal to art in the minds of the public, curators, etc. Risatti explicates the real and important differences between the art and craft (and demonstrates that they are <i>not</i> tied to function or to materials as is commonly thought), and ultimately argues for a special category called "critical objects of craft." These are the works based in craft materials and/or techniques that innovate, question and push the boundaries of their medium. If theory is your jam, check out this book. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVyrN2rfl-PBbdx2DgwO_-E4ze_pTD6k63QCBmesHXtfGowAqSyCBojyn6a0OhKwavWnu_wBqBhFO1P1JJlTMhHg5C5pym9ApuvFcwfaFNDkFXzcOIh1IspciJYkbNczQ5SK4_enH-0g74fhaLtBXeO6MGl-cGBEWvvAXi1J-JmH0CjGUG6WSfeN2/s1200/25DA4AEB-618C-4D9F-BAC8-A524E1BA14E5.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVyrN2rfl-PBbdx2DgwO_-E4ze_pTD6k63QCBmesHXtfGowAqSyCBojyn6a0OhKwavWnu_wBqBhFO1P1JJlTMhHg5C5pym9ApuvFcwfaFNDkFXzcOIh1IspciJYkbNczQ5SK4_enH-0g74fhaLtBXeO6MGl-cGBEWvvAXi1J-JmH0CjGUG6WSfeN2/s320/25DA4AEB-618C-4D9F-BAC8-A524E1BA14E5.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Let’s hope there’s plenty of time in the new year for us all to do more of this: weave! Thanks for reading, and my best wishes to you and yours this holiday season and into 2023. <p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br />Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-60676782401709120152022-11-09T09:20:00.002-07:002022-11-09T09:20:41.689-07:00Impressions of Italy<p> If you've been following me on Instagram (@mollyelkind) or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/molly.elkind/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> you have already seen a few posts about our recent trip to Italy. If you are tired of hearing about it, feel free to skip this post! However, as the saying goes,<i> wait. . . there's more!</i> I've just uploaded the photos from my actual camera (not my phone), and I've had some more time to digest what we saw and did, so I thought I'd share some further thoughts. </p><p>We spent four days in Florence, where we were fully immersed in late medieval and Renaissance art, as one is in Florence. One theme that struck me almost right away was the varied depictions of women in art, so here's a few of those that I didn't share on social media. It should come as no surprise that the depiction of women in art is varied to say the least, perhaps even more so than that of men (generally depicted as heroes of some kind). Women <i>are</i> varied. A woman can be the mother of God, or the personification of poetry, music, and art, or any number of allegorical virtues, or the victim of rape, or the avenger of rape. She can be the redeemed prostitute (in an outmoded conception of Mary Magdalen) or an idealized goddess. In Renaissance painting she is most often a symbol, rarely an individual (with the exception of portraits of duchesses and so on). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkfbJjwUY_nHdwBWNHACjkz93zonRorCN2Vy27YfXGvo1HO6y67w2X9xc-YwZmzTpxO7c74VeISsCwXGP_hcAqyENn6scb4JLmS-WdDKbegnxuzdU1vfm1I1E-dkk9mJmK6Xr-sC42D2d3DsaUY1r1w0poICBcJK-NlVl_ZQ-AYIL6Gg1jeaIyZeF/s5472/DSC00105.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkfbJjwUY_nHdwBWNHACjkz93zonRorCN2Vy27YfXGvo1HO6y67w2X9xc-YwZmzTpxO7c74VeISsCwXGP_hcAqyENn6scb4JLmS-WdDKbegnxuzdU1vfm1I1E-dkk9mJmK6Xr-sC42D2d3DsaUY1r1w0poICBcJK-NlVl_ZQ-AYIL6Gg1jeaIyZeF/w266-h400/DSC00105.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Botticelli, <i>Madonna of the Pomegranate</i> (detail), tempera on wood, c. 1487</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdznWE6UaTmq6YeVu99cv76O7mum-9gukyzgUPWkD1-1qiWErc3oTJ43HnS8YbVy0NsqI0K5UA-mKLgj928M5SQiM7aKlX_F9zq3zgmcNfn_LrKAZ0J7Bc04qDEKpKnkSMgd6HnT4xu0WUgnSBCIVdLWPDyYyx1xJA3e7ehvYkERi0dS6YUTqD2G0/s5472/DSC00216.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdznWE6UaTmq6YeVu99cv76O7mum-9gukyzgUPWkD1-1qiWErc3oTJ43HnS8YbVy0NsqI0K5UA-mKLgj928M5SQiM7aKlX_F9zq3zgmcNfn_LrKAZ0J7Bc04qDEKpKnkSMgd6HnT4xu0WUgnSBCIVdLWPDyYyx1xJA3e7ehvYkERi0dS6YUTqD2G0/w266-h400/DSC00216.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fra Angelico, <i>Annunciation</i> (detail), fresco, 15th c. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnHBCZuvd-Y2Ur23sqEZ0_7ESC64f_O9T2fpHNAsUh6XMza-uLZTWKKqHoSWoItxcMu5VvhPjEwd2XG91_vx0t61Ja2xUyc26BrGrTyhEXr7-wcJdXmRpWbbt4bH7cmjJML9ifIEG6JArNzv97XCpiQdiSYCL9bGWnB8a7IPmhCElR67ZPO6l9k9-/s4032/IMG_5011.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKnHBCZuvd-Y2Ur23sqEZ0_7ESC64f_O9T2fpHNAsUh6XMza-uLZTWKKqHoSWoItxcMu5VvhPjEwd2XG91_vx0t61Ja2xUyc26BrGrTyhEXr7-wcJdXmRpWbbt4bH7cmjJML9ifIEG6JArNzv97XCpiQdiSYCL9bGWnB8a7IPmhCElR67ZPO6l9k9-/w300-h400/IMG_5011.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giorgio Vasari, allegorical personification of Art, Casa Vasari, fresco, 16th c.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgql5ViER5jH8gJIRnYh8BDnJubX4xg4DNd1V3Dt-9YCldJjGaUKRcjQyyxMJJoOdAN2rATRbGx2ywgcQ1nK2e7MEYIwoy6sTmb1Kcb5whr4XEBVgZ9Z-t4lihDsr89vlgPUlBN9h_En89TKHmMWWiHckM2cT31xA_WwFGc6ecLu1Zxp9ZiMsPewPJY/s4032/IMG_4752.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgql5ViER5jH8gJIRnYh8BDnJubX4xg4DNd1V3Dt-9YCldJjGaUKRcjQyyxMJJoOdAN2rATRbGx2ywgcQ1nK2e7MEYIwoy6sTmb1Kcb5whr4XEBVgZ9Z-t4lihDsr89vlgPUlBN9h_En89TKHmMWWiHckM2cT31xA_WwFGc6ecLu1Zxp9ZiMsPewPJY/w300-h400/IMG_4752.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Botticelli, <i>Fortitude</i>, tempera on wood, 1470 </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7Rf3KJsZDZi2_mpGoiN3XphzNOvXAfcKMpGl0cLDUegIYBYTjY0P_97ZaK3qHeADB3DEpEkaF0s8OFc2JjXDsJ41vN-g0Qs8jNwfalUiZP3z1kEMMHOQP6ZVV6yzCQbE4kcMO-MJ3PZiSfJ9esXkFgUQcSv1OGgHljcbOVnNgHBQjtMbgtQxDKRv/s5472/DSC00142.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7Rf3KJsZDZi2_mpGoiN3XphzNOvXAfcKMpGl0cLDUegIYBYTjY0P_97ZaK3qHeADB3DEpEkaF0s8OFc2JjXDsJ41vN-g0Qs8jNwfalUiZP3z1kEMMHOQP6ZVV6yzCQbE4kcMO-MJ3PZiSfJ9esXkFgUQcSv1OGgHljcbOVnNgHBQjtMbgtQxDKRv/w266-h400/DSC00142.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Titian, <i>La Maddalena</i> (the Magdalen), detail, 15th c. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZwJnLjYzDwUsAorNrEctHQW3lme3PizcAe_81LLNLHptCjLWZf9kJt0BE2RkTrtFJmstqDZ7briZGaG1N7pibTH8UGzqn6VhYafDA2XqQWmitNdI18sZxuSPB_hvQYGx0o3IEEu91lP3CLjelZS58YDzJDQc0fQtJcWLf3jRf8AqfrDEEJJiZmBi/s1800/2ABD14A3-7673-4176-9948-0646A87DC2FE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZwJnLjYzDwUsAorNrEctHQW3lme3PizcAe_81LLNLHptCjLWZf9kJt0BE2RkTrtFJmstqDZ7briZGaG1N7pibTH8UGzqn6VhYafDA2XqQWmitNdI18sZxuSPB_hvQYGx0o3IEEu91lP3CLjelZS58YDzJDQc0fQtJcWLf3jRf8AqfrDEEJJiZmBi/w320-h400/2ABD14A3-7673-4176-9948-0646A87DC2FE.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artemisia Gentileschi, <i>Judith Slaying Holofernes</i> (detail), oil on canvas, 1620-21. </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>After our time in Florence we joined a Road Scholar tour group on a tour of "<a href="https://www.roadscholar.org/find-an-adventure/22977/The-Medieval-Villages-of-Tuscany-and-Umbria" target="_blank">hidden villages of Tuscany and Umbria</a>."* In those places the vibe was definitely medieval, if not Roman and Etruscan. The tiny walled towns with their towers, castles, and steep narrow streets were incredibly picturesque and fun to explore. But after having guided tours of Anghiari, Cortona, Arezzo, Gubbio, Spoleto, Perugia, and Orvieto, it became clear that these beautiful towns are the relics of a time of constant war, among competing tribes and dukedoms, the Pope(s) and foreign powers. Hence the defensive walls, towers and castles. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1RxXmoNng_bJFzYnoqS6u5E20_mblcuAxOeHg9FWEp8aKYEpL1F3Y9A9JRjZRXXiZPlUvAQCHxekTQJnIxi2AnqKzvw1PzvSgWZDmHY7onoxe2tP3pGRMer1dUIrqFIILjEBlfj3pbfVcM-EghDakIm_LptJa5Yfoh1yNrvozvedEiiquWy_4A4Z/s4032/IMG_4891.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1RxXmoNng_bJFzYnoqS6u5E20_mblcuAxOeHg9FWEp8aKYEpL1F3Y9A9JRjZRXXiZPlUvAQCHxekTQJnIxi2AnqKzvw1PzvSgWZDmHY7onoxe2tP3pGRMer1dUIrqFIILjEBlfj3pbfVcM-EghDakIm_LptJa5Yfoh1yNrvozvedEiiquWy_4A4Z/w300-h400/IMG_4891.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall in Anghiari </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9ACteGGOFK-5ZXdUEDAKsyCS3aWejXGkMEzZFeWci9iKXTVF7Jxa8JSuO2GsbYps3vqeA8fLasWtwAuAlIOcP-yTZbJNVrzNVqGCjV6fQdoEhNuNVAoyHnlBo3Eq2kYhmpX59YoXfmy38DyN6SpmOI2Au1hc0kw_GwdPhpcXRuZBDK7S8S5s2EV9/s4032/IMG_4939.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9ACteGGOFK-5ZXdUEDAKsyCS3aWejXGkMEzZFeWci9iKXTVF7Jxa8JSuO2GsbYps3vqeA8fLasWtwAuAlIOcP-yTZbJNVrzNVqGCjV6fQdoEhNuNVAoyHnlBo3Eq2kYhmpX59YoXfmy38DyN6SpmOI2Au1hc0kw_GwdPhpcXRuZBDK7S8S5s2EV9/w300-h400/IMG_4939.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anghiari</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The towns also contain awe-inspiring churches and cathedrals and stunning art. The art is entirely on religious and classical themes. Even I, with my <a href="https://www.mollyelkind.com/carousel.php?galleryID=294708" target="_blank">long-standing interest in depictions of the Virgin Mary</a>, found my eyes glazing over after seeing so many Madonnas. So I started noticing other things--the evocative fragmentary frescoes, the play of light through stained glass, the layers of patterns everywhere. After a time I found that I enjoyed the austere, heavy Romanesque churches with limited decoration as a refreshing counterpoint to the lavish Gothic cathedrals. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NZGzNDE-xoMt7YK4KFW3xMHAn8dmlftd28OabFCf5wqFN6gaPnONRov3OPhzBBTCNFhLL7UcwFvaAN719inINVCp35QU8o_jUU-xJeqS7S9R0a-v_RsWkj45TeGqFQDe0k34tKfedqTEi60808-WmOjJjYKx1PGOUMLaRtHo-EBqjD2FwOXPfvpY/s5472/DSC00352.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5NZGzNDE-xoMt7YK4KFW3xMHAn8dmlftd28OabFCf5wqFN6gaPnONRov3OPhzBBTCNFhLL7UcwFvaAN719inINVCp35QU8o_jUU-xJeqS7S9R0a-v_RsWkj45TeGqFQDe0k34tKfedqTEi60808-WmOjJjYKx1PGOUMLaRtHo-EBqjD2FwOXPfvpY/w266-h400/DSC00352.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHposJTO3S5fJn7bJbsJ_PJmRsbaYh220TmwR6_9av_Q-YpwL5RZf819USjuVlNQH2-bbvjSL8k5yvGtmTkpKmgKyRalWRaT3uMZISPMnjCyom2pwyxUCXb6reBti_E4OYiireavc4fiDMwKBhc5qgnjHQ_p5Xh_Ye9rmp5m3viXRUfbseIJo6a2h/s5472/DSC00398.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnHposJTO3S5fJn7bJbsJ_PJmRsbaYh220TmwR6_9av_Q-YpwL5RZf819USjuVlNQH2-bbvjSL8k5yvGtmTkpKmgKyRalWRaT3uMZISPMnjCyom2pwyxUCXb6reBti_E4OYiireavc4fiDMwKBhc5qgnjHQ_p5Xh_Ye9rmp5m3viXRUfbseIJo6a2h/w400-h266/DSC00398.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRac3Of5KLtOJh6zILQTq4nSZm5xG0uoecUu2fA-jhUeBVJI8ZFqXc22vEs5ze10iYSTbQw7vqA-sn15ukWJPozOUu2iz1rmv5n38czjQybWeiLRcwT5F0DCQqPR6dl9f1ccSVGo5W_1xqM2g-NzkpZS8sG7uZyvc5HUsUeroyt7z_tqLj4FrIoXX3/s5472/DSC00419.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRac3Of5KLtOJh6zILQTq4nSZm5xG0uoecUu2fA-jhUeBVJI8ZFqXc22vEs5ze10iYSTbQw7vqA-sn15ukWJPozOUu2iz1rmv5n38czjQybWeiLRcwT5F0DCQqPR6dl9f1ccSVGo5W_1xqM2g-NzkpZS8sG7uZyvc5HUsUeroyt7z_tqLj4FrIoXX3/w266-h400/DSC00419.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVodZ9G11qpIJCIIQeeFllJrYo14WvCA3-Ma-aGkQuFwgD52UQA2q0Izid43fuIGuxINdVZebHmT1OxT99CbIe_5m2mMJNZeJTbRKpaOUra8qS7khTh8BoHpRQcZD6YsMaV6FpsZJi3hYGGsD3pN03GkZfmCbqNZ_Wbd35gK_PT8UgetjM0i3UDUPD/s5472/DSC00422.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVodZ9G11qpIJCIIQeeFllJrYo14WvCA3-Ma-aGkQuFwgD52UQA2q0Izid43fuIGuxINdVZebHmT1OxT99CbIe_5m2mMJNZeJTbRKpaOUra8qS7khTh8BoHpRQcZD6YsMaV6FpsZJi3hYGGsD3pN03GkZfmCbqNZ_Wbd35gK_PT8UgetjM0i3UDUPD/w266-h400/DSC00422.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvvmL4TVWK_2DuQFucTZrrSbFVuqisdVca26EQNHD-ufdbERPKNxh3693sYqjN89pWnZ06aOL0xop5HRJn5ftl0k9oU2qQWD35t3O-7tp_AJzXKprYkCUScv4SndHyuBcb9oRZ5Lm6SiJZT92au460Oa5COdHvNV5UQEiNrmqRbiKTmM_EUZ6_zrk/s5472/DSC00444.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibvvmL4TVWK_2DuQFucTZrrSbFVuqisdVca26EQNHD-ufdbERPKNxh3693sYqjN89pWnZ06aOL0xop5HRJn5ftl0k9oU2qQWD35t3O-7tp_AJzXKprYkCUScv4SndHyuBcb9oRZ5Lm6SiJZT92au460Oa5COdHvNV5UQEiNrmqRbiKTmM_EUZ6_zrk/w266-h400/DSC00444.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><p>My thoughts turned to how we experience the sacred, specifically where, when and in whom (or in what) it is embodied for us, beyond theological doctrine. Even more, how do we attempt to capture and hold on to that experience? We make paintings, churches, cathedrals, and pilgrimage sites. And we make our own small gestures of devotion in public places, even today. We try to link the numinous sacred to the visible and tangible, so that we can touch that experience again and again. Pilgrims at La Verna, a site sacred to St. Francis, used what was at hand to fashion crosses.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizovb0gUNaBDM_5C_nijTAMg183OEwx30J5BnOFCHtJG8coJr9QStddFZMaC-LUpsIS2Lzh4WMCmLlGPFaIe-7XglpOhUEjOYFoLWE2E556bTLovqLogDW-NYKXhT3LXTnZa2Cku5t35wxVgD39Hao3pUd0vXKoOG8H3Rwkgzb2akJxU88JibZ874A/s4032/IMG_5032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizovb0gUNaBDM_5C_nijTAMg183OEwx30J5BnOFCHtJG8coJr9QStddFZMaC-LUpsIS2Lzh4WMCmLlGPFaIe-7XglpOhUEjOYFoLWE2E556bTLovqLogDW-NYKXhT3LXTnZa2Cku5t35wxVgD39Hao3pUd0vXKoOG8H3Rwkgzb2akJxU88JibZ874A/w300-h400/IMG_5032.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueQ4szsH5TjXJy1fkMxaZC6fgIrDDgXnnwCs0m_0aqxlUwYNNxUNgAteYtnw7Owf_wP1KLYH-ntZp77HLdIkzm6mUDbcym7iipe1GfQ45FFHpqLTW4hqkygwCDGg-amlqXRppAc6PNDrS0kDnPU1cx6Oa8GNgpgOFFB5Ky-jsk-3MSAWLnWOexFUk/s4032/IMG_5034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueQ4szsH5TjXJy1fkMxaZC6fgIrDDgXnnwCs0m_0aqxlUwYNNxUNgAteYtnw7Owf_wP1KLYH-ntZp77HLdIkzm6mUDbcym7iipe1GfQ45FFHpqLTW4hqkygwCDGg-amlqXRppAc6PNDrS0kDnPU1cx6Oa8GNgpgOFFB5Ky-jsk-3MSAWLnWOexFUk/w300-h400/IMG_5034.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><p>I don't think there will be any direct influence of what I saw in Italy on my own work, except perhaps to nudge me to explore again the impact of pattern. The world has changed in 500 years, and what we expect art to be and do has changed with it. My own work now is mostly about place and landscape, and that is virtually non-existent in Renaissance art. But for me it was, in the end, inspiring and consoling to see that not only can we create works of art that embody our highest hopes for what humans can be and do, we continue to be moved by that art centuries later. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71Sj9h1WCW9fBvl50U9smbPyRx0sDniPALRvREVHqYy7qRSAepk19dhoxlOEL3V8ZsCfqaC0JGqYTY9hc5WmdZnJxxkxJfNmhSg0DXiS0IV7k8TCWAgCPwqipEkyqXne72Zu5fDKkubRa2kbGjJ0AiZGyB5rP1zOIraKpAo4skUr8vu6neamb8baS/s4032/IMG_5063.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg71Sj9h1WCW9fBvl50U9smbPyRx0sDniPALRvREVHqYy7qRSAepk19dhoxlOEL3V8ZsCfqaC0JGqYTY9hc5WmdZnJxxkxJfNmhSg0DXiS0IV7k8TCWAgCPwqipEkyqXne72Zu5fDKkubRa2kbGjJ0AiZGyB5rP1zOIraKpAo4skUr8vu6neamb8baS/w480-h640/IMG_5063.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise and fog over Anghiari</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>*If you hit this link to Road Scholar's site, you will find that the tour's title and itinerary have been tweaked slightly from the one we experienced. </p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-54595421995394805652022-10-12T11:15:00.000-06:002022-10-12T11:15:53.382-06:00Solveig Aalberg's Continuum<p>Like you, perhaps, I get tons of information in my inbox about textile organizations, lectures, online workshops, and so on. It's a lot to take in sometimes, but sometimes--actually pretty often--I stumble upon pure gold. Recently someone linked to <a href="https://www.textile-forum-blog.org/2022/08/continuum-woven-miniatures-solveig-aalberg/" target="_blank">this blog post</a> on the Textile Forum blog, about a body of work by Norwegian fiber artist, Solveig Aalberg. </p><p>Aalberg has made a series of 100 small pieces that she calls "miniatures" which together form the series <i>Continuum</i>. Each one measures about 20 x 24 cm, or roughly 7.75 x 9.5 inches. Each features horizontal stripes in some form. They are woven in tabby or double weave in a variety of fibers. As she wove the series, Aalberg designed a book that reproduces every single piece, <i>Continuum: Woven Miniatures</i>. The book devotes a full page, or in some cases two pages, to each tapestry, and for each, the fibers and colors used are listed with a numerical notation that indicates the number of times each color is repeated. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvH64cbqzq5mft5y-KY6IGWcEo7DajzVKfxehkGR_0lbJ5PCTVdPw0_tWgwR_vjPJnosQ3jl6vayKOlIfoIVOJ5y4zWuFFuL3jPZbBvzgj82tuV3O0CCQOrA1_Pzrw7Frg9MAn1WjPPvciir7ZuxXqaiwmXG-zn8Clb_UP7VbSaGOns1BQ0XO9-G8Q/s544/SolveigAlalbergContinuum020.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="544" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvH64cbqzq5mft5y-KY6IGWcEo7DajzVKfxehkGR_0lbJ5PCTVdPw0_tWgwR_vjPJnosQ3jl6vayKOlIfoIVOJ5y4zWuFFuL3jPZbBvzgj82tuV3O0CCQOrA1_Pzrw7Frg9MAn1WjPPvciir7ZuxXqaiwmXG-zn8Clb_UP7VbSaGOns1BQ0XO9-G8Q/w400-h388/SolveigAlalbergContinuum020.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solveig Aalberg, <i>Continuum #020</i>, 2018. Linen, cotton, polyester.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As I began to look through the book, I realized that far from becoming repetitious the project allowed for almost infinite variation within Aalberg's parameters. The idea that boundaries and limits actually free us up for greater creativity has been coming up in my tapestry feedback group discussions lately, and Aalberg's project is a perfect example of how that can work. </p><p>Aalberg says in an interview included at the end of the book that her work is "all about reading the world around me by organizing structures and repetitions. Tapestry's strict framework of horizontal and vertical lines provides a basis for working on my visual idiom. It might seem restrictive, but it is a challenge that triggers me." (p. 260). She goes on to say that systems and mathematics allow for rhythmic repetitions would not be possible otherwise: ". . . structures build up contrasts and juxtapositions that you couldn't envision beforehand without using these systems." (p. 265). </p><p>While Aalberg's work starts with weaving on the loom, she further develops each piece by adding stitching, sometimes subtle straight stitches that meld with the weft, other times wild loops and dangling threads that create a riot of texture on the back. These pieces are pictured front and back on double-page spreads. In all the pieces, a delight and curiosity about color is the driving force. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QeJogV9diELnsJZB3M7Gm6gpaW6Yun7rz_mWs6jfmKbspyozBHbmq38hLw-JEP_EGD4NkIrJnzf7BAGYp7idSeP7wsq--TQnbx78enG9Icpcfxn483gqg4M00R6brPo5UDHfG1099Y_iCtZqYtCUhcxQYjHQUmD03lOPJ953NG6dmCKazXf0wFEI/s637/SolveigAlalbergContinuum0036B.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="544" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2QeJogV9diELnsJZB3M7Gm6gpaW6Yun7rz_mWs6jfmKbspyozBHbmq38hLw-JEP_EGD4NkIrJnzf7BAGYp7idSeP7wsq--TQnbx78enG9Icpcfxn483gqg4M00R6brPo5UDHfG1099Y_iCtZqYtCUhcxQYjHQUmD03lOPJ953NG6dmCKazXf0wFEI/w341-h400/SolveigAlalbergContinuum0036B.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solveig Aalberg, <i>Continuum #036 </i>back, 2020. <br />Linen, cotton, polyester and reflex.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY__BIIDrkkbwf_ZnXcAwl0vE6Vtg4GKjoOl9bNO5Yn5yiaM9xlhQDZd0_vYHN_u3py4qpxX-QkYzvj_IVVCrw2Ots4a7AC14PfcW3GYe_idwCtVbOBy7RHFICMUs3_DS-BFZlmB22JHuQJ9AhQIYkMstBwU5QilBlU42Sm-Q873Nm5_4T7tfH2h7Z/s672/SolveigAlalbergContinuum036F.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="597" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY__BIIDrkkbwf_ZnXcAwl0vE6Vtg4GKjoOl9bNO5Yn5yiaM9xlhQDZd0_vYHN_u3py4qpxX-QkYzvj_IVVCrw2Ots4a7AC14PfcW3GYe_idwCtVbOBy7RHFICMUs3_DS-BFZlmB22JHuQJ9AhQIYkMstBwU5QilBlU42Sm-Q873Nm5_4T7tfH2h7Z/w355-h400/SolveigAlalbergContinuum036F.jpg" width="355" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solveig Aalberg, <i>Continuum #036 </i>front, 2020. <br />Linen, cotton, polyester and reflex.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Aalberg has worked on a very large scale many times, but for this project she chose a format that invites the viewer to "experience the work up close" in an "intimate and personal" way (p. 264). Many of us are attracted to small format work not only because it is portable and more quickly accomplished than large work, but precisely because it speaks one-on-one to the viewer. </p><p>Pieces from the <i>Continuum</i> series have been exhibited in various shows in Europe, and several have been sold. Aalberg hopes that the works will be widely disseminated and that they can "thereby make a little statement about how everyday life is influenced by how we do the same thing again and again, but with either minor or major changes. In that way, each miniature can be read as a metaphor for the days we live" (p. 267). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVBESNw-GTpmK8MCsqZoMSknMA9HUqVosOpJzQO0VrtybOWP7bcyVUQsLYpzppcZm1c8KWgzX7o9EZZJqLX4_TNXEmoVOIIoYX4fUJbf9i47bd67CYd_Atbrxl9M_ItULEpMFUbjzf1WmQPzr6U8qBcpv4cKaFMB0MUqnNW0pJJ3uznMqZ3ewF8t-/s816/SolveigAlalbergContinuumInstall.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="816" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkVBESNw-GTpmK8MCsqZoMSknMA9HUqVosOpJzQO0VrtybOWP7bcyVUQsLYpzppcZm1c8KWgzX7o9EZZJqLX4_TNXEmoVOIIoYX4fUJbf9i47bd67CYd_Atbrxl9M_ItULEpMFUbjzf1WmQPzr6U8qBcpv4cKaFMB0MUqnNW0pJJ3uznMqZ3ewF8t-/w400-h355/SolveigAlalbergContinuumInstall.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Solveig Aalberg, selections from <i>Continuum</i> <br />at Haugesund Kunstforening og Billedgalleri, 2020. <br />(Please excuse the book's center crease shadow through the near yellow piece.) </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Regarding her commitment to a long-term project over several years, Aalberg admits "It does cost something to bring this about--that is also part of the process. Showing tenacity, holding on to your idea, not letting go. If I had abandoned<i> Continuum</i>, it would be like going back on a promise. It would feel like a betrayal" (p. 267). This struck me--how often do we as artists lose heart, have crises of confidence, or simply bow to the ongoing pressures of life and abandon our big ideas? </p><p>Regarding the book itself, in addition to the interview with the artist, an essay by writer Ole Robert Sunde is included, whose work Aalberg feels draws on similar themes. All text, including captions for the tapestries, appears in Norwegian and English. Several installation shots of the work show how it is mounted approximately 4.5" from the wall, so that it casts a shadow and attains a sculptural presence. It is a beautifully photographed and produced hardcover book. You can order it <a href="https://nettbokhandel.bastardbok.no/products/solveig-aalberg-continuum" target="_blank">here</a> for 380 Norwegian kroner, about $38 plus shipping. For me this book is a wonderful counterpoint to Sheila Hicks's <i>Weaving as Metaphor</i>, which contains images of dozens of her experimental minimes. Both artists work in small format, but their approaches and results are very different. Food for thought. </p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-15393940479286854752022-09-14T09:55:00.002-06:002022-09-14T09:55:27.541-06:00Current and future work<p>I'm tempted to start by saying It's a time of transitions here at <a href="https://www.mollyelkind.com/home" target="_blank">Molly Elkind Handwovens</a>, but really, isn't every time a time of transition?? I suspect we're all transitioning so much recently we're dizzy. </p><p>I've been putting up work on the walls in preparation for the 30th annual <a href="https://www.eldoradoarts.org/eldorado-studio-tour" target="_blank">Eldorado Studio Tour</a>. In case you're in the neighborhood, there will be <a href="https://www.eldoradoarts.org/brochure-map" target="_blank">80 artists in 60 studios</a>--Sept. 24 and 25 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.--at Eldorado at Santa Fe, just outside the city of Santa Fe, NM. <a href="https://www.samelkind.com/home" target="_blank"> Sam Elkind</a> and I are Studio 8 this year. It's always fun to meet folks, talk art and craft with them and share our work. It's also good for me just to get all the work out at once, too, and see how it hangs (or doesn't hang) together. (These are quick snapshots. Apologies for poor lighting and reflections in glass of <a href="https://www.samelkind.com/home" target="_blank">Sam Elkind's photographs</a>. Sam has more work up, but this is my blog so I'm focusing on mine! Also, de-cluttering of our own knicknackswill occur before the Tour!). <a href="mailto:mpelkind@comcast.net" target="_blank">Contact me</a> for details and prices. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4l-LxDFJp9wU3-2m9J4zf25UvANyHRmY7oIigyEFnkhwJ0WgYpelfSrITxRqbOg6nmzazQ_pYO0mOq0U9N8nUATmZoWDAcCH_R_EZz9PoddMokHqEjLhO4Mj2pzbOWXuLNELByWAwUGGp11x_Rh3Tj9U90T6WImBZIGVgToliWlrYy98Q8D45J3Ng/s4015/EACATour22.1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="4015" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4l-LxDFJp9wU3-2m9J4zf25UvANyHRmY7oIigyEFnkhwJ0WgYpelfSrITxRqbOg6nmzazQ_pYO0mOq0U9N8nUATmZoWDAcCH_R_EZz9PoddMokHqEjLhO4Mj2pzbOWXuLNELByWAwUGGp11x_Rh3Tj9U90T6WImBZIGVgToliWlrYy98Q8D45J3Ng/w640-h382/EACATour22.1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right: <i>SkyGrass, SkyGramaGrass </i>(on table)<i>, SkyGrass Study, MountainGramaGrass</i>. <br />All work (c) Molly Elkind. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yq9vHNUWCZAfpJkeAytwYw67EN4dbbGeqWDdkE0JFWVRoSHcP9HmG8mOECrFOfHdc6u9Wa4crxuprKxd78-tnSjAxXG-kzxPTLp216Dcgs6jDnd9sWYVg3TL5UkMCPyEDdpKHRG7wl6iVXkkXoglsXYS3cFjj1PNAgwJoI5J0IxBTLZNzFN74Kl4/s3312/EACATour22.3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2260" data-original-width="3312" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yq9vHNUWCZAfpJkeAytwYw67EN4dbbGeqWDdkE0JFWVRoSHcP9HmG8mOECrFOfHdc6u9Wa4crxuprKxd78-tnSjAxXG-kzxPTLp216Dcgs6jDnd9sWYVg3TL5UkMCPyEDdpKHRG7wl6iVXkkXoglsXYS3cFjj1PNAgwJoI5J0IxBTLZNzFN74Kl4/w640-h436/EACATour22.3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right: <i>Peachtree Boogie Boogie, Red Letter Day, Red Letter Night</i>. All work (c) Molly Elkind.<br /> </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pdczIVUPBmaQyijoVFMTBNF9SF00xIMtFqbZU-MiA5mJwvQENLcm6gW0Aft77l6ZHA6fiIuvyRwifKjXqnZQfBe5dSQreEJi-Hsal4on31hcx2OHZikk6EI4Bhms4BU_vJ2eMMuGhQksotqk0Y2wcvIeHTW5yHo1Pi9raU90BSQXkNIIivKLDcIO/s4002/EACATour22.4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2480" data-original-width="4002" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2pdczIVUPBmaQyijoVFMTBNF9SF00xIMtFqbZU-MiA5mJwvQENLcm6gW0Aft77l6ZHA6fiIuvyRwifKjXqnZQfBe5dSQreEJi-Hsal4on31hcx2OHZikk6EI4Bhms4BU_vJ2eMMuGhQksotqk0Y2wcvIeHTW5yHo1Pi9raU90BSQXkNIIivKLDcIO/w640-h396/EACATour22.4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Faraway Nearby,</i> (c) Molly Elkind<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SStGz0a89Fd8Yqq6nPgo8zMvB5oYuL4Q18Vnns21ipEtyBHqiSKQuRIohCQoXEC9tAV8MR_icSFmr2kuaaI5U28YbEB6hqwqb1p2beh619lKuRFnka_DDBQTakzm9noKpbPA3fOYPvywax9hvjkY7MSIeyuXXWb35AKAaGMdmdeWXb0yJekTv3Aq/s3801/EACATour22.5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3801" data-original-width="2158" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2SStGz0a89Fd8Yqq6nPgo8zMvB5oYuL4Q18Vnns21ipEtyBHqiSKQuRIohCQoXEC9tAV8MR_icSFmr2kuaaI5U28YbEB6hqwqb1p2beh619lKuRFnka_DDBQTakzm9noKpbPA3fOYPvywax9hvjkY7MSIeyuXXWb35AKAaGMdmdeWXb0yJekTv3Aq/w364-h640/EACATour22.5.jpg" width="364" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top: <i>Dusty Sun</i>. Bottom: <i>Ashy Sun</i>. (c) Molly Elkind</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvFtkd9GBUsL4N9eF_DQNK9CpNHOLnLl2u2McSkFVL_u6ln65MObt53PUGK3j4Sz2InRK23w-V_4AbNoHWJgy8gOFQQVF4VSRP-k_ap2KOyxgfdQxT29QqyCATx_1wW9pX2vTIugVFtWFv281byHQsD7pPxcQbEyMF3Ax3_-lhZKlZ7W9XRdG4blM/s4032/EACATour22.6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvFtkd9GBUsL4N9eF_DQNK9CpNHOLnLl2u2McSkFVL_u6ln65MObt53PUGK3j4Sz2InRK23w-V_4AbNoHWJgy8gOFQQVF4VSRP-k_ap2KOyxgfdQxT29QqyCATx_1wW9pX2vTIugVFtWFv281byHQsD7pPxcQbEyMF3Ax3_-lhZKlZ7W9XRdG4blM/w480-h640/EACATour22.6.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top: <i>Rancho de Taos Quartet</i>, (c) <a href="https://www.samelkind.com/home" target="_blank">Sam Elkind</a>. <br />On table: <i>Dark Sky</i>, (c) Molly Elkind</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>As for the transition, I'm not ready to say much yet in words about it, so in this post I'm going to let the pictures do the talking. In the famous words of Winnie the Pooh when faced with a jar of honey, "I don't want to <i>eat</i> it, I just want to <i>taste</i> it." </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo=w300-h400" width="300" /></span></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUDVRncp6dCdqDXcVyk7wDZr4dpKBAsq8d8PwzjvP4_zJbgZIo3hmvwW_fQdZqVX3xkGWsGBF74ULyROpuE30uA2LlaEahb5dYXWdG6nvl0MLZ9ANrWK_kLDffdgVbyKW8vq1HWBG3i27KLnQUPRYDkHWTRkclua8ULym8ZlTh1VoUBt_mT43iqlXH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUDVRncp6dCdqDXcVyk7wDZr4dpKBAsq8d8PwzjvP4_zJbgZIo3hmvwW_fQdZqVX3xkGWsGBF74ULyROpuE30uA2LlaEahb5dYXWdG6nvl0MLZ9ANrWK_kLDffdgVbyKW8vq1HWBG3i27KLnQUPRYDkHWTRkclua8ULym8ZlTh1VoUBt_mT43iqlXH=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMgo7ld7KztMWJSMnldG1Mf7w9GX6RH-SSY4xBkvxn1cdngJysGTdMBYFNUfELQLr-4Bzmsuiba00v-4-TPaAVaFqL29UpBRLdj_nTBDcqlXlK2YeybcZgzCWrFNGjc5MzfXEqWtyWzripytS8gQOmY9XM398Rhb0A3f8jJeKX0EtgwEUz2u2A1VNJ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMgo7ld7KztMWJSMnldG1Mf7w9GX6RH-SSY4xBkvxn1cdngJysGTdMBYFNUfELQLr-4Bzmsuiba00v-4-TPaAVaFqL29UpBRLdj_nTBDcqlXlK2YeybcZgzCWrFNGjc5MzfXEqWtyWzripytS8gQOmY9XM398Rhb0A3f8jJeKX0EtgwEUz2u2A1VNJ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo"><br /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjrfPV00TnH2-YuEkOzXHIQ6izSagMlM5drH-CSa2L6lR4AIy1QM9MsZG8QgSJ7msA1TdAVetZMFcyzfokGAF9UbxrOLWS2JOQBmMZUtKiUitsnCtz_O96glmNdz0ivwmhMEE0tUyHu7LZ8FYHLiTqdawJyhlL3ch_LCPistBaldAroWlQnLH__Hmxo"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxrPRBHqCBB40YKxabozuI6i4IK77CZ1czK7uBf6MQWthsMNI9cbGP2Z9Iimpwm2lA8_TRcgKrYBM7iU0Du-w2O3O6p5MVL4q5KsH5ZYxzceMZyrnAcrzlAU3K3RokwO0CF9vlExotAmypBRwwA8dlhFTamJ2FbsEeC082Jc7TVswz68f_GupG9wS7" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9hIIcuwGmZIXPseyTL65QvUoHSPfhaPuOHI8c9t_olXvD9cMrjlNysTzHzN8aJtVw8KhSvMzK8sSJk90ccDE9JaxUbJ2MOMmKf6WOhWDRsyZQ6jXLcIv_ZS-BEwPX08cTVrOGjyVFaDim3jANGUFmyWCqF6F-MDU8xlSq8ZR6xobnsbsAZ1Es5y6S" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj9hIIcuwGmZIXPseyTL65QvUoHSPfhaPuOHI8c9t_olXvD9cMrjlNysTzHzN8aJtVw8KhSvMzK8sSJk90ccDE9JaxUbJ2MOMmKf6WOhWDRsyZQ6jXLcIv_ZS-BEwPX08cTVrOGjyVFaDim3jANGUFmyWCqF6F-MDU8xlSq8ZR6xobnsbsAZ1Es5y6S=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Pacific NW basket. I love how vivid the natural dyes remained inside the basket, <br />away from the light. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGOtWKQb6bRGYD3Qnqc08R6RBxGJNVos6OUYMoq3MYMvACrCEu-llwUnaprAjDA1aV2Wwb2iyi7_kr6Fmg6x-wFt2CrCzmy5zqa__NMyM1eVVdBhivNlEExTavFCgusgZB9gWsxQU-8OqgEJfEetVvpXpIZMjQoXCtuNgnNobGyEPeO_I-AFNLQNGM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGOtWKQb6bRGYD3Qnqc08R6RBxGJNVos6OUYMoq3MYMvACrCEu-llwUnaprAjDA1aV2Wwb2iyi7_kr6Fmg6x-wFt2CrCzmy5zqa__NMyM1eVVdBhivNlEExTavFCgusgZB9gWsxQU-8OqgEJfEetVvpXpIZMjQoXCtuNgnNobGyEPeO_I-AFNLQNGM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqzn_afo7Qbn6DsHwKyfE9Mln1JFZpTT-tMcfp0jTaib11s8WWJ0E-aJ850yk2sSuEhsQfgBJ33auvTbwtwwjWTD9h4a7Ia3atUetBSK9CA9sPELRAPS2Hw-_zFFKBY2FEjjC-UCdKXiK_KSdOcMc5hiFcQnr7NurKDCQnrU0dktrOrALTsB_izitX" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqzn_afo7Qbn6DsHwKyfE9Mln1JFZpTT-tMcfp0jTaib11s8WWJ0E-aJ850yk2sSuEhsQfgBJ33auvTbwtwwjWTD9h4a7Ia3atUetBSK9CA9sPELRAPS2Hw-_zFFKBY2FEjjC-UCdKXiK_KSdOcMc5hiFcQnr7NurKDCQnrU0dktrOrALTsB_izitX=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><u><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoXuTTjfLQWSouRcMIWzIOB8pc4vPN3bbkprYQR8hpRI0xbKD-eGz3lAB6qxU79CT-0d4YFiWC5zSWJxtC43waOMrK7QxyRSch5aYyYCyF9jK4ZWQI0c3itJHMgeXCBKH_0LfYZueW4q6hr2Pn7LKY5ABFhMUa4x7j4tGmgGYO39jUaj-7hygiGz_z" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="4032" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgoXuTTjfLQWSouRcMIWzIOB8pc4vPN3bbkprYQR8hpRI0xbKD-eGz3lAB6qxU79CT-0d4YFiWC5zSWJxtC43waOMrK7QxyRSch5aYyYCyF9jK4ZWQI0c3itJHMgeXCBKH_0LfYZueW4q6hr2Pn7LKY5ABFhMUa4x7j4tGmgGYO39jUaj-7hygiGz_z=w400-h196" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Current and future reading. Excited about all of it, especially the brand-new book mid-stack, <br /><i>Wild Textiles</i> by Alice Fox. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /></u></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0000ee;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><u><br /></u></span></span></div><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-44725736470297219142022-08-17T10:49:00.000-06:002022-08-17T10:49:14.113-06:00The genius of Silvia Heyden<p>The tapestry world is abuzz with talk about the just-released book of the work and writings of weaver Silvia Heyden (1927-2015): <i>Movement in Tapestry</i> by Silvia Heyden. Her family and friends worked hard to complete this book that Silvia began in 2014, and they have done a beautiful job. It's not a book that you read once and then put away on a shelf. You'll want to keep it out so that you can dip into it now and again, enjoying and studying the gorgeous full-page color photographs of her work and re-reading her words. You can see by the fringe of post-its in my copy that I found much to ponder here. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MW36H4hPv1svjloqSuGPtxNdv8ezsf-xl2ADZRc9dsHA6RFJT6mbkS5SELxbhg0jkdfivHjAIR3vjfZQ_8IJiZgOVScgPKiZafGm93P476xDylJJ2UHi9ZJPnUhoK-hZr_eU01V0pV3Z1m__K0EmP6vu84XE6510DZBEJDOKJANIKtvHqBn-GGbW/s360/HeydenBook.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="360" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7MW36H4hPv1svjloqSuGPtxNdv8ezsf-xl2ADZRc9dsHA6RFJT6mbkS5SELxbhg0jkdfivHjAIR3vjfZQ_8IJiZgOVScgPKiZafGm93P476xDylJJ2UHi9ZJPnUhoK-hZr_eU01V0pV3Z1m__K0EmP6vu84XE6510DZBEJDOKJANIKtvHqBn-GGbW/w400-h366/HeydenBook.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>As I was reading this book, I must have said out loud to Sam at least five times, "Silvia Heyden was a [flipping] genius." During her studies in the late 1940s with Bauhaus veterans Johannes Itten, Gunta Stözl and Elsi Giauque, she absorbed Bauhaus principles of the unity of medium, methods, and design. But upon her graduation, Heyden's mentors discouraged her from pursuing tapestry because it had mostly degenerated by that time into the slavish reproduction of paintings by non-weaving artists. Silvia's careful study of medieval European weaving led her to realize that in those tapestries the weaving and the image had evolved together, organically, under the fingers and vision of the skilled artist-weaver. She determined to discover a new language for tapestry that spoke in fresh, modern visual terms, that united, in true Bauhaus fashion, materials, technique, and image. "This particular harmony of content and execution, of art and craft, of means and meaning could be achieved only in my persistent dialogue with the loom" (p. 64). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqlGzOl1RsVRsltDbpxVIC9ZPHSXlQHTP00xGos4LZWPlhaOKTGlFlmeKoBrwJnnfPF87VS_0Ul9_8F0Vs9gDhj1zXSkpSN5S8LNk_VNYe4Q08KyLx-NRxBaFgXcpHIJMaj4853MFJgMcmBfUCfxlsW7QyuwjD8bWE9bCqTXkkSlIbE3btLNAM0V6/s2959/Heyden1.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2959" data-original-width="2464" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqlGzOl1RsVRsltDbpxVIC9ZPHSXlQHTP00xGos4LZWPlhaOKTGlFlmeKoBrwJnnfPF87VS_0Ul9_8F0Vs9gDhj1zXSkpSN5S8LNk_VNYe4Q08KyLx-NRxBaFgXcpHIJMaj4853MFJgMcmBfUCfxlsW7QyuwjD8bWE9bCqTXkkSlIbE3btLNAM0V6/w533-h640/Heyden1.jpeg" width="533" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silvia Heyden, <i>Through the Grass,</i> 38" x 42," 1999. <br />(Apologies for the scanner cropping the right side of the image. <br />The book is bigger than my scanner bed!) </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Silvia recognized that she would need to develop her own vocabulary of woven forms to achieve this aim, and she spent <i>ten years</i> working on developing that personal vocabulary of triangles, half-rounds, stripes, chevrons and feathers. <i>Ten years</i>. For Silvia, a motif "is a weaving element that is not only repeated additively but that can in fact evolve into an entire composition" (p. 54). This in fact became her primary means of developing her tapestry designs. The motif IS the structure and image of the tapestry; not merely any repeated shape, it is a shape that organically grows from the weaving process. Silvia also determined that the conventional rules of tapestry weaving--that it result in a rectangular, flat textile in which the wefts travel only horizontally and totally cover the warp--need not apply. She favored colored linen warps that played an active visual role. She usually wove eccentrically, and while she tried to more or less balance the weft forces pulling the warp out of plumb, she was not concerned with whether the tapestry lay totally flat. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjisgTvQavHdZ_Jn3Axhxfe0Z2j37TDYuxBKzz1KohFA5IuUROFfCU0t01n84Pn-GJcXmMxtGG92TjJIpJWNMq1tOQdnFVzgJwIRT9D8FMFOuugKFUqtlN7yfihT03BmIA75ErUfqNf3Mf1Wrs82PFPTF1cItVU0OZY7riE8KXpoFPbkVDhWWWcIJN/s1587/Heyden4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1559" data-original-width="1587" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjisgTvQavHdZ_Jn3Axhxfe0Z2j37TDYuxBKzz1KohFA5IuUROFfCU0t01n84Pn-GJcXmMxtGG92TjJIpJWNMq1tOQdnFVzgJwIRT9D8FMFOuugKFUqtlN7yfihT03BmIA75ErUfqNf3Mf1Wrs82PFPTF1cItVU0OZY7riE8KXpoFPbkVDhWWWcIJN/w400-h393/Heyden4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silvia Heyden, Diagrams of Diagonal and Rounded wefts, <br />from Duke University exhibit catalog, 1972. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Crucially, Silvia abandoned the traditional full-size cartoon attached to the weaving as a guide. If the weaving were to develop organically rather than as a reproduction of a pre-existing image, she had to wing it. "I must free myself from the dictates of the paper cartoon and rather depend on my inner eye and train my concentration." One of my favorite things about this book is that her small preparatory sketches, usually not much larger than 4" x 6" or thereabouts, are often reproduced next to the tapestry they inspired. We can see how the sketches, which are simply gestural indications of line direction and possibly value and color, often found expression in a new way in the course of the weaving. To keep track of how she was scaling up such a small sketch to her full-size, often five-feet-square tapestries, Silvia would place tick marks along the margin of the sketch and corresponding knotted bits of yarn along the warps of the tapestry. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCKmQffDuVzalaF43mv4SS5A2UnMWjiSllT6aFdch1QQF35zX2NrgzuAtGnnl7h5Ob6VzqMpXR9RyXTW5F-0pv7ayIAtQPYvO8KYHH-QY_9qtUuJnP7dGiUwBTpO7zxyLsJLyCod9c94BcECq8ZBTPJjX3pk4yu38Qqk4vFLGkoWfKU7dez_4AyMg/s1800/Heyden3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1800" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilCKmQffDuVzalaF43mv4SS5A2UnMWjiSllT6aFdch1QQF35zX2NrgzuAtGnnl7h5Ob6VzqMpXR9RyXTW5F-0pv7ayIAtQPYvO8KYHH-QY_9qtUuJnP7dGiUwBTpO7zxyLsJLyCod9c94BcECq8ZBTPJjX3pk4yu38Qqk4vFLGkoWfKU7dez_4AyMg/w640-h270/Heyden3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silvia Heyden, <i>Red Rhythm</i>, 60" x 60," 1976 and preparatory sketches, largest is 5" x 4.5"</td></tr></tbody></table><p>For me, the prospect of weaving a large tapestry without a cartoon feels a bit like preparing to walk a tightrope over a river full of crocodiles. I am comforted to learn that Silvia was only able to totally abandon the cartoon after making about 200 tapestries. Her lifelong output was about 800 tapestries over 50 years. Eight. Hundred. Tapestries. If you are going to engage in a "persistent dialogue with the loom," you'd better, as Tommye Scanlin likes to say, "weave every darn day!" Tapestry is a long game. Learning basic techniques does not take long; learning to use those techniques in one's own voice is the work of a lifetime. </p><p>Since my own interests lately have been moving toward relief and 3D work, I was delighted to discover that Silvia made a number of small studies along those lines. She was always thinking "What if. . .," always exploring and pushing the limits of what tapestry can do. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEIEiWYz7d2_tBA_G_b8A39Z4fi9EK0TYqsQ23IyqzKN2QDD3QxCqaRrOFxqjSQRRIv2VGbHTB5i2NyUk8y3FetDdmpXGpNYsd0HZxm4iGIEZj6S4H3Sk7QTB7iv90JPqRu_QhLJgdfmhFqYnRTEJqRTIX-PycrigpBA6qURtFkySqwNNj-H2prmA/s3170/Heyden5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3170" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihEIEiWYz7d2_tBA_G_b8A39Z4fi9EK0TYqsQ23IyqzKN2QDD3QxCqaRrOFxqjSQRRIv2VGbHTB5i2NyUk8y3FetDdmpXGpNYsd0HZxm4iGIEZj6S4H3Sk7QTB7iv90JPqRu_QhLJgdfmhFqYnRTEJqRTIX-PycrigpBA6qURtFkySqwNNj-H2prmA/w253-h400/Heyden5.jpeg" width="253" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silvia Heyden, <i>Capriccios</i>, approx. 21" x 21", 2006-2013</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There is much to love about this book: The gorgeous full-page reproductions of Silvia's work. The inclusion of sketches, as mentioned above. The inclusion of Silvia's own writings and interviews about tapestry in an appendix. This is a definitive volume about Heyden's work and weaving philosophy; it completes in a most satisfying way the account in her previous book, <i>The Making of Modern Tapestry: My Journey of Discovery</i>, published in 1998.</p><p>There are a few quirks about the book that I found occasionally frustrating: No titles, dimensions or dates are given on the double-page spreads with the reproduced works; the reader must flip to the "Index of Paired Tapestries" to find that information. This was a deliberate decision to present the images on a clean white page, so fair enough. There is a long section at the end of the book, with small color reproductions of Silvia's tapestries, sketches and studies arranged chronologically--but again, these works are not identified by title. Finally, the text can be repetitive; we hear four times (in the Introduction and chapters 1, 2, and 4) how the Renaissance was the ruination of tapestry weaving. It's not clear to me who wrote most of the text of the book in which Silvia is spoken of in the third person, though Stephanie Hoppe is credited as the author of Chapter 3. And it took me awhile to figure out that italicized text throughout is Silvia's own words. </p><p>But these are minor quibbles. This is a book that every serious tapestry weaver will enjoy and learn from. Don't just take my word for it; read <a href="https://www.elizabethbuckleytapestryartist.com/blog" target="_blank">Elizabeth Buckley's blog</a> for her take. I'm sure others in the tapestry community will be chiming in with their reviews as well. If you're wondering how to get your hands on a copy, don't waste your time looking for it online. It's available through Silvia's son, Daniel Heyden (<a href="mailto:DanHeydenAIA@gmail.com" target="_blank">email him</a> to order). </p><p>It's fitting to close with Silvia's words: "When we no longer see a tapestry as a static image, but instead allow it to continue to beat in its progression, when this happens with purely woven means through the textile structure and the color of the thread, when detail and overall form are in such harmony that the outer form is the consequence of the inner transformations, then weaving, with its unique connection to craft and technique again becomes an independent art form." (p. 120) </p><p>This is wisdom born of a lifetime's dedication to the art of tapestry. </p><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-52942298562561628992022-08-03T10:58:00.000-06:002022-08-03T10:58:34.866-06:00Report from Convergence 3: two more exhibits!<p>The last two Convergence exhibits I'll share with you are the invitational <i>Leaders and Interns</i> exhibit and HGA's juried <i>Dogwood to Kudzu</i> juried exhibit of basketry. See my previous two blog posts <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/07/report-from-convergence-2-some-juried.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/07/report-from-convergence.html" target="_blank">here</a> for reports on ATA's Unjuried <i>Tiny but Mighty</i> exhibit, the Complex Weavers <i>Complexity 2022</i> exhibit, and HGA's <i>Small Expressions</i> juried show of fiber art. </p><p>On display this year was work from accepted artists in both 2020 and 2022 for <i>Dogwood to Kudzu</i>, billed as "an exhibit that features functions or nonfunctional, traditional or non-traditional forms of basketry, inspired from the stability of Appalachian region's ranges and valleys, barriers and passageways, and large diversity of vibrant flora that intertwines throughout." You might wonder why I, a tapestry weaver, am interested in baskets. Other than the obvious connection of woven technique, I continue to find that sculptural work, work in relief and three dimensions, interacts with and transforms the space around it in exciting ways. I am still gravitating, in fits and starts, toward objects, not pictures. So this is, of course, a personal take on what I caught myself looking at. </p>By traditional definition, a basket is a vessel, a container with empty space. In some non-traditional baskets this space is implied rather than functional. Barbara Trout's piece reminds me of a reliquary, a container for a precious, possibly sacred or magical, object hidden from view. Perhaps seeds, given the title? Cael Chappel's work often makes me smile, with its whimsical forms and colors. One can only imagine what inspired this object that suggests the act of vomiting. A repellant concept is made more engaging by the use of playful colors. <div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6UW4BuhCz8McGjNAQ04vAn4_8c6Tw-iLZzFuAMTcGUuxh1HudVT-rONbqR-YagqWjjd-HCwPM3siJLGey3SACEezxjXEOj39p31Zywk0ou97MhdmiYjQKCXbQX92wXUFlm6liq9KjRfRVk4-w_Ub0sUSAZJyMe9XoeqlNOhx5wHPc6UG6ZvbtzfEY" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6UW4BuhCz8McGjNAQ04vAn4_8c6Tw-iLZzFuAMTcGUuxh1HudVT-rONbqR-YagqWjjd-HCwPM3siJLGey3SACEezxjXEOj39p31Zywk0ou97MhdmiYjQKCXbQX92wXUFlm6liq9KjRfRVk4-w_Ub0sUSAZJyMe9XoeqlNOhx5wHPc6UG6ZvbtzfEY=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barbara Trout, <i>Hanging Harvest Basket<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOBL3eQJjyyN7gv5LrbKX_15JUbAS1xN-AGV0ylrdknCYwYYOCcDmW89NLxB_rOIWB6xmXp27YruE6rH04CXIFqQtIz7vrQzDZVPpqDoE0OnraWxFnsHuMwpEP_-DssWEKn2ATRgWBarr3xjnVbST2uAUgHKoUFHxfzhcHCxygagAqB35w47stWHVy" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOBL3eQJjyyN7gv5LrbKX_15JUbAS1xN-AGV0ylrdknCYwYYOCcDmW89NLxB_rOIWB6xmXp27YruE6rH04CXIFqQtIz7vrQzDZVPpqDoE0OnraWxFnsHuMwpEP_-DssWEKn2ATRgWBarr3xjnVbST2uAUgHKoUFHxfzhcHCxygagAqB35w47stWHVy=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cael Chappel, <i>Purge</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>In other pieces the basket's interior space is visible and open, and often as exciting visually as the exterior. In Hazel Tully's <i>Raven's Nest</i>, a removable lid is inset with a black metal silhouette of a raven, while the exterior suggests the messy freeform weaving of an actual nest. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGm7Yiy5b41qWgVXtyMK17IoJZZ0n-BULrV3uo7WjKvYNO69CUZv2FuZxUieFmV64_Z0Zl9djfzSv1pMkSA6Rzy0AXBqxlMDNpus3Cgv9f26Hlw5ogD5N149hwTMgwp-tGBC57RvlYj-0iwHaeQa8gsg3AuVgEdbD7rWlSVAWQH3vEiV2JHOR6VW5w" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGm7Yiy5b41qWgVXtyMK17IoJZZ0n-BULrV3uo7WjKvYNO69CUZv2FuZxUieFmV64_Z0Zl9djfzSv1pMkSA6Rzy0AXBqxlMDNpus3Cgv9f26Hlw5ogD5N149hwTMgwp-tGBC57RvlYj-0iwHaeQa8gsg3AuVgEdbD7rWlSVAWQH3vEiV2JHOR6VW5w=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hazel Tully, <i>Raven's Nest<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>The title of Judith Saunders' award-winning piece belies the care and precision that must have gone into planning and constructing this basket woven of painted paper and copper strips. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1UuRfFTKMRPN04f09NuNPvXoPBVEPyIvqHf62xy5wjylxSJfMHgenB81kNhgCQFrf2wnblJLoENC0g34FRkK4JEGjS7_T18Le6LbRLjCST2g0J1Dj6Bygxy4f6ru-tHrO14vBSFeUgpITl2PjP3Ugj6Pu4fRO40AODIv3dezJrNFvJP9m6sFvqDuK" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1UuRfFTKMRPN04f09NuNPvXoPBVEPyIvqHf62xy5wjylxSJfMHgenB81kNhgCQFrf2wnblJLoENC0g34FRkK4JEGjS7_T18Le6LbRLjCST2g0J1Dj6Bygxy4f6ru-tHrO14vBSFeUgpITl2PjP3Ugj6Pu4fRO40AODIv3dezJrNFvJP9m6sFvqDuK=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judith Saunders, <i>Going with the Flow</i>. <br />Second Place Award, 2022<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>There is a palpable sense of enclosure and protection in Andrea duFlon's piece <i>Solace</i>. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVd1fkhfqqcNN1x_d4mVNJFqBtJJ4dnqj-yHLqW647Dx9D6dZ4Gw98Jog5F2AKoT9ZlA14yt8jfrAm4V2PeFSwGLOQ94gRqe3aEGjGkNZ174ddvq9tL8n-vP7IdRQBz24RbPzdRXYzyqHMGvjKAprv1CdDafH4okD9Ru7IxrhZVwKCL7UilHS8FDkO" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVd1fkhfqqcNN1x_d4mVNJFqBtJJ4dnqj-yHLqW647Dx9D6dZ4Gw98Jog5F2AKoT9ZlA14yt8jfrAm4V2PeFSwGLOQ94gRqe3aEGjGkNZ174ddvq9tL8n-vP7IdRQBz24RbPzdRXYzyqHMGvjKAprv1CdDafH4okD9Ru7IxrhZVwKCL7UilHS8FDkO=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea DuFlon, <i>Solace<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>The vibrant green color, decorative beaded edge and open spiral all support the theme of unfolding growth in <i>Nature's Grace</i>. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY72zbXqbarKoHoCo__G2r3mSG7q_lRUEYoxxPHgshUIoYQCVMGICDfHx7emoRILmNCXBHKocMK_oEfkFXJXl3txpDlpNOjNQrhOR_rTkcgIEoi2rezF_p0TL_HxJdHPQD6H3cjg3ct7SNoIUQekcK7fyFWxaI71HnH4mcSfi2njRTrRmd6aH_ojEZ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiY72zbXqbarKoHoCo__G2r3mSG7q_lRUEYoxxPHgshUIoYQCVMGICDfHx7emoRILmNCXBHKocMK_oEfkFXJXl3txpDlpNOjNQrhOR_rTkcgIEoi2rezF_p0TL_HxJdHPQD6H3cjg3ct7SNoIUQekcK7fyFWxaI71HnH4mcSfi2njRTrRmd6aH_ojEZ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tobi Klein, <i>Nature's Grace</i>. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbHqZG7vDqk8iqac9KlgmaPDdHedkJEY4WN3699Vhd1vfRQ_Q_ErRM2uK5ZM_vmoY4qeeJxR-YLYJizhiI72emYCiN-51iWpQ0QnQaIbFBo02rBFC4QQUhAmjsapTHtiunzs9IAv5mywiJQYKw7onu-KuF4aUng53esgajQzxZ5RzqU-x2374EUdri" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbHqZG7vDqk8iqac9KlgmaPDdHedkJEY4WN3699Vhd1vfRQ_Q_ErRM2uK5ZM_vmoY4qeeJxR-YLYJizhiI72emYCiN-51iWpQ0QnQaIbFBo02rBFC4QQUhAmjsapTHtiunzs9IAv5mywiJQYKw7onu-KuF4aUng53esgajQzxZ5RzqU-x2374EUdri=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tobi Klein, <i>Nature's Grace</i>.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>You can see by the number of images of this piece by Pat Moritz that I was fascinated by it. <i>Wandering Path</i> is an apt title for the meandering journey the eye takes over, around and through this piece. It can be called a <i>basket</i> in terms of materials and techniques, but it is truly sculptural in its interaction with space. The addition of a woven ceramic insert and rows of beads add textural interest and suggest to me the kind of natural specimens one might encounter on a hike. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhB1yV38dRpWSguXjpnzaYRqxVFlWheUE6XhQxguKDMaS05VBixHI_BJXUun6sRiBMLq1hN6KrfeegD4O-lpcCfzFmX4y_U-pB9IOAu2DYxdxwFBmWdnEUycBH_9DZjk2NwapMRjCkJuaElxemy9TmLL3-545XuSXeY3c4LjtZM6MEATpXg9X66aMcE" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhB1yV38dRpWSguXjpnzaYRqxVFlWheUE6XhQxguKDMaS05VBixHI_BJXUun6sRiBMLq1hN6KrfeegD4O-lpcCfzFmX4y_U-pB9IOAu2DYxdxwFBmWdnEUycBH_9DZjk2NwapMRjCkJuaElxemy9TmLL3-545XuSXeY3c4LjtZM6MEATpXg9X66aMcE=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat Moritz, <i>Wandering Path</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOspv7183bCL8gJUGhpsYxAardEnOhTTcWgzh0KrMkOBxEgFyPSiAJvM8rKQR5lVoiUJL6aQAStovfaYmnxhUDUwxWGzBn-GHOfLEWlypCLf6V_YpYfY-SZ6UE7n1F7H-nVYpSHYwpspjcQ10HcmMJ4HQLPKItneTw-wyKSrAp6X4Ey87Lg8FM1K9R" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOspv7183bCL8gJUGhpsYxAardEnOhTTcWgzh0KrMkOBxEgFyPSiAJvM8rKQR5lVoiUJL6aQAStovfaYmnxhUDUwxWGzBn-GHOfLEWlypCLf6V_YpYfY-SZ6UE7n1F7H-nVYpSHYwpspjcQ10HcmMJ4HQLPKItneTw-wyKSrAp6X4Ey87Lg8FM1K9R=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat Moritz, <i>Wandering Path</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqwZIgk5YJgUUwh4sw3ad-DPz5SL6IXEt86dTiDxHh9OyAgvVxAP2ITIWMYPMmASTYa1QoprPrdWTFh-ifm8IEuxx8hRrEu_OINmhvqgOUrBoofuLk1D-4u6xetwsJ8qTghOhhdVviGQnVl2NAlhxd3CaIXBm0FXXD723S5eqsWysQX-gz_N5_-xon" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqwZIgk5YJgUUwh4sw3ad-DPz5SL6IXEt86dTiDxHh9OyAgvVxAP2ITIWMYPMmASTYa1QoprPrdWTFh-ifm8IEuxx8hRrEu_OINmhvqgOUrBoofuLk1D-4u6xetwsJ8qTghOhhdVviGQnVl2NAlhxd3CaIXBm0FXXD723S5eqsWysQX-gz_N5_-xon=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pat Moritz, <i>Wandering Path</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>This piece, Barbara Weber's <i>United We Stand</i>, is probably my favorite from the exhibit. Color appeals, of course, but also the interplay of solid areas with open spaces, the irregular slouchy form that looks different from different angles, and the delight in following the rows of coiling with one's eyes, trying to discern just how this was constructed. The title suggests that the artist is thinking of our multi-hued society, varied in shape and placement, yet contributing to a whole that does stand. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd8a5j9RM8GaWIOzHdc_7jfpiXdFRfjRMoXfdOVJEKM7uffbN4MpBSrOzo48HNBfTgDsJM3jYNqLj_WLzJ1Y574wTLzMqmfI0ZKMMuAli9Z7hMBePcM7s3-Holl3kiiPNeojdKPXubeQE40s-EHzuE3Rj37Nh83XJ8kKt4t_rt_mzknM3e_K2tj_5i" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd8a5j9RM8GaWIOzHdc_7jfpiXdFRfjRMoXfdOVJEKM7uffbN4MpBSrOzo48HNBfTgDsJM3jYNqLj_WLzJ1Y574wTLzMqmfI0ZKMMuAli9Z7hMBePcM7s3-Holl3kiiPNeojdKPXubeQE40s-EHzuE3Rj37Nh83XJ8kKt4t_rt_mzknM3e_K2tj_5i=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barbara Weber, <i>United We Stand</i>. Honorable Mention Award 2020. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGVn2nHCExYbNPdOSU0HyyVzpGEo1tNvw_BZjtLqipLekg_zwidTqMjgWXYpqHpoFWjcg-GMqCVEpkQnmEgDABxKiJvltbfcvPc_Vtoe_M8wcGuH7qu_mrTNAdzIMmOBeQSrKSSvHxS2wjHoU63mXjLs6MUV6E6U0decniUHWWHeNvuv_YMOB1Anjv" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGVn2nHCExYbNPdOSU0HyyVzpGEo1tNvw_BZjtLqipLekg_zwidTqMjgWXYpqHpoFWjcg-GMqCVEpkQnmEgDABxKiJvltbfcvPc_Vtoe_M8wcGuH7qu_mrTNAdzIMmOBeQSrKSSvHxS2wjHoU63mXjLs6MUV6E6U0decniUHWWHeNvuv_YMOB1Anjv=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barbara Weber, <i>United We Stand</i>. Honorable Mention Award 2020</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I'd like to round this out with just a few images of work that stood out for me in the HGA Leaders and Interns exhibit. Nancy Hoskins' piece is a jewel-like interpretation of what a swatch of a goddess's gown might look like. Exquisite weaving!</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqypmPtQUjHN7H7yp6_sU8zAU0yiiswGiwruXG2wCqrzCuAaNguCzXvlpJJbPE5ATmWvIWRN8riL0CS9TvYz8kPIFmURD8xTRoAu_U-eg6TGT5SO4QrsHAgTD_CF-y3c0enl69UcnEsAY9Ate98H7F_8_LpSTXqbaOaJzQsojIgX1HzTnEb7NkHwQm" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqypmPtQUjHN7H7yp6_sU8zAU0yiiswGiwruXG2wCqrzCuAaNguCzXvlpJJbPE5ATmWvIWRN8riL0CS9TvYz8kPIFmURD8xTRoAu_U-eg6TGT5SO4QrsHAgTD_CF-y3c0enl69UcnEsAY9Ate98H7F_8_LpSTXqbaOaJzQsojIgX1HzTnEb7NkHwQm=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nancy Hoskins, <i>The Golden Gown of Isis<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Jacqueline Adams blended two fibers and types of weaving in an intriguing way. </div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhx1cOOF15LzJDuRhNCTupwoP3RTlKjFD6C8W1w0w0O-_Ecx6Srnc-Sne_zzByyLaZOXUGEY8CbroH6dP-VNChOBtrG__oHi1jbyNBhHj9JGhYbWbXjhh-rbEZio_aRIajTvTA2mSiOnjFEQrOBkKnE4zm7MFMGFdQJX080cz0S2tHX-1A7UA9OYJSC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhx1cOOF15LzJDuRhNCTupwoP3RTlKjFD6C8W1w0w0O-_Ecx6Srnc-Sne_zzByyLaZOXUGEY8CbroH6dP-VNChOBtrG__oHi1jbyNBhHj9JGhYbWbXjhh-rbEZio_aRIajTvTA2mSiOnjFEQrOBkKnE4zm7MFMGFdQJX080cz0S2tHX-1A7UA9OYJSC=w300-h400" width="300" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacqueline Adams<i>, Blended<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>Accomplished fiber artist Louise Lemieux Berube's three-part piece offered a lot to ponder in a woven and stitched piece. <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg48esXdQGXnwvXdE1g0oc1XOe_HB0AmYzn0yejYqoZgdcsCkM-694z3mcBhl2KrZc-Pr2qJ4bUQ-0woPJ14jHg2Ovu5tKFKiow_bEuYNaT9MJKdLgToZFhRmx-vgcXp05GUSQj8IhpmVyX-yDScLEx8fM7qVJfDufW1Yat-W4K6Q93nPraqWYB8kJ1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg48esXdQGXnwvXdE1g0oc1XOe_HB0AmYzn0yejYqoZgdcsCkM-694z3mcBhl2KrZc-Pr2qJ4bUQ-0woPJ14jHg2Ovu5tKFKiow_bEuYNaT9MJKdLgToZFhRmx-vgcXp05GUSQj8IhpmVyX-yDScLEx8fM7qVJfDufW1Yat-W4K6Q93nPraqWYB8kJ1=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louise Lemiuex Berube, <i>Layers of Meanings</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJReP9cpOLw9NvWzJRtVUU-247rAJJaOwvSjQIm-PL3ZluPxtYtoQIIPaQkzLoNoG1coYJa000BlHKkhAo6mDPFfx8b2SoSXx__TZGe-bLM14ClZKhPDNPElrS1nBeLZzKTJG75gavbIGeHfMPnmBgtH6guBYd3mIHpwvErb11HNsKDOtIZt95CnH-" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJReP9cpOLw9NvWzJRtVUU-247rAJJaOwvSjQIm-PL3ZluPxtYtoQIIPaQkzLoNoG1coYJa000BlHKkhAo6mDPFfx8b2SoSXx__TZGe-bLM14ClZKhPDNPElrS1nBeLZzKTJG75gavbIGeHfMPnmBgtH6guBYd3mIHpwvErb11HNsKDOtIZt95CnH-=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louise Lemiuex Berube, <i>Layers of Meanings<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjjiFLVq3YrDd9elCIiAfIcrIfymR3YXzGQqy-B36zBzJB6akgcJH13APWlSDLLI5oZcNNNlNRyXc-t32cQxz0G8NAb4jjT4Im0NFO5teKOK4UPDivZU94DN8R9Ya70QLnO1LxPQakYgXiuqtG-Sa158VcHs8zSIlYijcrgEc-U78yHyeVMybuHOUh" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjjiFLVq3YrDd9elCIiAfIcrIfymR3YXzGQqy-B36zBzJB6akgcJH13APWlSDLLI5oZcNNNlNRyXc-t32cQxz0G8NAb4jjT4Im0NFO5teKOK4UPDivZU94DN8R9Ya70QLnO1LxPQakYgXiuqtG-Sa158VcHs8zSIlYijcrgEc-U78yHyeVMybuHOUh=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louise Lemiuex Berube, <i>Layers of Meanings<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3UKcr_Q4s7_JEwE9HU_vUD70QWukwOG9rIziEY7yBqtZDzZiY6Bj-uhlhVejfP3AknVbFmIrFW0yOFM7okSNGEdE8N8tAidwNC7RJO6E1cBpgCj5Cs4VkulM2AzgUxM4jvxGICVBLolRUoa3SvWPTGO3fltn0SR9evnPlACFIFeLlbWoYdQ9kGzlQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3UKcr_Q4s7_JEwE9HU_vUD70QWukwOG9rIziEY7yBqtZDzZiY6Bj-uhlhVejfP3AknVbFmIrFW0yOFM7okSNGEdE8N8tAidwNC7RJO6E1cBpgCj5Cs4VkulM2AzgUxM4jvxGICVBLolRUoa3SvWPTGO3fltn0SR9evnPlACFIFeLlbWoYdQ9kGzlQ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louise Lemiuex Berube, <i>Layers of Meanings<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>And here I am with my piece, pleased to be in such good company. <p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinIHsXQt_dsIFrDmHntooLDM3TqNQSrniWEctIJNttZadhCuh2sX-EOEqyCePyuWyQI-vkhL8-3KK1RlafiP9NIkQLGiWXM1sjbg0uCe_dC_jJKGEYoGn1hYCba2ZPq7gicfh7Re42CRmOvF4V7zUaySKtpU8O1nUSvqGeDyTwOuT_gGAS1Sv7DFOt" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinIHsXQt_dsIFrDmHntooLDM3TqNQSrniWEctIJNttZadhCuh2sX-EOEqyCePyuWyQI-vkhL8-3KK1RlafiP9NIkQLGiWXM1sjbg0uCe_dC_jJKGEYoGn1hYCba2ZPq7gicfh7Re42CRmOvF4V7zUaySKtpU8O1nUSvqGeDyTwOuT_gGAS1Sv7DFOt=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>SkyGramaGrass</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p></div>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-23411900942195044972022-07-27T06:14:00.000-06:002022-07-27T06:14:09.352-06:00Report from Convergence 2: some juried shows<p> 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. </p><p>In my <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com" target="_blank">last post</a>, I shared the experimental small-format work of ATA's unjuried show <i>Tiny but Mighty</i>. 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 <a href="https://claytonartscenter.com/event/three-voices-expressions-of-contemporary-tapestry/" target="_blank">exhibit of tapestry</a> by master weavers Jennifer Sargent, Tommye Scanlin and Pat Williams. I heard it was fabulous. </p><p>Sharing space with <i>Tiny but Mighty</i> 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.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PpTt7V4ZMPrWHM-SleHCKFWN1ZoTNZ7yKdfR0wtcsug0ilKW5QZnRVF_e3Dlizl5aP7evG1Qqx6SBoT_rR_u8w3p6Nt9kQRM5nW29VBwL8jo1mc-yBemA1EPv0dqulXUu02glQXCVTYx6LM3iSfNswcQBwZw2HTqUTjPad0220GCFeVYXRDalEgS/s4032/IMG_4176.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4PpTt7V4ZMPrWHM-SleHCKFWN1ZoTNZ7yKdfR0wtcsug0ilKW5QZnRVF_e3Dlizl5aP7evG1Qqx6SBoT_rR_u8w3p6Nt9kQRM5nW29VBwL8jo1mc-yBemA1EPv0dqulXUu02glQXCVTYx6LM3iSfNswcQBwZw2HTqUTjPad0220GCFeVYXRDalEgS/w400-h300/IMG_4176.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Complex Weavers exhibit; <i>Morphology I</i> by Melanie Olde, 13.8 x 17.7 x 2.4", <br />130 denier nylon monofilament; hand-dyed thread, handwoven, multi-layered, 24 shafts <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRErFTLWfUd7dG65LN8hgkfxDuF00nuR4KIsvYq25Hy51qLQ9AVwY_pztZmfvoXpq7vgXYlGe2lCHCo3JdZpLvdGYDDfq138fMEmo7BCHYwJoWYCP7aQxaKOaOLaUywkXCPwoivKRO2BHYhsrj1Q2oBivUFw8iiAXvMHNU8DEVBKOLMifWdnyF30OG/s4032/IMG_4172.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRErFTLWfUd7dG65LN8hgkfxDuF00nuR4KIsvYq25Hy51qLQ9AVwY_pztZmfvoXpq7vgXYlGe2lCHCo3JdZpLvdGYDDfq138fMEmo7BCHYwJoWYCP7aQxaKOaOLaUywkXCPwoivKRO2BHYhsrj1Q2oBivUFw8iiAXvMHNU8DEVBKOLMifWdnyF30OG/w300-h400/IMG_4172.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <i>Cascade</i>, 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. <br />Winner of Heddlecraft's More with Less Award.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AM6VaC-KBYIPX8aSpg8x-zSiP2ptWMuU_tkui8r4KuC39-qzzHXwiSqFSzUrmBHm6D0llPnSB86Qa_Endx9a2gG6oERTIlB8V5t9pts0q5oW7k792ag5-2Ggbp0MJme3t2FsVOEItr2INB8TQnPZmPC7v9AGsgu_GchSHWIoKF50Nlti7oRwFbUf/s4032/IMG_4395.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7AM6VaC-KBYIPX8aSpg8x-zSiP2ptWMuU_tkui8r4KuC39-qzzHXwiSqFSzUrmBHm6D0llPnSB86Qa_Endx9a2gG6oERTIlB8V5t9pts0q5oW7k792ag5-2Ggbp0MJme3t2FsVOEItr2INB8TQnPZmPC7v9AGsgu_GchSHWIoKF50Nlti7oRwFbUf/w300-h400/IMG_4395.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, <i>Cascade</i> by Darilyn Bennett</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-a6BmwzcMpowW50-b_FxSwC8ajNoTLRuSrgWjHIRGnB6oyxRFbqovJstQDpvmZYebNiIAIGIqWeW7UjyESmNY61QQqSH3MNAMt_eXG3hYkQJQ92iSPS_AI6yHS01r18ZdjTjFAmyXspwzgEqEHOc_4I4b4vBxmLT6ZCntBTBcMScJFDDTNllMr7q/s4032/IMG_4178.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-a6BmwzcMpowW50-b_FxSwC8ajNoTLRuSrgWjHIRGnB6oyxRFbqovJstQDpvmZYebNiIAIGIqWeW7UjyESmNY61QQqSH3MNAMt_eXG3hYkQJQ92iSPS_AI6yHS01r18ZdjTjFAmyXspwzgEqEHOc_4I4b4vBxmLT6ZCntBTBcMScJFDDTNllMr7q/w300-h400/IMG_4178.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Self Reflection in the Time of Covid </i>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. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mTBiApcQ16tHQtzclAIrwqRkvjzRaco3hGc7vuapiub-ovW5bwkC5lt8hjIJfZAq4E4wJOSjb1i19Lq26NnxbpysadbStrbUMQrZKEzyM2wNI6YcTxU70njsiqA4Vr53r6JS5G7dQyOEpJXA-jXyvNw697R2AgFe5BWhKa_99KTSN9hIrbgNcvNP/s4032/IMG_4379.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mTBiApcQ16tHQtzclAIrwqRkvjzRaco3hGc7vuapiub-ovW5bwkC5lt8hjIJfZAq4E4wJOSjb1i19Lq26NnxbpysadbStrbUMQrZKEzyM2wNI6YcTxU70njsiqA4Vr53r6JS5G7dQyOEpJXA-jXyvNw697R2AgFe5BWhKa_99KTSN9hIrbgNcvNP/w300-h400/IMG_4379.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, Molly McLaughlin, <i>Self Reflection in the Time of Covid</i>. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41jsTOxxXDXg97A63QNc5mg4t2zGEvZCDQX7T6geLQfTT4WLTa90ofxy93k-AGLVtSH4wJu9hyWQGHHeGmuL64t-O71Is5655Cz2iBcX4TEEbjaqAY9j6O1-So9AZM3y4hoeMFQ73urFUSBrOymH00c6fQOVLnEID_QXLVoc6n3-wl-gb80po9ajx/s4032/IMG_4385.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41jsTOxxXDXg97A63QNc5mg4t2zGEvZCDQX7T6geLQfTT4WLTa90ofxy93k-AGLVtSH4wJu9hyWQGHHeGmuL64t-O71Is5655Cz2iBcX4TEEbjaqAY9j6O1-So9AZM3y4hoeMFQ73urFUSBrOymH00c6fQOVLnEID_QXLVoc6n3-wl-gb80po9ajx/w400-h300/IMG_4385.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robin Haller, <i>Internal Combustion</i>. 33 x 40 x .5", 10/2 cotton, 10/2 rayon. <br />Handwoven, TC2 hand-jacquard loom</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw2XxWPu0Mc1DQsXMCaasNZO63I3uQb2Vqh0UI1HEwHEi86qjhM6wMrxEW9rvY2h4Q4iZUiowjMKGUF3Jkk7k4SvVX42HnnMMWitjJOBI-HqwMMILovb5nSjhTGOzPXXuV253gRyLwzbkhZb_uaCRMp0OqJT8_b3yqIc3lj-84br_WcPpAbOOPuZM/s4032/IMG_4387.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw2XxWPu0Mc1DQsXMCaasNZO63I3uQb2Vqh0UI1HEwHEi86qjhM6wMrxEW9rvY2h4Q4iZUiowjMKGUF3Jkk7k4SvVX42HnnMMWitjJOBI-HqwMMILovb5nSjhTGOzPXXuV253gRyLwzbkhZb_uaCRMp0OqJT8_b3yqIc3lj-84br_WcPpAbOOPuZM/w400-h300/IMG_4387.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, Robin Haller, <i>Internal Combustion<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinVbYYt6xDHYH5tzObm3T8mUdJBGXm2JKKD1P1RyG3H1acV_aJEJzchH7JrkIgOos7avljhIB_WUjFUDh4-diaxDAFIJIQYhR0T_0CcsWpD0HuKWTOXPXUpPKfSPj6uwoFJgRaJSlNKBinfYaIOEEuPeRgx5XdHCTzpVLF_58YBxjKVTYAPZ1mgKj/s4032/IMG_4397.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinVbYYt6xDHYH5tzObm3T8mUdJBGXm2JKKD1P1RyG3H1acV_aJEJzchH7JrkIgOos7avljhIB_WUjFUDh4-diaxDAFIJIQYhR0T_0CcsWpD0HuKWTOXPXUpPKfSPj6uwoFJgRaJSlNKBinfYaIOEEuPeRgx5XdHCTzpVLF_58YBxjKVTYAPZ1mgKj/w300-h400/IMG_4397.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Su Butler, <i>Tribute to Wm. Morris</i>, 33 x 17.5 x 1/8", 16/2 cotton, silk/wool, linen. <br />Handwoven Brocatelle, hand-painting, 50-shaft drawloom, 300 single units. <br />Third Place Winner, Complex Weavers </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1sZkGiIqfcVi3sWXvXiq0OjBtNS0zWFnQ4pV3dIawOnzIhR1kdD99qhaCDheEjRridIN3fc16sWmvhqxyE2v0A5dEQLm_e-r3qKatNNcc2IaNtXm5x3aTjNJe4iySBQalitLr-aJcGX7FDSIk235Q6NQpuizkcFlEFIwfvUuUHFjNPLz9sQUrQNt/s4032/IMG_4398.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1sZkGiIqfcVi3sWXvXiq0OjBtNS0zWFnQ4pV3dIawOnzIhR1kdD99qhaCDheEjRridIN3fc16sWmvhqxyE2v0A5dEQLm_e-r3qKatNNcc2IaNtXm5x3aTjNJe4iySBQalitLr-aJcGX7FDSIk235Q6NQpuizkcFlEFIwfvUuUHFjNPLz9sQUrQNt/w300-h400/IMG_4398.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">detail, Su Butler, <i>Tribute to Wm. Morris</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Two doors down from the Emporium was the UT Downtown gallery hosting HGA's juried <i>Small Expressions</i> 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. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQfxBrb_czKctdY3ODKu-IjN5ioEq3wVcsjrfTtZdzaaPztsdkGrVP-Tb1nRlirR14pXl7Ssd1bgtZHugTsvrBTBr6rWLbsMPexJxTHNGReD5k07ip_3F3zf_OdEHWdoqnyDDRfcyttiazkjO_LA7UMwkTdT6y2fzQJItYihifmXUp6VfnsrulHiC/s4032/IMG_4215.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQfxBrb_czKctdY3ODKu-IjN5ioEq3wVcsjrfTtZdzaaPztsdkGrVP-Tb1nRlirR14pXl7Ssd1bgtZHugTsvrBTBr6rWLbsMPexJxTHNGReD5k07ip_3F3zf_OdEHWdoqnyDDRfcyttiazkjO_LA7UMwkTdT6y2fzQJItYihifmXUp6VfnsrulHiC/w300-h400/IMG_4215.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Al Canner, <i>Hexapod</i>, 15 x 15 x 4"; cotton, hemp and rayon cord, glass beads. Knotting (macrame). </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsU3TC6WsVIxpvcx3Wm52HHuG18A_7fq7A7gv7vXFM2yhAo_v8R2BFROaI5AwIzvqeOxvEPoqUcYgnDCZAd6lBIB4TX8RZeG6HLNqBuEosVToHECQ6-jN3zgAsfxwhRgzYqnaQObEwMSO8mV15URiVXLjsAY5NTbzswBNT57gzpPKFg1usk6l1-oS/s4032/IMG_4219.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifsU3TC6WsVIxpvcx3Wm52HHuG18A_7fq7A7gv7vXFM2yhAo_v8R2BFROaI5AwIzvqeOxvEPoqUcYgnDCZAd6lBIB4TX8RZeG6HLNqBuEosVToHECQ6-jN3zgAsfxwhRgzYqnaQObEwMSO8mV15URiVXLjsAY5NTbzswBNT57gzpPKFg1usk6l1-oS/w300-h400/IMG_4219.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lydia Hall, <i>Liminal Dwelling no. 2</i>, 10 x 9 x 3"; steel wire. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcRopIH8-4LzMhpCEF3HW_wRZeZcvtfEM3bh-MbY2QNfVuiYiJgOsCpswMjN2rcSVimD0KqqhWqAMTTJEVCKVUQuueOV18-Wlk3Js6bGIeBj0kn6a3bZQXOjxGN4yerylxuFdwhOuUFa2nvYb9a_HplmxGEfrrQVrII8gxn6FrrgAAFiz5wcgJa7A/s4032/IMG_4222.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcRopIH8-4LzMhpCEF3HW_wRZeZcvtfEM3bh-MbY2QNfVuiYiJgOsCpswMjN2rcSVimD0KqqhWqAMTTJEVCKVUQuueOV18-Wlk3Js6bGIeBj0kn6a3bZQXOjxGN4yerylxuFdwhOuUFa2nvYb9a_HplmxGEfrrQVrII8gxn6FrrgAAFiz5wcgJa7A/w300-h400/IMG_4222.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebecca Smith, <i>Transformation</i>. 12 x 8 x 5"; cotton, wool, mixed fibers, <br />coated copper wire, Japanese seed beads. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZhvNfNsqapvVfEPZxn2KV0zwZRtKOCgw4O7r5QsRfih-c8GN7lJy4XWX-tBSiPS8zek8aUWPb-mmFS0lZ1yWxamwyG1eO2lMZNcYNjmFxK66ux6TZb22OrgxfGqcwhZVzcREv8wntKeHI2Ub7eSKyCCqltf0kHNllcJhalWNPSqxO1TFbkMVFntc/s4032/IMG_4224.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZhvNfNsqapvVfEPZxn2KV0zwZRtKOCgw4O7r5QsRfih-c8GN7lJy4XWX-tBSiPS8zek8aUWPb-mmFS0lZ1yWxamwyG1eO2lMZNcYNjmFxK66ux6TZb22OrgxfGqcwhZVzcREv8wntKeHI2Ub7eSKyCCqltf0kHNllcJhalWNPSqxO1TFbkMVFntc/w300-h400/IMG_4224.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marcia Weiss, <i>Intersection 1</i>, 15 x 15 x 1"; linen, cotton; double-cloth warp ikat.</td></tr></tbody></table><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbFGDdvU06CoSczTzyFOP29muT1MSKWO5NZQxAfSJ0oats1dznuQ8h6aaS47QfnfyGFfzky_2oMiW7hGnNEBI9VwRpcNfxFovGVLt_tTdpYbqNjFLyR2AhUXiXINvuhhKugXxGIcC-fBHN80YWPsOTses0WuA8pnrKsokm76R_EOf8hvr1dY_zI3p/s4032/IMG_4229.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTbFGDdvU06CoSczTzyFOP29muT1MSKWO5NZQxAfSJ0oats1dznuQ8h6aaS47QfnfyGFfzky_2oMiW7hGnNEBI9VwRpcNfxFovGVLt_tTdpYbqNjFLyR2AhUXiXINvuhhKugXxGIcC-fBHN80YWPsOTses0WuA8pnrKsokm76R_EOf8hvr1dY_zI3p/w400-h396/IMG_4229.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellen Ramsey, <i>Seismic Shift (Tipping Point),</i> 8 x 9"; wool, rayon, cotton and linen; handwoven tapestry<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemAPNB1uS_ZHtxDVdNr9JukCkpzmSR0oODpQxtrsoKDlmwW8r_Is55eR79bv8nNX0emkPVAZVXW6hAI57NxpPPi0Ed5m1gnIMt6UPUSOMpiEg4fZfhX-kP1SRg8MEsmwd0t43Zwf_2334vkNVgXmlJ7SaLEeig8OlvlJEfm2I891_BwTlsF7U52ks/s4032/IMG_4236.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhemAPNB1uS_ZHtxDVdNr9JukCkpzmSR0oODpQxtrsoKDlmwW8r_Is55eR79bv8nNX0emkPVAZVXW6hAI57NxpPPi0Ed5m1gnIMt6UPUSOMpiEg4fZfhX-kP1SRg8MEsmwd0t43Zwf_2334vkNVgXmlJ7SaLEeig8OlvlJEfm2I891_BwTlsF7U52ks/w300-h400/IMG_4236.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kady Ambrose, <i>Receipt Paper Basket</i>, 13 x 7 x 9"; receipt paper, rattan, oak rim; <br />stake and strand basketry<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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, <i>Seismic Shift (Tipping Point)</i>, 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. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">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. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: left;">.</span></div><br />Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-22622230715445546862022-07-18T04:48:00.022-06:002022-07-19T17:31:54.747-06:00Report from Convergence <p>Greetings, everyone, from Knoxville, Tennessee, where the Handweavers Guild of America, American Tapestry Alliance, Complex Weavers and others are gathered for a confab four years in the making. It's been so great to see old friends and to meet in real life folks I have only known online or through their books or work in exhibits. What a treat! I was so happy to finally teach the three classes I'd been developing for so long, to such excited and creative weavers. </p><p>And the work I'm seeing in exhibits has been hugely inspiring and thought-provoking. I want to share here some of what struck me. I haven't seen all the exhibits yet so there may be another post like this to follow. </p><p>I high-tailed it as soon as I arrived to see the ATA Unjuried Small Format Show <i>Tiny but Mighty</i> at the Emporium Gallery. ATA member weavers were urged this year to really break out of the box and try some non-traditional approaches to tapestry, within the limits of 10" height or width and 2" depth. Here's some of what I saw:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzNfDMpRgZ1MsF_GNylFqihDn3I8xHDuSk0s5FqG15QbN-t6DnBoE6BAc4248VSyxuNCuUeb-jYcTDk7PqwpcRKM4U4Ad9h3VSypLJXFlCkSFBuaJWZmhv-_GEmhYAFXwsqvt7TYvVDpbqjOsaVk4_Y5JfThBJdkoWihHKpFpOspqeIma7_A7lIbT/s4032/F6ADA5C0-EBA2-4ED3-835D-0FF464142FBE.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwzNfDMpRgZ1MsF_GNylFqihDn3I8xHDuSk0s5FqG15QbN-t6DnBoE6BAc4248VSyxuNCuUeb-jYcTDk7PqwpcRKM4U4Ad9h3VSypLJXFlCkSFBuaJWZmhv-_GEmhYAFXwsqvt7TYvVDpbqjOsaVk4_Y5JfThBJdkoWihHKpFpOspqeIma7_A7lIbT/w400-h300/F6ADA5C0-EBA2-4ED3-835D-0FF464142FBE.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Louise Abbott, <i>Fabulous Flying Fungi<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9B4cQVQhkUk6Gy0fTZNe7SyjP_GQznNAuxfDgMBaS8LWSGWdMPtrqAc3Skhe8eI2ogZiugu3bPrPqmZnyut_gSZzRZzn9Mu49LOP0fRWvCtzrAp5e4sIlX9J_Ha2mb-fVdilJMt1oNlNjrbtqIGYCQHkja4p19TMWxeTvXCHL_uzzR9Ko4osx1sY1/s4032/56C42907-2B2E-4076-AB38-D3E92054FEDD.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9B4cQVQhkUk6Gy0fTZNe7SyjP_GQznNAuxfDgMBaS8LWSGWdMPtrqAc3Skhe8eI2ogZiugu3bPrPqmZnyut_gSZzRZzn9Mu49LOP0fRWvCtzrAp5e4sIlX9J_Ha2mb-fVdilJMt1oNlNjrbtqIGYCQHkja4p19TMWxeTvXCHL_uzzR9Ko4osx1sY1/w400-h300/56C42907-2B2E-4076-AB38-D3E92054FEDD.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work on a grid theme by members of Tapestry Artists of Puget Sound (TAPS): <br />Clockwise from top left: Suzanne Hubbard, Julia Rapinoe, Liz Pulos, Margo MacDonald. <br /> </td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGESLxuHnalyDVrumW-OQ7wcG-ZHUmQXJiyWbcUSsmyqwH5hBDeQTMdM77GQszwqqowGDXBmHiQWPOSTfoG8puzyed0PxvWg8zMWbvwGahgn9RlODqIMRoGsxC2_yG209Q-1TUD8VlWXlRAg0N80vr5cMUXtYTJxVW-FeZZ57PV8niiTWUoefjbwhD/s4032/C7414A92-C751-46CF-91CE-238E81158634.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGESLxuHnalyDVrumW-OQ7wcG-ZHUmQXJiyWbcUSsmyqwH5hBDeQTMdM77GQszwqqowGDXBmHiQWPOSTfoG8puzyed0PxvWg8zMWbvwGahgn9RlODqIMRoGsxC2_yG209Q-1TUD8VlWXlRAg0N80vr5cMUXtYTJxVW-FeZZ57PV8niiTWUoefjbwhD/w400-h300/C7414A92-C751-46CF-91CE-238E81158634.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work on the Tempo theme by some members of High Desert Tapestry Alliance, clockwise from top left: Nancy Wohlenberg, Janice Peters, Cindy Dworzak, Carol Seeds, and Heather Gallegos-Rex. <br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyepEq21zEkxy5C0Vy7PMUiAKDgNhpLNaqt4kVEw7HMp9Y8DlxIQ2W980NcKewfedxZh5wYls_xxzCSbaybXMU0NtJHrgbNWDh9jB_8vqnAeZzJad93Dvzd_-oyGe99YKDHC_bmL2UtUuQxUiW2YTkWCOVvxJ0EfLVYlBSqCdoHwgXetm_zKne6DPy/s4032/A88F690A-DDE1-43D5-99EF-6577342AC117.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyepEq21zEkxy5C0Vy7PMUiAKDgNhpLNaqt4kVEw7HMp9Y8DlxIQ2W980NcKewfedxZh5wYls_xxzCSbaybXMU0NtJHrgbNWDh9jB_8vqnAeZzJad93Dvzd_-oyGe99YKDHC_bmL2UtUuQxUiW2YTkWCOVvxJ0EfLVYlBSqCdoHwgXetm_zKne6DPy/w400-h300/A88F690A-DDE1-43D5-99EF-6577342AC117.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linda Gormley, <i>Lemon Macaron</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPj_Pn5D5osn-8aT2mPr200BsP9d_KScM_EW3ik36QYQkrHWHmIFytfjFjWWC50l9ElVf2rcnl73okVBkY3SCZgZuH4jfVTlNbsIN3TghetX3_YGnlnv-DozBDaFgIfZdEVDG-o9wxttddvhOpKaBAn2wGZ9trB2fqLc7DY_tvFmwR_NnjDHDbgPk/s4032/171EC950-A0CD-4E49-9013-65E7C0469661.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPj_Pn5D5osn-8aT2mPr200BsP9d_KScM_EW3ik36QYQkrHWHmIFytfjFjWWC50l9ElVf2rcnl73okVBkY3SCZgZuH4jfVTlNbsIN3TghetX3_YGnlnv-DozBDaFgIfZdEVDG-o9wxttddvhOpKaBAn2wGZ9trB2fqLc7DY_tvFmwR_NnjDHDbgPk/w400-h300/171EC950-A0CD-4E49-9013-65E7C0469661.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liz Pulos, <i>Smoke</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkz_hUzp-M0EWlkopq5Cuoc3KD-zDsGdCWSfYj7k30cx98O2Eepa7jwjaIgLQLr_4nQCni1GbthLi38Pr02PSPj55oZ30FGX9JULKTEmtdTyPaahfqpaBvqQFNtQNo8IS8ot3Z8_hhDSZ9vjYwROueaPbnMwPpxA1Vx-V3sHhWRE_allwE3-sz9z2f/s4032/F3E6D106-223D-4130-9208-38F53115D401.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkz_hUzp-M0EWlkopq5Cuoc3KD-zDsGdCWSfYj7k30cx98O2Eepa7jwjaIgLQLr_4nQCni1GbthLi38Pr02PSPj55oZ30FGX9JULKTEmtdTyPaahfqpaBvqQFNtQNo8IS8ot3Z8_hhDSZ9vjYwROueaPbnMwPpxA1Vx-V3sHhWRE_allwE3-sz9z2f/w400-h300/F3E6D106-223D-4130-9208-38F53115D401.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terry Olson, <i>Still Life</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nu7XgLdKQReMuQ7_7ljlwJUVS_0M4gJpIOFxCcX3mrw7eUjXgonstS4UtS3T6dnTdMbbrfpDWs-Z94WXxgJiD98fXJ7gBCX_qir3MKf5WGU24vLr8HDjT4RLs7kCLRLgaR8s67--6M_BXEqU34AzRfybSkAUEAVMG9YgFLEucKQHKU9BaGkkzYS7/s4032/IMG_4213.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Nu7XgLdKQReMuQ7_7ljlwJUVS_0M4gJpIOFxCcX3mrw7eUjXgonstS4UtS3T6dnTdMbbrfpDWs-Z94WXxgJiD98fXJ7gBCX_qir3MKf5WGU24vLr8HDjT4RLs7kCLRLgaR8s67--6M_BXEqU34AzRfybSkAUEAVMG9YgFLEucKQHKU9BaGkkzYS7/w300-h400/IMG_4213.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Felicitas Sloves,<i> Crossroad Blues</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9LmUVv0FNafNfFSi_-Fexszp6JKP-vZGyuFo14HZ6ivNOjdAhEXK9SJTxEXJ6IVml_Gws2O-NHa8peVuAw11gNbAm9iRq-vtAHffUlKvGv0-FKvvBu-0CboJ2JTH19JVJ8BSpcpjoGyozl4yRHiJFpyWczJpOHUrMly_biVbf6eBd8loOPpMte4o/s4032/IMG_4207.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn9LmUVv0FNafNfFSi_-Fexszp6JKP-vZGyuFo14HZ6ivNOjdAhEXK9SJTxEXJ6IVml_Gws2O-NHa8peVuAw11gNbAm9iRq-vtAHffUlKvGv0-FKvvBu-0CboJ2JTH19JVJ8BSpcpjoGyozl4yRHiJFpyWczJpOHUrMly_biVbf6eBd8loOPpMte4o/w300-h400/IMG_4207.JPG" width="300" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kati Paaki<i>, Señor Paco</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-MF4QFPTzyYaJxd5WdJ8uUtiFo3vbyT-IL_U_jimkVzd-aobGqzLG4rWvcxgTWPlIG0cJl8O-NBHaWvCLECdjKJ4Mcy0ZB9emBixuD7J8l-FSG4E4H6wmAx4LAMVFofbEssidPhuMaYjRRC-WZ_xJO8F4gkgXZif2b4VpPQeGtTOSyUEuPSZu3ZL/s4032/IMG_4200.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-MF4QFPTzyYaJxd5WdJ8uUtiFo3vbyT-IL_U_jimkVzd-aobGqzLG4rWvcxgTWPlIG0cJl8O-NBHaWvCLECdjKJ4Mcy0ZB9emBixuD7J8l-FSG4E4H6wmAx4LAMVFofbEssidPhuMaYjRRC-WZ_xJO8F4gkgXZif2b4VpPQeGtTOSyUEuPSZu3ZL/w300-h400/IMG_4200.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vicki Aspenberg, <i>Just for Fun</i><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJR3N-6ywhQa87IOf8_XKX23Fmcn86XkjVth9yOTLkMHme2DiDPkLtrWquyrvjpsQgXjwwCKQnCHCsS_xGNYlU-cFnZcjWco-4SKBKxmxo5SSiE3H1fjMILwyMukx5_4Yu0ho5mC8HYAlhjbnKpHL39LWnCEGTMwgWw49vXD0iMYxPhfEDmdGscpnZ/s4032/IMG_4199.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJR3N-6ywhQa87IOf8_XKX23Fmcn86XkjVth9yOTLkMHme2DiDPkLtrWquyrvjpsQgXjwwCKQnCHCsS_xGNYlU-cFnZcjWco-4SKBKxmxo5SSiE3H1fjMILwyMukx5_4Yu0ho5mC8HYAlhjbnKpHL39LWnCEGTMwgWw49vXD0iMYxPhfEDmdGscpnZ/w400-h300/IMG_4199.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sue Weil, <i>Oh yeah!</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyA80kIfhUI88CQHqoAziOcvPvDNUUFi8uCh6GFGfsxxvPp6gSMif2dJQQWjbQYx9AcES2Z-svOM5RbnSG0COBfvTaSR2FGUyCbAqvOHlNlyTSs_wBZ0ti0j8hFOSMFOA5edwEw975oDpqMMMffuCYNmvYqrs9IJdbNozA-V_e2xWdANYW0Sv4HlK/s4032/IMG_4197.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyA80kIfhUI88CQHqoAziOcvPvDNUUFi8uCh6GFGfsxxvPp6gSMif2dJQQWjbQYx9AcES2Z-svOM5RbnSG0COBfvTaSR2FGUyCbAqvOHlNlyTSs_wBZ0ti0j8hFOSMFOA5edwEw975oDpqMMMffuCYNmvYqrs9IJdbNozA-V_e2xWdANYW0Sv4HlK/w300-h400/IMG_4197.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holly Wilkes, <i>Let the Colors Go Where They May</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegX7RQEVDuK_Zl3OoWHWLzKICqHCqGlSfuK7UmAVz5fk22-kW-yF9RqIfQ5uafNLIAIwyaKlGgVuNZ19K2M5Lka_SJxrL-wOg5qmUZU6SxchLiLm_zVdC5zDIBderetyhKYMN4o-YA2CkPaW8_kD4MBLaauSQ9oOZAV1c5gL2olNfjn2o-GvTPYWl/s4032/IMG_4192.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegX7RQEVDuK_Zl3OoWHWLzKICqHCqGlSfuK7UmAVz5fk22-kW-yF9RqIfQ5uafNLIAIwyaKlGgVuNZ19K2M5Lka_SJxrL-wOg5qmUZU6SxchLiLm_zVdC5zDIBderetyhKYMN4o-YA2CkPaW8_kD4MBLaauSQ9oOZAV1c5gL2olNfjn2o-GvTPYWl/w300-h400/IMG_4192.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan Iverson, <i>Flutter</i></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UyWmyszkojuMB2P2SR2MH9c3HEvJ2AYlB9BQgubwQfyfU-ndTrI-3tjBlQaePtjVMT0wi976Cegt53BMITRQQ-9EvjXaaBSFUonGzVdZcsrn4LjVt3A3mnGkXuMjclhsGXlm_RO0IZlnATBe7YEfz2zLWPpojy53iGrHa43SDg7QmLYNJASwUn4i/s4032/IMG_4189.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0UyWmyszkojuMB2P2SR2MH9c3HEvJ2AYlB9BQgubwQfyfU-ndTrI-3tjBlQaePtjVMT0wi976Cegt53BMITRQQ-9EvjXaaBSFUonGzVdZcsrn4LjVt3A3mnGkXuMjclhsGXlm_RO0IZlnATBe7YEfz2zLWPpojy53iGrHa43SDg7QmLYNJASwUn4i/w300-h400/IMG_4189.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fannie Lee, <i>"I" Matter</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZfc5hoAQJVI5zKsptGtMWtdkQwmxVTBQxMSmXM0UULx5lNxoUgTuVhx7WblMGLzPrqh3JD1viY5Iwm0N-vlJmiVlB8byL0UocX_Wy5YP2rVUoEsNNBySISVCsn09-hAa04NwLx8qpcOscM8NVm_BkslJItBF-QpVqa3-3vvtUogKfTkw-I1TNKvy/s4032/IMG_4400%202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZfc5hoAQJVI5zKsptGtMWtdkQwmxVTBQxMSmXM0UULx5lNxoUgTuVhx7WblMGLzPrqh3JD1viY5Iwm0N-vlJmiVlB8byL0UocX_Wy5YP2rVUoEsNNBySISVCsn09-hAa04NwLx8qpcOscM8NVm_BkslJItBF-QpVqa3-3vvtUogKfTkw-I1TNKvy/w400-h300/IMG_4400%202.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above, left to right, more work from TAPS: Cecilia Blomberg, Ellen Ramsey (top center), <br />Joyce Hayes (bottom center), Mary Lane. </td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMRgCRUF4pc4_Xy0vIaOgMrgWLBykFCVt7zfB_3epw6GdOWBjt33W54eqDfTaqOVm6u6LEMClsB--to1hOKUfIfMDvPLHHCL-fxV1T2sVhfmvv1cpG49CZzp-Q5vMxe4SLc0tl88Q3F3T4TrGHeE2UTc6c5601elYZGzaIZ_sak9H8RH0J0qDaMix/w400-h300/858FF41D-0312-4A18-84F2-E05F694E9DE9.jpeg" width="400" /><br /><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Work on a grid theme by, clockwise from top left: Nicki Bair, <i>Sweet Sixteen</i>; Merna Strauch, <i>Rothko Squared</i>; Karen Leckart; <i>Multiples Slanted;</i> and Carolee Howes, <i>the power of multiples (look up).<br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I continue to be inspired by the restless creativity and willingness to color outside the lines that I see in my fellow weavers, whether they are working in tapestry, basketry, mixed media or woven yardage. The conference is a feast for the eyes, the hands and the mind. Stay tuned for more!</div><br />Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-42518850628398269172022-07-06T15:57:00.003-06:002022-07-06T15:57:55.577-06:00Gosh, is it just me or did life get busy all of a sudden?<p>I've been kind of quiet on social media for awhile until just the other day--but I'm still here, plugging away in the studio and at the laptop. Read on a for a recap of recent weavings, new workshop dates added to the schedule, and preparations for the Big Mama of fiber conferences, <a href="https://weavespindye.org/convergence/" target="_blank">Convergence</a>! </p><p>I did a little poll on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mollyelkind/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mpelkind" target="_blank">Facebook</a> asking folks which arrangement of this 3-part piece worked best. You've seen it in progress on the loom, and since then I've been dithering about whether to stick with the original layout, with the panels hung separately and offset from each other: </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnGA2a8NwvIs7TaGIk_kGjommuKwjVdhENEYF8df7Uj09A-dMYaImRMlDWtb4lELdwAsgql227AWA-VwYvYz-3HSSF1dHE0asfpdZH4pf_Xjos-Xv9-Z_byig3ZXltXcw2-XhhRRTQ8I0YKEHMP4d3huOggbxaXhHn1NHGge36tSWWA0T1lCQf4D5/s4032/B1DA3CE6-8CB5-4D12-ADB1-E3931CEB7992.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnGA2a8NwvIs7TaGIk_kGjommuKwjVdhENEYF8df7Uj09A-dMYaImRMlDWtb4lELdwAsgql227AWA-VwYvYz-3HSSF1dHE0asfpdZH4pf_Xjos-Xv9-Z_byig3ZXltXcw2-XhhRRTQ8I0YKEHMP4d3huOggbxaXhHn1NHGge36tSWWA0T1lCQf4D5/w400-h300/B1DA3CE6-8CB5-4D12-ADB1-E3931CEB7992.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, <i>Faraway Nearby</i>, (c) 2022. Cotton warp, wool, linen, metallic, kudzu wefts. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Or this one, suggested by my good friend and talented fiberist Julia Stephens, which has more of a collaged feel. The plan here would be to weave a small inset piece that looks like that yarn wrap in the center top. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxF9KFaVU3p_5ga0KXodyWCKI0dSzO9FDGJDRhrA3nAVEgfAEPpZ-DCDJSqsjcVnlw4MPklpnRvFioWQISlScYYnlOwINtdXgeEtznkc5XtiPFJwSnK4vw0xR-2RojIh2Q-kwr3nb1h040G2ECLFU_cjfiycnC80X482diTFWjnIPJZAELReBlX5B/s3194/IMG_4016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3194" data-original-width="2735" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIxF9KFaVU3p_5ga0KXodyWCKI0dSzO9FDGJDRhrA3nAVEgfAEPpZ-DCDJSqsjcVnlw4MPklpnRvFioWQISlScYYnlOwINtdXgeEtznkc5XtiPFJwSnK4vw0xR-2RojIh2Q-kwr3nb1h040G2ECLFU_cjfiycnC80X482diTFWjnIPJZAELReBlX5B/w343-h400/IMG_4016.jpg" width="343" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, alternate view 1, <i>Faraway</i> <i>Nearby</i>, (c) 2022. <br />Cotton warp, wool, linen, metallic, kudzu wefts.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>A few people suggested this arrangement, which I had tried before and discarded. But this time around I'm liking it a lot better. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yKCbWMfETkjAmAW12PrSTmPOizhGSC8S3QFblbFBhe63kZ9_rWLxrmPFJfMIAtSrlVFDXnmgNqO_xKRp2AYOcneKjmnPjeAIS_fut5WIhWEt2XV8KtB4BezbNgREd031hnPUEA6rNkaW3cj3VP5hQdr11mVon7VgW8F20HwnQpjSiqjWc4cH9KEv/s4032/IMG_4116.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2516" data-original-width="4032" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6yKCbWMfETkjAmAW12PrSTmPOizhGSC8S3QFblbFBhe63kZ9_rWLxrmPFJfMIAtSrlVFDXnmgNqO_xKRp2AYOcneKjmnPjeAIS_fut5WIhWEt2XV8KtB4BezbNgREd031hnPUEA6rNkaW3cj3VP5hQdr11mVon7VgW8F20HwnQpjSiqjWc4cH9KEv/w400-h250/IMG_4116.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, alternate view 2, <i>Faraway</i> <i>Nearby</i>, (c) 2022. <br />Cotton warp, wool, linen, metallic, kudzu wefts.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>(Please excuse the amateur photos--works in progress!)</p><p>The popular vote at first was to stick with the more traditional arrangement, the first one, but lately the third one, just above, is gaining traction. It's been great to hear everyone's readings of the piece and I'm grateful (though still dithering a bit). If you have an opinion, please chime in by commenting below! </p><p>Speaking of helpful feedback, my small feedback groups have been going great. There are three groups of 4 to 6 weavers meeting now on Zoom, once a month, to share their work and get and give feedback. We also discuss a tapestry or art-biz topic every month, and I throw out a suggestion for experimenting and expanding skills each time as well. (This is optional, not homework.) There's one opening in the Monday group; comment below if you want to know more. </p><p>I've also been doing a few more small pieces in the <i>SkyGrass</i> series. I will be taking these to Convergence as well as some other small work to sell on Saturday night 7:00-7:50 pm. It was a lot of fun to use <a href="https://www.weaverhouseco.com/fiber-yarn/japanese-ramie-bark" target="_blank">Japanese ramie bark yarn from Weaverhouse</a> to embroider a blue grama grass seed-head on the first of these. Definitely planning to do more experimentation with stitching and weird fibers. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3X_3JODlVET6aUo2TuOQerxxWRor60_hqdqkefEI25jsBjj6wQbk7pYd76v5m3by6PiDBk_Mt9jWG2tTS9IL8nW5LSyukX7aOBYNRRZSpM_ujZIiEZryapc1okmIG2ujHkxbjyjPOJ35CMyP8PoL7YaiS4AWa6UGL5aTexTW7kmludOynB98ekho5/s3074/IMG_4108.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3074" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3X_3JODlVET6aUo2TuOQerxxWRor60_hqdqkefEI25jsBjj6wQbk7pYd76v5m3by6PiDBk_Mt9jWG2tTS9IL8nW5LSyukX7aOBYNRRZSpM_ujZIiEZryapc1okmIG2ujHkxbjyjPOJ35CMyP8PoL7YaiS4AWa6UGL5aTexTW7kmludOynB98ekho5/w394-h400/IMG_4108.jpg" width="394" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, untitled, (c) 2022. 5" x 5" <br />Cotton warp, wool weft, ramie stitching</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcc6Uob6M96FlG9cxpYTDzHR8B762Pv6B6mdeq_2TQeG0KP4mfs7ZwwMd9VB4rl7D4tYdsT7V0WeUtm1il89Hbc_O1CujPGJtdrQ9cnMCBeAd6v2iqvXB3W9Ti2uAx59fK8yNjFhvUzTCpw8tZ1x_-knkJ6U9aVdkAx3KzvDeLUms2P3NVEoBgQ2jY/s3024/IMG_4109%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2891" data-original-width="3024" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcc6Uob6M96FlG9cxpYTDzHR8B762Pv6B6mdeq_2TQeG0KP4mfs7ZwwMd9VB4rl7D4tYdsT7V0WeUtm1il89Hbc_O1CujPGJtdrQ9cnMCBeAd6v2iqvXB3W9Ti2uAx59fK8yNjFhvUzTCpw8tZ1x_-knkJ6U9aVdkAx3KzvDeLUms2P3NVEoBgQ2jY/w400-h383/IMG_4109%20copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, untitled, (c) 2022. 5" x 5" <br />Cotton warp, Churro wool weft, linen and metallic stitching<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLtcE_pc9d0mEEllVEMd_00PeNsZx20yv3oz6fTVehBN9NZ33S5_kt4mwGzYm9OHqQWQsL6P9d16Aw4IL2qY2El6_bwvs3Pp8zoghIHSQQ7fALs8bPPks55mN-eAh2C8JHXFn3SyAAKQGOtwi9lUgu13oh9QHrc04wwado6eKhc_73lPO0V9tiayS/s3082/IMG_4110%20copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3082" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLtcE_pc9d0mEEllVEMd_00PeNsZx20yv3oz6fTVehBN9NZ33S5_kt4mwGzYm9OHqQWQsL6P9d16Aw4IL2qY2El6_bwvs3Pp8zoghIHSQQ7fALs8bPPks55mN-eAh2C8JHXFn3SyAAKQGOtwi9lUgu13oh9QHrc04wwado6eKhc_73lPO0V9tiayS/w393-h400/IMG_4110%20copy.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Molly Elkind, untitled, (c) 2022. 5" x 5" <br />Cotton warp, wool weft, linen, wool and metallic stitching</td></tr></tbody></table><p>As you might guess, these are all inspired by the little gold/taupe seed-heads of the native blue grama grass. The middle one incorporates hand-dyed indigo Churro yarn from the good folks at <a href="https://www.handweavers.com/" target="_blank">Tierra Wools</a>. </p><p>At Convergence next week, I'm teaching three times. On Friday, July 15, I'm doing a full-day class, <a href="https://tockify.com/handweaverscalendar/detail/298/1595563200000" target="_blank">Weave a Minime</a>, which is full. On Saturday morning, July 16, I'm offering a 3-hour seminar, <a href="https://tockify.com/handweaverscalendar/detail/339/1595682000000" target="_blank">Your Tapestry Superpower: Sampling</a>--all about the various kinds of sampling you can do before sitting down at the loom to make for a less frustrating and more time-efficient tapestry weaving experience. No loom required for this class. And in the afternoon on Saturday, I'll present <a href="https://tockify.com/handweaverscalendar/detail/352/1595698200000" target="_blank">The Contemporary Tapestry Scene: Trends & Traditions</a>. This is a 90-minute slide show surveying the field of contemporary woven art. There's plenty of room in the Sampling class and in the slide talk. Register <a href="https://weavespindye.org/schedule-and-registration/" target="_blank">here. </a> </p><p>I'm thrilled to report that the remainder of 2022 and 2023 are shaping up to include quite a bit of both in-person and virtual teaching. You can see my entire teaching schedule <a href="https://mollyelkind.com/workshop-schedule.html" target="_blank">here</a>, but here's a quick rundown of recently added opportunities: </p><p>August 20, 2022: Zoom lecture for <a href="https://weaversguildstl.org" target="_blank">Weavers' Guild of St. Louis</a>, <i>Finding my Voice in Fiber</i>. </p><p>October 1, 8, and 9, 2022: Zoom class sessions for <a href="https://fiberartsalliance.org" target="_blank">Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance</a> (SEFAA) on <i>Building a Color Palette</i>. This class offers practical advice (minimal color theory) on selecting a palette for your fiber piece that supports your intentions, whether it's tapestry or another fiber art medium. A feedback session will be included in the three session/six hour workshop. </p><p>Nov. 5, 10 and 12, 2022: Zoom workshop for <a href="https://mafafiber.org" target="_blank">MidAtlantic Fiber Arts Alliance</a> (MAFA). This is a brand-new workshop entitled <i>Weaving Landscape in Tapestry</i>. I'll present a number of approaches to responding to those special places in our lives with woven tapestry. Six hours spread over three sessions, including feedback. </p><p>July 20-23, 2023: In-person workshops at <a href="https://www.newenglandweavers.org" target="_blank">New England Weavers Seminar</a> (NEWS), in Worcester, MA. I'll be offering <i>Collage to Cartoon . . . and Beyond!</i> and <i>Collage: Design Tool and Art Form</i>. </p><p>You can read more about each of these classes on my website's <a href="https://www.mollyelkind.com/workshops.html" target="_blank">Workshops page</a>--click on the blue-highlighted titles there to open a PDF with all the details about each workshop. </p><p>It hasn't been all work/no play. Sam and I spent a wonderful week kayaking and whale-watching in Puget Sound in June. Thanks to fellow tour members for these photos. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nef4v_21wG6G4F2MwSyfgEKN4lJtLnAVoBCxNcchPM-IFsJ_XK1lU76xYcXgHG9IEPe6mRZZUCcxW9pxDTcClDO9jKKt6RLpuvOV1awjrtecIXTbXHdhL8qCRq4y-U8zmpucXMfGJrYSu14spfjU3GQnj6FiHGR8owkXtIC6P2qQwVTnCvj6FD8T/s6000/A65BE6CA-BB7E-42B0-8F51-AF4FD5929554.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nef4v_21wG6G4F2MwSyfgEKN4lJtLnAVoBCxNcchPM-IFsJ_XK1lU76xYcXgHG9IEPe6mRZZUCcxW9pxDTcClDO9jKKt6RLpuvOV1awjrtecIXTbXHdhL8qCRq4y-U8zmpucXMfGJrYSu14spfjU3GQnj6FiHGR8owkXtIC6P2qQwVTnCvj6FD8T/w400-h266/A65BE6CA-BB7E-42B0-8F51-AF4FD5929554.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mOSBBB3CDDxy_Am3LFzi03sshtKz1N9H8DB6WkjF08vEy-jTlwiw2Zeq8TfW5xxSs7N5wUG5KoQkgAo2qfS2jrpg4QiJY_-qftIn9XLL7S2PHO3OTf6uR3bnzJoIBpkdjPp8tPekXWbX1dHFCPaa44MwM2cF_OJ8OBaZUpMhCKBEdGmxnlzx-Gsm/s640/BA303180-E8D7-42FF-A742-C91A3E119288.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1mOSBBB3CDDxy_Am3LFzi03sshtKz1N9H8DB6WkjF08vEy-jTlwiw2Zeq8TfW5xxSs7N5wUG5KoQkgAo2qfS2jrpg4QiJY_-qftIn9XLL7S2PHO3OTf6uR3bnzJoIBpkdjPp8tPekXWbX1dHFCPaa44MwM2cF_OJ8OBaZUpMhCKBEdGmxnlzx-Gsm/w400-h300/BA303180-E8D7-42FF-A742-C91A3E119288.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p>I hope you get a chance to do meaningful work, connect with your tribe, and get outside and play this summer. Join me here next month for a full report from Convergence. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-61196803520003570852022-06-09T10:55:00.001-06:002022-06-09T10:55:21.075-06:00Further (final?) thoughts on your fiber ancestry<p>Sometimes you think you're done with a topic, but it keeps popping up again in conversation and in your thoughts. This is the third installment and possibly the final one (never say never) of a consideration of one's fiber ancestry. By ancestors I mean teachers and also those artists whose lives and work have inspired you even if you've never met or studied with them. You can find my previous posts on this subject <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/02/your-fiber-ancestry.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2022/03/fiber-ancestry-part-2.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </p><p>In a Facebook conversation, <a href="https://www.ellenramseytapestry.art" target="_blank">Ellen Ramsey</a> remarked that the artists who make you "swoon" (my term) are not necessarily one's ancestors. She makes an excellent point. One's ancestors are those whose DNA you carry, whose tradition and ways of working have deeply informed your own. They are in your bones. I was taught by those who work largely in the French tapestry tradition, so that's my "tapestry DNA." Other weavers have come to it from Native, Southwestern, Central and South American traditions, among many others. </p><p>My notion had been that artists whose work I deeply love have influenced my own artistic practice (artists like Sheila Hicks and Lenore Tawney and Silvia Heyden) and that therefore they are my adopted ancestors. But, and here is where Ellen is exactly right, we can admire other artists and at the same time recognize that <i>their work is not ours to do</i>. Not simply because it's wrong to copy, plagiarize or appropriate other's ideas and methods wholesale, but because <i>our work is to discover and develop our own voices. </i></p><p>When we<i> </i>are learning a new medium this can be hard to remember. We want to learn technique and we usually want to learn it "the right way," at least to start. When we see work that moves us, naturally we want to make work like that. And this is indeed one important way that art moves forward, in all mediums. </p><p>In my conversation with Ellen she reminded me that she had first come across the idea of fiber ancestry in <a href="https://austinkleon.com/" target="_blank">Austin Kleon</a>'s book <i>Steal Like an Artist</i> (which is a great and provocative read, by the way). As you can guess from the title, his thesis is that all artists steal, by which he means take what they see and transform it to make it their own. (Merely borrowing is plagiarism.) Kleon has a chapter called "Climb Your own Family Tree." He advises artists to choose one artist or role model and deeply study them. Then study the people that person was influenced by. And so on, "climb[ing] up the tree as far as you can go. Once you build your tree, it's time to start your own branch." Kleon has lots of great things to say about the difference between copying and "originality." Get the book and read it for yourself! Here's one page as a teaser: </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw-6jtLxF2ZddUMcgVYIBT2guBjJb5iL-gWx0DdUeYlDL6gb31-M1vQWXMFsKhUXU2qwccL_VV7vcP26bNmxBmiai3EEIMEyWjlYTqqYi1IqF40dDgOmnI4QeW3cywm7oLx_DRvB72Jyhrj_SIWp6Uj8Itod2w6eTg5Iof_gwSuqlOUR3YosIIywHN" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="592" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw-6jtLxF2ZddUMcgVYIBT2guBjJb5iL-gWx0DdUeYlDL6gb31-M1vQWXMFsKhUXU2qwccL_VV7vcP26bNmxBmiai3EEIMEyWjlYTqqYi1IqF40dDgOmnI4QeW3cywm7oLx_DRvB72Jyhrj_SIWp6Uj8Itod2w6eTg5Iof_gwSuqlOUR3YosIIywHN=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Austin Kleon, <i>Steal Like an Artist</i>, page 39. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>As long as we're taking about books, I recently learned about an exhibit that happened at the Whitney Museum in New York in 1978. The exhibit looked at the mid-century trend among American artists of making work about previous artworks, often in a parodic or satirical vein. Pop Art pieces by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein come to mind. I've only just begun reading the catalog, called <i>Art About Art </i>by Jean Lipman and Richard Marshall, but the introductory essay by Leo Steinberg has already made it clear that stealing motifs and images from previous artwork goes back thousands of years. (I found a very affordable used copy from an online merchant.). This promises to be an entertaining and informative read. </p><p>Ellen shared a link to <i><a href="https://www.ilikeyourworkpodcast.com/post/what-the-heck-is-my-work-about-finding-your-family" target="_blank">this 10 minute podcast</a></i> on creating/discovering your own artistic family tree. It's worth a listen. Among the suggestions there: don't just make a list of the artists you like, but go deeper and ask, What do the artists whom you admire and who influence you share with each other, and with your own work? Don't limit yourself to your own medium in constructing this family tree. Perhaps you are influenced by poets, or musicians, or woodworkers or architects. . .</p><p>This is clearly a deep and wide topic that gets at the heart of what it is to make art in a particular medium and tradition. I hope these posts have helped you understand your own work and task as an artist a little better. I'm going to close with another quotation from <i>Steal Like an Artist</i>: "The great thing about dead or remote masters is that they can't refuse you as an apprentice. You can learn whatever you want from them. They left their lesson plans in their work." </p><p>PS. I urge you to check out and follow <a href="https://www.ellenramseytapestry.art/blog" target="_blank">Ellen Ramsey's blog</a>, which is always enlightening and thought-provoking. She knows her stuff. Thank you, Ellen! We are all, always, learning from each other. </p><p><br /></p>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5810530569984483994.post-29334121261424485122022-05-11T09:08:00.002-06:002022-05-11T09:08:49.364-06:00Seize the Day, or, The advantages of keeping those boring ducks in a row. . .<p>A little story: I belong to a couple local tapestry groups, one based in Albuquerque and one in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They often get together to mount exhibits. Recently one of our exhibit venues, the Open Space Visitor Center in Albuquerque, put out the word to the groups that there was space available on the walls for any tapestry weaver who might want to put up their work for a few months, February - May 2022. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OahXMD6J5QdAdfecUCNohb-POti_jQ-uDQp2S1i5VCgFL_iw8utpNmMuknE4SGj_oDE8vt9K04umuywnWqsAm5BJXV2LL6gKvDEXnO4mm2fh06-4nKnOM-ktjgPyIVFtjwKhArGVOw-BTcDY9hl-0KQ0ANRM4WxisDvPbdCBvwrVdVIS1XKrEWok/s4032/IMG_3787.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OahXMD6J5QdAdfecUCNohb-POti_jQ-uDQp2S1i5VCgFL_iw8utpNmMuknE4SGj_oDE8vt9K04umuywnWqsAm5BJXV2LL6gKvDEXnO4mm2fh06-4nKnOM-ktjgPyIVFtjwKhArGVOw-BTcDY9hl-0KQ0ANRM4WxisDvPbdCBvwrVdVIS1XKrEWok/w640-h480/IMG_3787.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">clockwise from top left: Molly Elkind, <i>SkyGrass Textures, SkyGrass, </i>and <i>SkyGramaGrass</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I thought, Sure, what the heck, and I sent a few website links to the person charge there, with an explanation about what was available and how it might be grouped. <i>Et voilà</i>, I was soon informed that I could bring in thirteen pieces of my work to be installed immediately. I was surprised to learn that I was the only one who applied for this opportunity. So my work has been out meeting the public for going on three months now. </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_dSiqTyOEfZPPYv9muG73JWzWhUJlCyBw74kuQzqcDdmZIsm8tcEXaaYDs5VitElxbkKLFcUj4KIpcPvDZg6-fJwxOBXI56bmh-wtiXYrRknEiug7BquRTBxO52XaIXmke7MXKDY2pEeQT1zhzK48hw_1lBi2bB41qRIs5Q50hfC5KQPRBI6ZY8Z/s4032/OSVC_OpenWarpVistas_WedgeWeaves.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_dSiqTyOEfZPPYv9muG73JWzWhUJlCyBw74kuQzqcDdmZIsm8tcEXaaYDs5VitElxbkKLFcUj4KIpcPvDZg6-fJwxOBXI56bmh-wtiXYrRknEiug7BquRTBxO52XaIXmke7MXKDY2pEeQT1zhzK48hw_1lBi2bB41qRIs5Q50hfC5KQPRBI6ZY8Z/w640-h480/OSVC_OpenWarpVistas_WedgeWeaves.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">clockwise from top left: Molly Elkind, <i>Open Warp Vistas Big Sky, Ridge, </i>and<i> Roots & Rain;<br />Snowrise </i>and <i>Crosswinds</i> wedge weaves<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTiR_b4aNDdOdPJXnDgfAHsgrggaBubicfphKq5MME-SkZlInQAJXU8X5jbsW9EFjuD4HwuYDegGgORvCCVuTU1DywESAoEOfsznHLNE5kaC9QZafufBwCo_s_yA0OFhPFr-dPgibA_f0P4fzuxCtrIp-R7LQL_u4a63CWHYIp7-4Z6eUiavAEtZNQ/s4032/OSVC_3MIXDMEDIA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTiR_b4aNDdOdPJXnDgfAHsgrggaBubicfphKq5MME-SkZlInQAJXU8X5jbsW9EFjuD4HwuYDegGgORvCCVuTU1DywESAoEOfsznHLNE5kaC9QZafufBwCo_s_yA0OFhPFr-dPgibA_f0P4fzuxCtrIp-R7LQL_u4a63CWHYIp7-4Z6eUiavAEtZNQ/w640-h480/OSVC_3MIXDMEDIA.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">left to right: Molly Elkind, <i>Mixed Message, Monsoon 2, Peachtree Boogie Woogie<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div>My message to you today, my dears, is that it was easy for me to respond quickly because I am completely compulsive about keeping the necessary photos and files handy on my computer desktop. It's perhaps the most boring thing associated with the making of tapestry--getting photos made, stored, keeping records of dimensions and materials and titles etc etc--but it is absolutely essential if you want to take advantage of these pop-up opportunities! It also makes applying for juried shows easier. <p>Here's a checklist of info you can start to develop so you can be ready. (I have written before in more detail about the importance of documentation: <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2018/02/document-document-document.html" target="_blank"> here</a> and <a href="https://mollyelkindtalkingtextiles.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-dark-side-documentation.html" target="_blank">here</a>.) </p><p>1. A <b>website</b>, preferably (or a blog, Facebook or Instagram page with lots of photos of your work). <a href="https://www.artspan.com/" target="_blank">Artspan</a> and <a href="https://www.squarespace.com/" target="_blank">Squarespace</a> are just two places that host easy-to-setup-and-maintain websites for artists. You may not get a lot of sales through your website, but it is a vital portfolio to have available for those who are interested and it indicates you take yourself seriously as an artist. Referring inquiries to a website link is a lot easier than uploading a bunch of images to an email in response to every query. Also, keep that site up to date! If there's nothing new there since 2016, people may well wonder if you are still working as an artist. </p><p>2. <b>High-quality images</b> of your work (on your website, preferably). No shadows, no floors or toes or fingers visible, no weird angles. If you can't shoot these photos yourself, it's well worth the money to pay a professional for images that will make your work look fantastic. Trust me on that. </p><p>3. An <b>inventory list</b> of your work. I make one in a table in Word, with a tiny thumbnail image, title, dimensions, materials, price and date of completion for each piece. (You can also buy commercial software for this.) Remember to take into account any commission on sales that the venue may levy when setting your prices. I keep a master inventory document as well as smaller inventories organized by series or body of work. For a show like this one with several of my pieces, I cut and paste the relevant work into a new document that pertains to the particular exhibit. That then becomes a checklist that the receiving gallery manager can initial to show they received each piece, as a kind of receipt. </p><p>4. A <b>statement</b> about your work. Just a few sentences that helps the viewer understand how to look at your pieces--not your life story or a recap of your CV, but a short paragraph explaining how and why you came to make these particular works, what the viewer should look for. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzoJKzVAzb_5enWmh1aQ4YCMl1tbM67NrqgqESOIT_lG0gHzHogNvYv150I5rS08Jq9Ut2_r_W9DZmJg6RBXR3_TJTI1thX4nr4fP7jezVT560KA0dLRZQ61FB7mLJtTm9LTv-JvuHVwRk-K3Y3vS3C_M9VjAi3KYmOTVsxVc3l_iwgVy-nF5F39T/s4032/OSVC_NamePostcards.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzoJKzVAzb_5enWmh1aQ4YCMl1tbM67NrqgqESOIT_lG0gHzHogNvYv150I5rS08Jq9Ut2_r_W9DZmJg6RBXR3_TJTI1thX4nr4fP7jezVT560KA0dLRZQ61FB7mLJtTm9LTv-JvuHVwRk-K3Y3vS3C_M9VjAi3KYmOTVsxVc3l_iwgVy-nF5F39T/w300-h400/OSVC_NamePostcards.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture your name and info here!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>If you have all this stuff ready to hand, it's easy to apply to opportunities when they come along, rather than being a huge chore that you don't have time or energy for. Get your work out there!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Molly Elkindhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01023697000956664007noreply@blogger.com0