Beginnings…

Further to fixing the tension problem, I rejigged the heddles so that I get nice wide sheds when I treadle (IYKYK). The whole weaving is so much more pleasurable as a result; I’m glad that I took the time to do it and didn’t rush into weaving. I was away from the loom for a week as I went up to stay with Mum for a few days, and was wiped out when I got back. The annoyance of chronic illness 😡. Back in the studio today, and made good progress, with lots of yummy texture creation.

‘Pillar’ and ‘Nine Stones’ on exhibition at the Allen Gallery, Alton, until 26th May.

Moving On

Pogle Cat inspects the finished tapestry while Pollyanna Cat keeps a lookout for textile thieves.  Such joy to have finished a wall piece ready for the Alton Exhibition. I have gradually been building up on my weaving time - I’m up to 3 x 45 minute sessions on a good day 😊. Pacing has never been my strong point, but after a severe ‘crash’ last week I am being very strict with myself.

‘Shrine’ is also ready for exhibition when the time comes; I have entered it for a juried show, so am in the waiting game.

In one of my sessions yesterday, I solved a tension problem with my loom, which delighted me. It’s been a bother throughout these last two works, and it transpires that I was looking in the wrong place for the problem. Two days ago I worked out where it really lay, and yesterday I fixed it - with nylon webbing and a staple gun.  Now the warp is wound on and ready for the next tapestry, a 3D piece which can be wall or plinth mounted.  I love the promise of a new warp, with all the possibilities still open….

The cartoon for the new piece (working title ‘Weep’):-

It only shows the image and the structural lines - the texture and patterning I shall weave intuitively, with ‘Shrine’ next to me as a reminder.

What’s Another Year….

Where I started yesterday, and where I finished. It’s been a long old road! I couldn’t weave at all until about three weeks ago. I have developed a (as yet not fully diagnosed) brain condition which seriously impacts my balance, vision, and energy levels.  Feeling well enough to weave for even short periods is such a sign of hope that I could sometimes weep with joy - which is so much better than the weeping with despair that has haunted me for months, even if I have not given in to it much. One of the best things that I did last year was to join a Textile Art Exhibiting Group. It keeps me from being totally isolated, and has spurred me on to getting this piece finished for an exhibition in April / May. I am delighted that, with a couple of serious ‘crash’ days, I have been able to do so - I am within 7cm of the top. Unusually for me, it is a flat piece, and will be framed; I have surrendered to the tyranny of the rectangle for once :-). I shall also be exhibiting  ‘Pillar’, as they go together. The story of ‘Pillar and the Nine Stones’ will be in the next blog post.

Of Deep Darkness and Deep Joy

The last nine months have been a bit of a struggle, with health scares and bereavement.  I have become way behind on both practice and writing, and a month ago it all seemed very dire and beyond hope of repair.  Various things have contributed to the upturn that I am now experiencing, and being back in the studio, and back at the loom is the source of great relief and joy.  The illness I have causes chronic fatigue, and that is just one of the things that I am having to learn to manage and work round.  My energy levels have risen lately, and my brain is functioning better (although I might not have said that earlier today, the way I was struggling with basic geometry!). Today I began a new largish tapestry, after making a few more small ones as Talismans for the research project. This latest one will be part of that, as well as using up the excess warp above Shrine. It is based on the small one I made while in Folkestone, and one made earlier this year:-

It will be about 40cm square, and have woven-in copper wire where the small one has turquoise nettle yarn.  It is a woven map of The Nine Stones at Winterbourne Abbas, where Pillar will be placed to mark the missing tenth stone, as shown in the second talisman here.

It is so good to be feeling enthusiastic and inspired - like myself again. I am proud of the fact that I have not given up; stubbornness can be a good attribute!

Lawks! What a Time Has Passed

Shrine Maquette 2 in progress….

The original Shrine, which was lost, stolen, or strayed in 2018.  

I had to decide whether I really wanted to remake it - and perhaps the passage of time helped with that - but I still want to make a full size version, and remaking the maquette offered an opportunity to do things slightly differently; move the ‘seam’ to inside the cleft, add more texture etc. Life rather got in the way - The Great Pestilence, redundancy, family health problems, and so forth - but after a break from the PhD until last November I am back in the zone, enjoying weaving (and writing, surprisingly).  

One of the better distractions was sailing in my little boat, ‘Sparrow’, which I am about to resume after the winter break (and some fettling).  Warps of a different kind!

I Gave a Lecture....

https://youtu.be/Z9r9oYqKgPg

For the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park. 

Memorial Pillar: First* Panel

*actually the fifth in the design, but it’s all a bit arbitrary.  It’s certainly the first to be woven.

I’m not sure why it looks wonky - it’s not - must have been the angle I held the iPad at.  The original tiny panel is blu-tacked to the reed bar for colour reference.  The enlarged panel photo hangs over the cloth beam.  

There will a lot of ressaut added after weaving to soften some of the edges, and add the detail shown up in the enlargement.

There’s wool, silk, linen, acrylic, and nettle in the mixes - which I have narrowed down to 19 basic ones, with extra threads added in or substituted as required; all the sampling whilst in Folkestone stood me in good stead to shorten the ‘palette process’ as I call it.

I’m enjoying it tremendously!  Even more so as, having loaned the Ashford loom to a friend yesterday, I have more space in the studio, and had a good tidy up this morning, making it an even more pleasurable Happy Place.  It is pouring with rain, and due to do so for the rest of today and all daylight hours tomorrow; good weaving and writing weather!