Tapestry Weaving at Sievers

I'm back from my workshop at Sievers Fiber Arts School, back from the quiet cups of coffee at daybreak, back from the four days where all we thought about was weaving. In fact I only got in my car once.
What a treat. It all started here. This is called The Walter Studio and it is a room filled with light and views of the willow patch planted and used in classes at Sievers.

The nifty batik hanging there was made by a previous batik class.

I designed this class around color blending and values used to create landscape inspired by our surroundings. Washington Island is an unusual place with a distinct landscape and I wanted my ten students to take advantage of it.

The rain cleared just enough to draw at Jackson Harbor one afternoon.

I was very pleased with the ways students integrated the results of that afternoon into their woven pieces letting tapestry language guide them rather than being too attached to their drawings. It really reinforced the value of spending this time sketching and looking and I hope to combine the two more often in my workshops.

So proud of her...she had never woven before!

My biggest take away is that there is so much power in The Group. Whether it was sharing info on materials, offering suggestions on each others work or just have a cup of coffee together, there was so much wonderful energy. Imagine a chance to see what nine other people are going to come up with on the loom, 9 different ideas.
What an opportunity.

Discussing looms...

We even had a mother/daughter team...

And more bragging...

Take time from your daily duties to celebrate the landscape where you are and, as the 11 of us did last week, stay creative.

Almost Ready for Washington Island

Sievers here we come!

On August 16th eleven eager tapestry weavers will come together at Sievers School of Fiber Arts on Washington Island in Wisconsin. This will be my second visit there and it's really a unique part of the country, accessed only by ferryboat. The ride provides a good opportunity for sketching and I'll have the sketching bag packed.
Right now it's time to focus on tapestry. I've been doing dye pots like crazy,

complementary color gradations, Norsk 2ply

but who can resist all those little balls in a row.

Making last minute landscape samples in the wee hours of the morning...

when I get up, it's coffee and weave, every day.

Checking the cupboards for samples I made last winter,

Schoolhouse Beach, 9 inches x 6 inches

And seeing if the yarns hanging outside are dry enough to put into balls.

series of scarlet red overdyes

So much to do, but so worth it. After all, is there anything more fun than being with 10 other weavers for 4 days away from the duties of life?

I'll be ready Washington Island.