my first tapestry sampler

8" x 8"
SAMPLER #1
linen warp/wool weft
woven on copper hand loom
december 2006

Samplers serve as an example of technical skill.

I'm at the very beginning and so this demonstrates

the important "kindergarten-like" acheivements of weaving.

The great weavers throughout the ages agree that tapestry should:

1. have an absence of linear perspective

2. contain a limited colour palette

3. contain techniques representative of tapesty and not other mediums

description: the kf demonstrates angles and curves, the vertical stripes a couple of different interlocking techniques; above the stripes are some line gradation with dots and and vertical lines; the upper left square shows floating shape building and then some hatchure techniques for shading.

8" x 10"

Sketches in felt

cashmere on merino

hand made felt / design added using dryfelting technique

december 2006

(potentially a pocket patch on a corduroy messenger style bag)

The Coptic Three

For my tapestry project I chose to weave this image that was brought back from Ethiopia, by my dear friends Andrea and Sam. The original is just 2 x 2" and is painted in a wooden tryptic with doors that open to reveal these three on one of the sides and Christ and his Mom in the centre. These three look on from the left. I like them, because to me they represent the faithful, though unknown, seekers of God's physical presence. It was challenging to communicate as much detail as the original, and gave me a good understanding some of the newly acquired shape building techniques. All of the fibres that I used would have been available to the Copts in the first to sixth centuries.

These are 2 of the 23 "sketches in felt" that i made while finally settling on my final project piece.

Their dimensions are approximately 8 x10", and are composed of many layers of corridale wool (fleece) and then worked using the three things that turn wool into felt.

1. soap! (a gooey mixture of grated ivory soap and warm water)

2. heat! (a kettle of boiling water, close at hand)

3. agitation! (textured surfaces such as sushi rolling mats, and old fashions washboards)

Unlike the modern method of felting (sometimes even done by accident) in the washing machine, we employed the ancient method used by nomadic people of mongolia who for ages, have made shelters, as well as clothing of felt.

I keep joking that I might make a yurt, but in the meantime I thought it'd be fun to create a series of lamps from my leftover "sketches." The transluscent felt diffuses the light and gives a warm quality to the watercolour-like images. I also like textile alternatives to the paper, glass or plastic choices that we find in the shops these days, especially for clean urban spaces.