first steps - tapestry design

yes, I have mastered the camera. Well not quite mastered, but enough to snap a shot and put it up online. I have also managed to complete my design for next exhibit and start the process of weaving. I have decided to do a tryptich. The theme is building and as I was pondering this, I was so inspired by the beautiful blue wrens who have been building their nest outside my window that I knew that was what I would need to do. How on earth one manges to twist the warp I am not sure. It has never happened before. But this time I had to lay the floor in my warp 3 times before I got it straight! So here it goes. I have the warp set, I have my colours selectd and the beginnings are there. No hopefully some peaceful hours of relaxed weaving as I watch the image grow steadily......

when life imitates art.

Sometimes we can have some very strange experiences. As part of my tapestry weaving classes I chose to weave a set depicting sheep. The main group were a bright pink fluffy bunch of sheep happily grazing, with one lone straggler in the background.



Imagine my surprise, when several months later a friend who was travelling in New Zealand reported spotting a real live flock of pink fluffy sheep grazing in the fields!

Isn't life just wonderful..... or is that art????

tapestry weaving

Tapestry weaving is a very ancient craft. Pieces of weaving have been recorded as far back as the Coptic period. Small pieces of tapestry weaving were created as decorative inserts on plain cloth woven for clothing.   texture sampling

During the Medieval period (C12th - C16th) these tapestry weaving became much larger wall hangings that were used to keep the interior of stone castles warm.
More recently Tapestry weaving became a less functional form of craft work. William Morris was known as one of the pioneers in creating decorative panels of tapestry weaving for the modern domestic interior.  

There are few full production art houses currently in operation across the world.
In Australia we are lucky to have the Victorian Tapestry Workshop. The workshop was established through a government grant in 1976. Although tapestry weaving has been established as a major component of commissioned artwork for industry and public spaces, educational faculties that provide instruction are becoming very rare.
 
I am lucky at the moment to be studying this beautiful form of artistic expression through one of the foundation members of the VTW, Cresside Collette, and Joy Smith through the Studio Arts programme at RMIT, Melbourne.