My first real education in tapestry weaving was at Northern New Mexico College in El Rito, NM. I was part of the Fiber Arts program which focused on traditional Hispanic weaving styles.* Our final weaving project of the course was to weave a large Saltillo.
Last weekend while reorganizing my studio, I found my Saltillo on a shelf. It is beautiful. And it is completely unfinished.
Rebecca Mezoff, Hummingbird Saltillo, unfinished
It was unfinished because I met James Koehler and had a little crisis of direction. I knew I wanted to do contemporary European-style tapestry weaving after seeing his work. And being much younger back then and not being able to see that I could do both, I decided to leave the program and focus on contemporary techniques. In retrospect I wish I had finished the program and the Saltillo.
In the photo below you can see how far I got before I wove some waste and cut it off.
I am surprised at how beautiful this weaving is when I see it now. I spent a great deal of time sourcing the yarn which is churro raised in Northern New Mexico by Connie Taylor. At the time she had her own flock and had bred for 14 different colors of natural churro. Much of this weaving is natural churro yarn. The rose, blues, and orange were dyed by me using the dye knowledge I gained in the fiber arts program.
Aren’t these natural grays and browns gorgeous?! And I loved those chevron patterns. They were soothing and fun to weave.
The hummingbird motif in the piece was more complicated but I was pleased how it came out. I had two birds at the bottom of the piece and would have mirrored that at the top. And the central Saltillo diamond was ringed with small versions of those birds.
Perhaps one day I’ll go back to this design and finish it. I can no longer get this churro as Connie Taylor doesn’t have her flock any more. But there are other shepherds making wonderful wool that would be just as lovely.
Then again, going back isn’t usually the best choice. So for now I’ll appreciate how beautiful this thing I made over 20 years ago is and continue to cherish it as a reminder of the paths we choose and where they take us.
A much younger me with my very first rug at NNMCC. I was struggling with weft tension as you can see where the rug is going over the front beam in this photo.
*With thanks to Karen Martinez (weaving) and Leslie King (dyeing) for all your wonderful teaching that has made such a difference in my weaving life since.
The Fiber Arts program at NNMC is no longer in El Rito. You can take some classes at the main campus in Española as part of a continuing education program I believe. But this beautiful space full of walking looms is no more.