Tapestry Weaving

Emergence VIII: eventually you have to send your work on its way...

Emergence VIII: eventually you have to send your work on its way...

Yesterday I finally made the trip to FedEx where I shipped off my newest tapestry, Emergence VIII. I was surprised to find that I was a little shaky and sad when I got back in the car. Partly that was about entrusting this piece of art to the 19-year-old behind the counter. (In Marcus's defense, he was exceptionally professional, he helped me pack the piece extra well, and he made sure it was appropriately tracked and had to be signed for.) Partly it was that empty-loom syndrome and the need to take the next step forward and not being quite ready for it. 

The Tapestry Heart Project, #thetapestryheart

The Tapestry Heart Project, #thetapestryheart

Valentines days seems like a day to remember this particular struggle and maybe we should just admit we are human and start with showering loving attention on the people nearest to us. While I'm not a big fan of this ultra-commercialized "holiday", I do believe that humans need to come together on a heart level, now more than ever.

So this Valentine's day, join me in a little weaving project. Let's see if we can weave ourselves a community of understanding and have some fun in the process. Below I show you how I wove a little heart. At the end of the post you will find a link to download a PDF with instructions and a template for various size hearts.

A game of yarn chicken

A game of yarn chicken

I finished the piece today. Emergence VIII. Three panels, total size, 54 x 54 inches. Though really I should say I finished weaving the piece. There is still a great deal of work to be done before it is hanging in the client's home.

At some point yesterday I realized I might run out of one of the colors in the spiral. This almost never happens to me with weaving anymore. Because it used to happen a lot and now I dye much more yarn than I think I will need for a piece (see photo, right--yarn for this very piece). But I miscalculated a particularly wide spot in the spiral and there I was. 5 inches from the end with an amount of yarn that looked suspiciously slim.

Refusing to panic, I looked around for another ball of the missing yarn.

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Leaving the desert

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Leaving the desert

I had a marvelous month as artist-in-residence at Petrified Forest National Park. I learned so much about myself and making art, and was reminded again how much I love wandering around the desert. This place was perfect for that. I know many of you can't imagine not having trees, but there just aren't any there except in the bosque. That means you can see forever, and if you're paying attention, you can't get lost. So I walked and walked wherever I wanted and always found my way home again before dark. That also meant that any time I was near the bosque (where the water is when it rains), I scanned the cottonwoods incessantly for sleeping porcupines. One of the biologist interns saw three one day and I was determined. But alas, none were found by me.

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Go for a good wander

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Go for a good wander

My experience as artist-in-residence at Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona has been exceptional. There have been moments where I wished I had requested a different month--one which did not include an election which seems to have shaken this country to the core. But perhaps being in this amazing place while dealing with my feelings about the direction of this country and the world is a good thing after all. The many hours a day to hike, sketch, and wander without a goal is healing. My challenge as this residency comes to an end is to carry the spirit of those practices into my daily work.

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The healing power of nature... and some more little tapestries

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The healing power of nature... and some more little tapestries

I have been doing some intentional wandering since I got to the park. A lot of it actually. Usually when I wander, it is with a PLAN. This park has few trails and only a handful of suggested routes they offer people who seem capable of handling them. This is fantastic for the wandering spirit. I am allowed to wander almost anywhere I want to and I am taking advantage of that.

I am a peripatetic soul. I find solace in walking. I have not been a good wanderer. I like to have a plan and a few safety backups in my pocket. This particular place has taught me a lot about letting that go. . . .

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Artist-in-residence, Petrified Forest National Park

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Artist-in-residence, Petrified Forest National Park

I am the current artist-in-residence at Petrified Forest National Park. I earned this spot, but I can’t help but feel intensely grateful for the opportunity to be here. To be able to watch the sunset and the sunrise over the Painted Desert and bask in this quiet place is such a gift.

I have used my hiking superpowers to find places that are only vaguely noted on sketched maps and in printouts you might get a ranger to give you if he or she feels you are up to the challenge of cross-country, off-trail travel in rough terrain. I have sat on the top of remote mesas and watched the sun set while sketching hoodoos and mesas.

One of the things I wanted to do while here was a sort of tapestry diary. But instead of making one larger piece that I wove a little bit of every day, I wanted to make separate pieces. So I have woven a 2 x 2 inch mini-tapestry every day here so far. It has become something I look forward to… how will I translate something I saw into fiber?