More Soumak in Tapestry
Detail of all-over, or sometimes called Structural Soumak technique
Last week, I wrote about the Soumak technique and how I use it in my tapestries. I briefly explained the different types of Soumak and noted which ones I use.
This week I promised to explore a different way of implementing the Soumak technique in tapestry. This is the all-over or Structural Soumak method. Two artists that I know to use this technique - taking it to that next level - are David Johnson and Rob Bell. They both gave me permission to include their images here.
David Johnson
David Johnson has been weaving since the 70’s and is well-known for his tapestries and his teaching. His website has some wonderful examples of this technique in the detail photos of larger pieces. Click on Pictorial Tapestries for the pieces done with the Soumak technique. Below is a detail from “Transformation”. It shows the stitches more clearly and you begin to see how they were formed.
David Johnson, Detail from “Transformation”
Another piece I found on his facebook page is this one. What a riot of color and texture!
Soumak detail from David Johnson
Rob Bell
I discovered Rob Bell on instagram and later facebook. Being drawn to the Soumak technique, the texture jumped out at me and his posts on the progression of this piece pulled me even deeper in. Take a look at either his facebook or instagram feeds and you will see wonderful works-in-progress photos.
Rob Bell landscape
Detail of Rob Bell’s work in progress (from his instagram account)
Pretty spectacular, yes?
I have not personally experimented much with this technique, but if you’re looking for adding more texture to your weavings, this is an easy technique to do. And as you can see in these samples, it lends itself perfectly to color blending, too!
There is one more tapestry artist whose work I admire and uses the Soumak technique I feel I should mention.
Mette Lise Rössing
The photo here is “Under the Earth - With Commentary”. It is from an exhibit on the American Tapestry Alliance website, Over the Sea, Under the Sky: Contemporary Danish Tapestry, in which she was included. Take a look at her other tapestries there along with the other artists.
She has also written a book, The Threads Course in Tapestry, which shows many variations of Soumak among other tapestry techniques. It’s a wonderful resource!
Are you inspired?
I hope so!
If you know of other tapestry artists using Soumak in this manner, please let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!