With Fiona Hutchison: Thinking and Weaving
Detail of Jean Wyss’ Democracy Unravelled
The American Tapestry Alliance offered two post-Convergence workshops this summer in Knoxville, TN. Jennifer Sargent and Fiona Hutchison each taught a four-day workshop. I attended the workshop with Fiona along with 11 others from ATA.
I had signed up for this workshop over three years ago when it was first announced. Not knowing what to expect, but I was pretty sure that based on Fiona’s own work it would include lots of experimentation, texture, and form.
In the months before we met, the theme became clear: Thinking and Weaving: Tapestry Three Ways
On the first day, we began with partnering up and sharing a design we’d been asked to bring along with each other. My partner was Jean Wyss. We shared our designs and talked through how we might weave them- both what each of us had already been leaning toward and the fresh perspective from another person. Then Fiona went around the paired groups making suggestions of techniques to enhance the composition.
Jean’s original sketch along with notes of artists mentioned by Fiona during the workshop
Jean’s idea was exciting to me. She wanted to express the troubling feeling of Democracy unraveling. We talked about the different ways she might do this from weaving the disintegrated words to something more pictorial like breaking down the Statue of Liberty, which she had already begun to sketch out.
When Fiona made it to the two of us, she suggested her pulled warp technique for the unraveling of Lady Liberty’s flowing gown.
Jean Wyss
My design was one that’s re-surfaced from time to time in other blog posts and I felt I needed a new perspective. The sketch is from the Illinois Bundle Flower. It’s striking to me how seed pods take on the feel of another world and I suppose that’s what I wanted to express.
For mine, she encouraged relief techniques like wrapping.
I have to admit that I seemed to be more engrossed with Jean’s creation than mine at first, but slowly I began to play with the idea and different techniques.
My first sample with linens and nettle yarns. Twisting and supplemental warp.
We were encouraged to not only explore each others’ ideas and try different techniques, but also to use different materials than we normally would have.
My second sample showing some wrapping
Meanwhile, others were experimenting with new ways to work, too. You could hear bursts of excitement as the days progressed- how freeing this way of weaving was.
Some worked on the actual design they’d come with and others let themselves simply respond to the materials.
Two pieces by Liz Pulos
Angela Borneman
Notice that beautifully done one warp wrap above in Terri Bryson’s piece!
And Angela has some fabulous wrapping, shaping, and texture going on in her tapestry.
And as you can imagine, several were interested in trying the pulled warp strips that Fiona demonstrated and often uses in her own work.
Examples from (clockwise from upper left): Gail Thompson, Robbie LaFleur, Rocio Guillen, Susan Gangsei, and Betty Hilton-Nash.
Jean may have been the first to complete a small tapestry that actually reflected the original design. I was so excited for her that I took lots of pictures. I loved the way she not only tried the pulled warp technique, but also all the different materials she included in this piece.
We all gathered round as Fiona began to pull the warps.
Then we followed her out into the hallway as she demonstrated how effective the presentation can be when leaving all the warp threads dangling, something I certainly hadn’t considered.
The finished piece by Jean Wyss (excuse the poor quality image).
It was an intense 4 days.
The exciting part is often what comes later as we return to our homes and studios. I wrote to everyone to see if they’d done any more since the workshop and received these wonderful images from both Betty and Kristin.
Kristin Kelley-Munoz Pulled Rocks
Betty Hilton-Nash
Betty Hilton-Nash
I, myself, still have not tackled my Illinois Bundle Flower but some of the materials I was exposed to during the week did creep into another tapestry I had begun at home. The rounded forms in the weaving below are done with a paper yarn from Weaver House that I discovered at the workshop.
Thank you Fiona, and all of my fellow students!
It was wonderful sharing time with you!