Next stop... the Waterline exhibit!
From hills above Sedbergh, where we stayed during the masterclass and exhibit
Continuing my travels from last fall… I’ve been building up to this post for the past couple of months. The original reason I traveled to the UK and Scotland was for this section of the trip. To meet up with fellow collaborators of the Waterline project in Sedbergh, UK where the exhibit was opening on October 5th.
Where do I even begin? I don’t want to do a day-by-day account of each day there (although trust me, aside from the day I isolated myself with a head cold, every day was pretty eventful!)
Some of us (6 directly from the Scotland road trip) arrived in Sedbergh Sunday evening before the exhibit was to be hung on Tuesday, and the Masterclass on Transparency was to begin on Wednesday. This gave us some time to explore the town nestled into stunning views …
After we had scouted out provisions for the week, a few of us met up the first day and decided to walk along the river to the building where the exhibit would be hung, Farfield Mill. It was closed on Monday and Tuesday, but we didn’t care. We wanted to get to know the area and begin to orient ourselves to the surroundings.
We walked along a narrow path which led to gate after gate through calming scenery of grazing sheep and stunning views.
Next day, we did it all over again. This time for the installation and to offer help in any way we could. Joan and Anna had the hanging covered but there were still some things to arrange. We tried as much to help as to stay out of the way!
Anna adjusting the tapestries
I won’t go into detail into the masterclass with Joan (Baxter) on transparency, which began the following day after the installation - not because it wasn’t amazing, but because I missed a good part of it due to coming down with a “head cold” the night before it began. I don’t have much to show for it, other than a design inspiration photo I took from the bathroom stall. (I spent quite a bit of time in this stall- sneezing, coughing, you get the idea. Trying to keep from exposing anyone else.) I do think it’s a beautiful image, though, and I will probably attempt to weave it some day.
My design inspiration for the workshop
After a full day of this, I was feeling pretty defeated and decided to skip the second day and nurse myself in solitude so that I could enjoy the rest of the trip. It was a wise choice; I was in better shape for the last day and the rest of the events to come.
On to the exhibit!
And back to … where do I even begin?
Meet the Maker is the UK version of artist reception, the official opening reception for the exhibit. It was the day after the workshop ended. We all gathered there early to take photos of ourselves in front of our tapestries. Or photos of our neighbors on either side. Looking back, we were all pretty giddy, I think.
Some of the artists brought supporting work to travel with the show. Christine Paine’s was a stand-out. She displayed her concertina journal documenting her piece. Others brought photographs, sketches, and samples.
Christine Paine with her concertina journal.
Truth is, I can’t find the words to explain how exhilarating it was to gather together- all but 3 of the 16 people involved were able to make it to Sedbergh that week. (And we missed you, Jenny Heard, Janet Moore, and Angela Forte!) What made this so special was that we had all gotten to know each other and formed relationships- bonds- over those 6 plus months of monthly zoom meetings and email communications. Most of us had never met in person. I, for one, had not met ANY of the others in person before this trip.
From left to right: Katerine West, Minna Rothman, Irene Evison, Yonat Michaelov, Christine Paine, Anita Bruce, myself, Veronique VanZealand, Christine Rivers, and Kati Pakkai. Sadly, Joan Baxter and Anna Wetherell were not present due to illness that day.
Want to see a video of the opening? Filmed by Anita Bruce. Watch “Waterline Meet the Artists.”
And the good news is it’s not over yet. Waterline will be traveling! Next stop is planned for the Gairloch Museum in the North West Highlands of Scotland during July and August! Check with Nearly Wild Weaving for details. I hear they’re also planning another masterclass with Joan during the exhibit.