Here we go! Up close and personal!

I’ve been preparing for the Holiday Art Market this past week (month) at our community arts center, in Manhattan, KS. The locals will know this show as “Wrap it Up” which began 26 years ago as an annual fundraiser for the Manhattan Arts Center. At that time, I used to participate as a knitwear designer showing my one-of-a-kind art-to-wear pieces. Those days are long gone and I applied to exhibit a few years ago with tapestry as my medium.

I was surprised to see how much the exhibit had grown over the years I had stepped away! So many more (regional) artists represented and so many more works included in the two galleries. Probably as a result of this growth, some changes were made this year. One being the obvious name change (cutting out the need for volunteers to wrap purchases as they sold). I believe it’s also intended to be a combing period where those that sell more are represented more. Reading between the lines, I find myself wondering if this might be a start of a new submission process, too? Possibly moving to an invitational?? Could be my last year???

In addition, I read that there is an online presence planned for this year where chosen pieces and artists (again those that have historically sold well) will be represented with online purchasing options.

Having been so involved in the process of getting these ready to exhibit, it seemed appropriate to write about and share them here. Plus, it also gives me a record to look back on.

Many of these pieces are part of my Prairie Songs or Colors series, which continues to grow. Not all make the cut, but I do enjoy weaving little (what I call) “woodles” in the evenings. Seven out of eleven of these tapestries are less than 5” x 5”, the size that works well for me to sit comfortably (often with a cat on my lap) as I wind down for the night. It’s also a good size for this show for several reasons; the main one being price.

The next 3 weavings below are a little older, some of the earlier works that I went back into this year and embellished. They were each woven with just two colors blended into each other. Then I added some stitching and French Knots to the surface with beautifully dyed colors of cotton floss from Weeks Dye Works.

I had toyed with that idea since the beginning but kept pushing the notion aside, keeping to the simplicity or purity of the blending.

Most of these small works are woven with two solid colors of EPiC yarn, 5 strands in a bundle in a color blending technique that has become integral to my work. The piece below is with Gist Yarns, “Array”, same method.

Occasionally, I will also do these small pieces in response to a larger tapestry I have planned. Sometimes to help me visualize the colors; sometimes the mood. Like Rain Falling and Prairie.Jan.1. are both studies for larger pieces (linked here and here).

Nature Nuanced was purely intuitive play.

And the last two shown here are a couple of larger pieces - and older - pieces that I’ve been hesitant to sell in the past. They are both great samples for when I teach my Soumak class in-person. For those unfamiliar with my work, neither of these pieces were embellished after. The bits that look like embroidery are woven into the tapestry as it progresses using various Soumak techniques.

In case you’re interested, my smaller pieces are stitched to archival matte board and displayed in simple wooden frames for this show. These last two pieces are stitched onto linen fabric that has been stretched across stretcher frames. You can read more about Roots here and Soumak Sumacs here.

If you’re interested in attending the show or purchasing any of these works, the show Opening is December 1st from 1-4pm and it closes on December 22. For more information, please check the website.

Disclaimer: While I did tidy up these pieces before photographing, I can see a stray hair or two from my beloved aforementioned cat, Mokey, in a couple of the images. Please disregard; they were removed before dropping off at the gallery. 😊