Tiny But Mighty: Beginnings

The Tiny But Mighty exhibit was in Knoxville, TN in conjunction with Convergence this summer. This was the biennial un-juried small format show for members of American Tapestry Alliance. One hundred thirty eight small tapestries hung at the Emporium Gallery from July 1-29th . The emphasis this year was in “new approaches to design, materials and/or techniques in creating a small tapestry.”

This exhibit has a history that dates back to 1996 and has occurred every two years since. The show gives all members a chance to exhibit; beginners as well as master weavers. It can be a thrilling experience for any weaver who has not previously shown their work. And a gentle learning experience for those that are interested in showing. The size restrictions were that the work could be no larger than 10 inches by 10 inches. 

The original description in the call for work was:

“Individuals and groups are invited to create tapestries based on the theme “Tiny But Mighty” which aims to showcase the visual and textural richness of tapestry. To help promote these qualities, ATA encourages the use of other weave structures such as twill, basket weave, etc. and/or the inclusion of knots such as raya or raya loops, halfhitch or double half hitch etc. While using these techniques are not mandatory, it allows for more experimentation for those wishing to push beyond plain weave. Participants may also choose to incorporate found objects or other fiber techniques such as embroidery in the work.” 

In other words, I took this to mean pushing boundaries, for those with the urge to break away from more traditional methods.

That’s the background; on to the tapestries!

Ellen Ramsey, Orange Square, 10” x 10”; photo credit Ellen Ramsey

Margo Macdonald, Grid Unraveling, 6” x 6”

Tapestry Artists of Puget Sound (TAPS) had eight - all wonderful - entries based on their theme, “Grid”. 

The two above are from Ellen Ramsey and Margo Macdonald. These were two that I came back to over and over again. When I think of the Grid, I think Geometric. The opposite of what I’m drawn to normally. However, shaking it up a bit as Ellen did in her Orange Square and Margo in Grid Unraveling is super appealing. Giving the Grid some movement and letting it dance. They are both so full of energy.

And speaking of pushing boundaries…

Margaret Bennett, Mary Exelby, Leslie Fox, Jean Hall, Gill Lightfoot, Sarah Lowe, Sally Reckert, Becky Sunter, Jane Riley, Jane Walkley, Julia Wilkins, Lichens, 10” x 10” x 2”

Lichens was the collaborative work of 11 artists from the Darlington Weaving Rooms group. This work was particularly intriguing to me because - for one- I’m fascinated by lichens - and another- the amount of effort put into one 10 inch by 10 inch (by 2 inch!) work. There’s a riot of materials: nettle, silk, linen, wire, camel for starters - used in even more techniques including hand-casting with Jesmonite, a material I’d never heard of. In case you haven’t, either, it’s described as a “lightweight eco-alternative to concrete” in the catalog.

Kati Paakki, Señor Paco, 7.7” x 7.7” x .25”; photo credit Kati Paakki

Another unusual technique that caught my eye was in Kati Paakki’s piece, Señor Paco. She wrote that this piece was an experiment on tapestry and Hardanger embroidery (pulled thread).

Holly Wilkes, Let the Colors Go Where They May, 7.5” x 7.5” x .25”

Holly Wilkes’ tapestry, Let the Colors Go Where They May, was another favorite of mine, using a wrapping technique. It has an eloquent quality that vibrates with energy. I like where those colors went!

Terry Olson, Still Life, 9.5” x 10” x 1”

Terry Olson’s Still Life absolutely glowed from across the gallery. Something I strive to achieve in my own work. It fascinated me that I could stand so far away and this little weaving had such a presence. Hers was part of the Damascus Fiber Arts School (the theme was “Yellow”), one of the largest groups represented. Or maybe I should say the group with the largest representation. I’ll share more of their work in a later post.

Most of the weavers above may already be familiar to you. What I love in this show is that it encourages those who have never exhibited before. The following artists, I was surprised to learn, fall into that category.

Judy Harcus, From a Tiny Seedling a Mighty Tree Will Grow, 9.75” x 7.75” x 1”; photo credit Judy Harcus

Judy exhibited with the Tapestry Weavers from Vancouver Islands (TAPIS). Their theme was “From a Tiny Seed”. When I wrote to Judy to ask for a better image than I had taken, I was amazed to learn she’s been weaving for a relatively short time. There’s so much going on in this piece and it’s so beautifully done. She’s added other materials to the surface, incorporating them into the rest of the more traditionally woven piece very effectively. She’s created extra relief with the shaped seedling by adding wire behind it to make it stand out and away from the weaving. In addition, the embroidery accents of the roots on the seedling echo the roots of the tree and those little rock-like beads are wonderful.

Annie Landry, Angry Fish, 10” x 7.5”

Annie’s piece continued to baffle me. Another one I kept coming back to. It’s a powerful piece, both in the content and the execution. Angry Fish looks like a traditionally woven tapestry on the bottom half of the piece, but how the heck did she do that top net-like section? She not only told me how she did it, but sent some fabulous progress shots, worthy of a post in itself. Check out her IG to see more.

The catalog will be available October 1st on the ATA website. No worries; I’ll remind you in my weekly newsletter and future blog posts in case you didn’t have a chance to see it in person. The image quality in the catalog is exceptional. Special thanks go to the editorial team of Lindsey Marshall, JoEl LoGuidice, and Mathew Lord. And to David Heustess, Director of Exhibits for ATA, for his push to initiate this show.

I heard many positive comments about the show from tapestry weavers that were already pushing boundaries in their work and/or those that didn’t feel like they belonged because they didn’t follow the traditional road. The Tiny But Mighty ATA exhibit this summer felt like the start of something big. Maybe even a new era for those of us weaving tapestries. One of inclusion, exploration, and pushing the boundaries.

These are just a short selection of many wonderful tapestries. As I did with the Renditions exhibit two years ago, I hope to show more in the weeks to come. To be continued…