I mentioned my trip to Vancouver Island in my last post.

I met Terry Gerard and Christine Rivers through our participation in the Waterline project. First on zoom meetings and later in-person. You can read some of the previous blog posts or check out the page on the Nearly Wild Weaving site. Basically, 15 of us joined together to create an exhibit in which each of us designed a weaving based on our own personal rivers.

Left to Right: Terry Gerard and Christine Rivers in front of their Waterline tapestries.

Most of us (I think there were 12 in all) were able to go to the first showing of Waterline at Fairfield Mill in Sedbergh, UK. It was on this trip that I met Terry and Christine in person. They are both big walkers so we ended up “pal-ing” up and as the trip moved from one location to another, we became closer. It was hard to say goodbye in Edinburgh!

So when I realized how easy it would be to visit them from Seattle (where my daughter had just moved to) I jumped on it. Terry and her husband, Dean, were so willing and accommodating for my stay: they not only offered their home but they also picked me up from Victoria where my ferry landed. It was about a 2 hour drive from their home in Duncan. Christine joined us later the same day and in my 4-day stay, we enjoyed many walks together throughout the week (and visiting with other tapestry artists, too).

They were both eager to introduce me to their rivers. And I was equally eager to meet them!

The real treat for me, though, was not just the rivers, but seeing their work. I had only had glimpses of other pieces they’d done in the past. Visiting each one in their homes gave me the opportunity to ogle over their years of weavings hanging on their walls.

I had seen very little of Terry’s tapestries, but was so inspired by them. I especially enjoyed those on the top row below. All those tiny little shapes in the bark- and the field! Those are slits; I’d never seen slits used in this way. I think I remember her telling me this was her first tapestry. I couldn’t stop looking at either one. I don’t have titles and sizes here, but thinking back, I’d guess the one on the left is maybe 12” wide? and the other closer to 20-24” - at least that gives you an idea.

Terry isn’t on social media so this was truly a rare treat to get to view her work. She had shared the photo of Leonard (Cohen) with me after the Waterline exhibit when we discovered our mutual love for him and his music. The image I share here was a quick photo as it hung on the wall; I was unable to get an even shot so forgive the skew. And the large piece on bottom right is on her recently acquired Shannock. It’s quite different; a piece she’s doing from a grand daughter’s drawing.

When we spent one night at Christine’s, I also got to see her studio and work, too. I was much more familiar with hers; I had used several of her pieces when I was writing my Elements course (come to think of it, I’m pretty sure there is one of Terry’s in that class, too). I wish I had photographed entire walls at Christine’s because that’s where many, many(!) tapestries were on view on nearly every wall. Except her studio where she weaves (shown below).They were challenging to photograph on the wall as they were hanging, so I’m including images below of files I already had for my class. I don’t think Christine would mind!

I do have some information on a few of these. The one on the far right above is titled “Many Ferns.” I used it and the one below in my course to demonstrate several different techniques in one piece.

Below are “Fern Forest” and “Northcoast Reflections.”

It was a very special and memorable four days with two very special women. One I know I’ll reflect on often.

Visiting Terry Gerard and Christine Rivers on Vancouver Island