Tapestry Book by Barty Phillips

In the book Tapestry by Barty Phillips and published by Phaidon Press, Line's tapestry was featured in the Contemporary Masters section on page 188. The tapestry "Effervescent Ascent" was commissioned by John and Ann Galbraith. The dimesions of the tapestry are 5' x 3'.

Woven poncho

Apart from tapestries, I also weave handwoven fashion accessories that I sell at shows, exhibits, and stores. These include scarves, shawls, ponchos and capes. I teach all this with the Toronto District School Board's Continuing Education program which you can access at www.tdsb.on.ca . Classes run from Fall to the end of Spring, from beginners to Intermediate levels.

The life of an artisan is a challenging one. A large part of my time and my life has been dedicated to pursuing a rather medieval kind of life. Weaving is a very slow process and is quite a contrast to the fast pace of modern day life. Perhaps this is what I like about weaving. That it is slow. I recently discovered a great website that discusses many aspects of the what is now becoming a 'slow movement' at www.slowmovement.com. I think it is sort of a backlash to how fast we have to live our daily lives. It doens't allow us to savour many of the better moments.

Since deciding to commit myself to being a full time fibre artist and artisan, it has also been challenging to earn a living solely by this means. So, I try to do a number of things, all related and interconnected. I teach weaving, sell weaving supplies and equipment, I do craft/art shows, and participate in exhibitions. It can be difficult living with the financial uncertainty of being an artist and craftsperson but I just can't imagine living my life doing anything but what I am doing. Being an artist/artisan is a way of life. It is also about a certain quality of life that is not necessarily connected to how much money we make.