Fashion as Art, Art as Fashion

A recent submission (above)  for the Fate, Destiny and Self Determination international (tapestry) installation is from Maite Tanguy . She has distinguished hereself in her weaving practice in Paris France for the last 10 years by creating art /fashion fabrics for Haute Couture such as Balenciaga, Christian Lacroix, Celine, Bouchra Jarrar, and Proenza Schouler. She enjoys these collaborations and describes them as robust and envigorating experiences but also challenging and demanding in terms of productivity. She has had numerous exhibitions in Latin America and has participated in "Artextures" , an exhibition of fibre art in France directed by Marie Francine Brochard. 

detail of  shape by Maite Tanguy

 She loves to travel and weave connection with others which she considers very important...weaving ...people and threads - the fibre that gives meaning to her life! In her 20s she acquired her skills at sewing fashionable clothes in Paris and at night she worked on her own creations, where she discovered her gift for colour and her passion for it. When she was unable to find the kinds of fabrics she wanted to sew, she decided that she had to weave her own in order to create the garments she imagined. When she was 30 her parents gave her a weaving loom and the process was an ecstatic experience and embarked in studying textiles and weaving at the atelier National d'Art Textile under Genevieve Dupeux. 

detail of shape by Maite Tanguy

Weaving for Maite is also about transmitting it to others and she has been giving classes for the last 30 years at workshops in Vanves, a suburb of Paris.

Winkles or periwinkles were a great source of creative inspiration for many of Maite's works. 

Maite says she loves fibre art because she loves to use it to share her stories and love for nature. After a rigorous spell of production fashion weaving she realized she needed more creative time, and time to express what was important to her. Marine life are great sources of inspiration for her work. 

Another important element for creative work is silence. She feels it nourishes her creativity, and helps her to release the flow of ideas, further  rejuvenating and revitalizing her in so many ways. Its all the sweeter when many opportunities like exhibitions, have resulted with her being true to her calling and direction and honouring what she needs to have her in life. 

Maite's website: http://arts-up.info/MBR/page_dediee/galerie.php?id=286

other websites featuring her work:

http://www.aiguille-en-fete.com/A-la-decouverte-de-Maite-Tanguy-creatrice-de-tissus-uniques-et-inspires_a1052.html

http://www.ateliersdeparis.com/pro.php?pro=911

Meanwhile back in the weaving class at the Toronto Weaving School, tapestry students have been impressing me immensely with their latest endeavours.

Gert Rogers created this lovely tapestry based on a photograph taken decades ago of her very fashionable sister. She framed the tapestry and will be giving it to her niece, her sister's daughter. 

Jamileh Emdadian just started taking my weaving classes only a few weeks ago and already she completed her sampler (which you saw in my last post). She created the design for this tapestry in a spontaneous way not working with a cartoon. 

Don't forget that the World of Threads fibre art exhibitions are going on in Oakville and they are opening this weekend. Check their website for all their locations.

Fashion as Art, Art as Fashion

A recent submission (above)  for the Fate, Destiny and Self Determination international (tapestry) installation is from Maite Tanguy . She has distinguished hereself in her weaving practice in Paris France for the last 10 years by creating art /fashion fabrics for Haute Couture such as Balenciaga, Christian Lacroix, Celine, Bouchra Jarrar, and Proenza Schouler. She enjoys these collaborations and describes them as robust and envigorating experiences but also challenging and demanding in terms of productivity. She has had numerous exhibitions in Latin America and has participated in "Artextures" , an exhibition of fibre art in France directed by Marie Francine Brochard. 

detail of  shape by Maite Tanguy

 She loves to travel and weave connection with others which she considers very important...weaving ...people and threads - the fibre that gives meaning to her life! In her 20s she acquired her skills at sewing fashionable clothes in Paris and at night she worked on her own creations, where she discovered her gift for colour and her passion for it. When she was unable to find the kinds of fabrics she wanted to sew, she decided that she had to weave her own in order to create the garments she imagined. When she was 30 her parents gave her a weaving loom and the process was an ecstatic experience and embarked in studying textiles and weaving at the atelier National d'Art Textile under Genevieve Dupeux. 

detail of shape by Maite Tanguy

Weaving for Maite is also about transmitting it to others and she has been giving classes for the last 30 years at workshops in Vanves, a suburb of Paris.

Winkles or periwinkles were a great source of creative inspiration for many of Maite's works. 

Maite says she loves fibre art because she loves to use it to share her stories and love for nature. After a rigorous spell of production fashion weaving she realized she needed more creative time, and time to express what was important to her. Marine life are great sources of inspiration for her work. 

Another important element for creative work is silence. She feels it nourishes her creativity, and helps her to releasing the flow of ideas and creativity, further  rejuvenating and revitalizing her in so many ways. Its all the sweeter when many opportunities like exhibitions, have resulted with her being true to her calling and direction and honouring what she needs to have her in life. 

Maite's website: http://arts-up.info/MBR/page_dediee/galerie.php?id=286

other websites featuring her work:

http://www.aiguille-en-fete.com/A-la-decouverte-de-Maite-Tanguy-creatrice-de-tissus-uniques-et-inspires_a1052.html

http://www.ateliersdeparis.com/pro.php?pro=911

Angers France

Bernard Ossant, Angers France

 Bernard Ossant, Angers France

 Bernard Ossant, Angers France

Bernard Ossant, Angers France

Bernard Ossant, Angers France

Angers
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Angers,+France/@47.4693174,-0.5584895,2a,37.5y,331.17h,109.36t,357.7r/data=!3m5!1e4!3m3!1s15744416149321321357!2e3!3e9!4m2!3m1!1s0x480878da00e58e9d:0x40d37521e0d9c30!6m1!1e1

300 km southwest of Paris, Angers was once the capital of the Anjou region. It's  medieval centre is dominated by the Plantagenêts Château d'Angers, and is considered a world heritage site.  
Bernard Ossant recently sent me five more shapes for the international tapestry installation Fate, Destiny and Self-Determination/le sort, le destin et l'auto-determination. He is from around Angers in France. Angers is a mecca for many tapestry weavers all over the world. If you are in the region visit the Musee Jean Lurcat and the Contemporary Tapestry Gallery connected to it. http://musees.angers.fr/langues-etrangeres/english/musee-jean-lurcat-et-de-la-tapisserie-contemporaine/the-site/index.html 
You must also see the Apocolypse Tapestries at the Chateau   d'Angers. http://www.travelfranceonline.com/apocalypse-tapestry-angers-jean-lurcat/

EXHIBITIONS

New York, New York!

Grand Design: Pieter Coecke van Aelst and Renaissance Tapestry
The Metropolistan Museum of Art, New York
October 8 2014 - January 11 2015
1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street)
New York, NY 10028
Phone: 212-535-7710 
(TTY: 212-650-2921)

"Nineteen extraordinarily large Renaissance tapestries adorn the walls of Grand Design: Pieter Coecke van Aelst and Renaissance Tapestry. These pieces, measuring between twelve and thirty feet in length, weigh an average of one hundred pounds, and they took two weeks to install in the exhibition gallery. During the Renaissance, large tapestries hung from metal hooks and ropes, but today, with an eye toward preserving and protecting these delicate pieces, the Museum's Department of Textile Conservation utilizes a special hanging method that minimizes the risk of damage to the tapestries. The video above captures the process of hanging the Gluttony tapestry (one piece from a seven-piece series depicting the Seven Deadly Sins, designed by Pieter Coecke around 1532–34), now on display in the exhibition...." read more here: http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2014/grand-design/blog/posts/hanging-the-tapestries

The Cloisters museum and gardens  opened to the public in 1938 and is affiliate with The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe. Located in northern Manhattan, on a four-acre lot overlooking the Hudson River, the modern museum building inspired by medieval European architecture Here can also be found many reproductions of medieval tapestries. Worth a visit if you are visiting New York.  
http://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-museum/history-of-the-museum/the-cloisters-museum-and-gardens 

From Lausanne to Beijeing fibre art exhibiton: http://art.china.cn/huodong/node_544071.htm

At the ROM http://www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries
Islamic Textiles 
http://www.rom.on.ca/en/activities-programs/events-calendar/cairo-under-wraps-lecture-series

Textile Museum of Canada, 55 Centre St, Toronto
http://www.textilemuseum.ca/
From Ashgabat to Istanbul: Oriental Rugs from Canadian Collections
http://www.textilemuseum.ca/apps/index.cfm?page=exhibition.detail&exhId=363

214 Shapes, 153 people and 18 countries

More shapes continue to come in for the Fate, Destiny and Self-Determination international tapestry project. We now have 214 shapes to date. Here are the most recent and a chance view some of their work. 

Janet Clark from West Yorkshire, UK writes: "I am very impressed at this project - the idea that it is an international weaving project - weavers from all over the world participating in it, is wonderful and heart-warming. A very welcome project for those of us who want to be friends with everyone!" Janet wove with raffia - a material she enjoys working with. You can see her lovely work at www.janetclark.co.uk.

Jennifer Bennett UK

Jennifer Bennet UK

Jennifer Bennett UK

Jennifer Bennett UK

Jennifer Bennet UK

Jennifer Bennett writes: " Thank you for extending your invitation to contribute to the already successful exhibition....I had missed the original call due to weaving full time in a professional studio. Since then I have been unable to weave due to illness. So cal it Fate, but this opportunity came to me just at the right moment when I decided it was in my Destiny to keep on weaving! Self-Determination kept me going right to the end even after false starts and while it was incredibly painful to weave. I wove each shape from both Australian and Swedish wools; recycled Indian sari silk and Swedish cotton and linen mix wefts all with a cotton warp. All these fibres reflect parts of my own mixed heritage and the colours reflect my passion for medieval art. So thank you very much for everything that this experience has taught me and for the wonderful idea of bringing together weavers from all over the world. " Jennifer does not have a website.

Karen Miller from Ottawa, Ontario Canada. She has a facebook page: www.facebook.com/marzipanroad. She does hooked rug art.

Lindsey Marshall says: "Thanks for the opportunity to be involved in your innovative, evolving project." www.lindseymarshalldesign.com. Lindsey used cotton in both warp and weft.

Sandra Briney is from Arizona, USA. www.sbweavingdesigns.com.

The Path of a Thread

In the summer I was grateful to have a few weeks to work quietly in the studio on developing my ideas.  Creativity is a process, not just an impulsive and spontaneous act. There are different stages of the creative process. It starts with  a flash of insight or idea, most often connected with something that is going on in my life. Often it can be stress. Other times, it can be triggered by new material or techniques I am learning. At this stage, I'll quickly scribble ideas - drawings, paintings, collages and/or words. If I like the result they will remain in view or in my sketchbook. I'll look at them periodically. Then there is the incubation stage, where the idea has to mature, and where I am subconsciously resolving technical issues that come with trying to manifest the idea. This period can sometimes take years....even decades. If the idea is a good one it will persist, it will be tenacious and will  not relinquish me. At some point, like a chrysalis, the idea matures and I develop it further, as I was ready to do in August. I had the luxury of having uninterrupted time, of having few commitments to restrain me during this limited period of time, to polish the ideas that were hatching, nourished now by years of experience, learning and practice. There was a big aha moment at the end of this creative foray. Not earth shattering by any means but hard to see when our lives our too busy, too fast....not time for thinking, reflecting or feeling as we feel ourselves absorbed and consumed by our smartphones and the internet - swallowing us whole as it were. In this interval I disconnected from it all and it was wonderful to reconnect to my own authentic thoughts. Thinking became like knitting rows or weaving wefts....one thread of thoughts lead to another thread of thoughts and it was such an exciting place to be, full of wonder and possibilities. On this theme of thread of thoughts are lines....these  thought lines are not straight but meander here and there forming their own unique path. This theme of line and thread echoes again in two articles I wrote for Fibre Focus: The Woven Path: Nieves Carrasco and a book review which features line as its central element (see bottom of page.) which you can obtain from me or by joining the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners. 

EXHIBITIONS
NEW DIRECTIONS: A JURIED EXHIBITION OF THE TEXTILE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
September 13, 2014 – January 4, 2015
Craft & Folk Art Museum (CAFAM)
Los Angeles, CA
In Conjunction with the 2014 Symposium, New Directions: Examining the Past, Creating the Future
TSA is please to announce that the 2014 Biennial Symposium, New Directions: Examining the Past, Creating the Future,  will feature our first juried exhibition, hosted by Los Angeles’ Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM). The symposium theme explores change and innovation in textiles in the past while exploring the state of the field of textiles, textile study, production and creativity; today and for the future. Following this broad theme, the exhibition—the opening of which will be celebrated on the final day of the conference sessions–includes the work of TSA members from around the world whose practices draw on textile materials, techniques, or knowledge, widely defined. Nineteen works from established and emerging artists were selected from more that 400 submissions from 159 artists internationally.
 http://textilesocietyofamerica.org/tsa_symposium/symposia-2014/juried-exhibition/

American Tapestry Biennial 10
September 25, 2014 - January 4, 2015. “ - Kent State University Museum, Kent, OH. 
Opening reception: September 25 2014. http://www2.kent.edu/museum/exhibits/exhibitdetail.cfm?customel_datapageid_2203427=3838396

UNIQUE  Rohsska Museum in Sweden:  - http://rohsska.se/en/814/

World of Threads - Oakville November 2014

Janet Austen  discovered some medieval tapestries in Switzerland. Read all about it on her blog: http://www.austintapestry.blogspot.ca/

TAPESTRY  INITIATIVES
Bernard Ossant from Angers, France writes: 
"I admire your international tapestry installation [Fate, Destiny and Self Determination] even more now that I am participating in this community tapestry initiative that is taking place in Rochefort sur Loire, a community close to Angers. The design of the tapestry is inspired by a child's drawing and each week inhabitants in the community are welcome to participate in weaving it. Sandrine Pincemaille, the creator and manager of the project, is a designer, weaver and teacher at  l’école des Beaux Arts [in Angers]. I bring my modest contribution to the project. I ensure that what is woven adheres to the images of the cartoon and I am attaching a link to view a video of the project in progress. You can also go to the website [and like their facebook page - the link to it is on the fb page for Toronto Weaving School]. 
Link to video: https://www.dropbox.com/s/th69jkju7y6bwst/c'est%20bien%20parti%20!.wmv?dl=0
Link to website: http://grandetapisserie.canalblog.com/

BOOKS, ARTICLES AND GOOD IDEAS

 

I recently reviewed a book that  came out on tapestry weaving, You can read the review in "Fibre Focus", the quarterly publication put out by the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners. Order your copy today! Contact me at linedufour.tapestry@gmail.com. In it, there are numerous articles on weaving, spinning, felting, dyeing. Be introduced to the vibrant and exciting fibre community in Ontario! 

 No ordinary sampler! Jamileh Emdadian wove her beginner sampler in record time. 3 weeks (most take the whole term!). I love that she added her own tassel embellishments. 

Debbie Harris took a kilim rug workshop. Included was this clever idea for a frame loom. Easy to build yourself. Debbie has donated it for the next draw for the Toronto Weaving School. 

Christine Shipley brought this to the last weaving class. A fork can be used to beat the weft down while weaving tapestry. Here, a fellow guild member had participants ornament their beater forks with wrapped yarn. 

CALL FOR ENTRY

SMALL TAPESTRY INTERNATIONAL 4: HONORING TRADITION, INSPIRING INNOVATION 
 Entry Deadline:  October 31, 2014 
Enter the 4th edition of ATA's premier exhibition of small format tapestry. Entry deadline: October 31, 2014. More information. Online Entry. Questions? Email Exhibition Chair, Pamela Done. www.americantapestryalliance.org 

MEMBERSHIPS
Canadian Tapestry Network https://www.facebook.com/canadiantapestrynetwork
American Tapestry Alliance: www.americantapestryalliance.org  
Craft Ontario http://www.craftontario.com/
Ontario Handweavers and Spinners

Expanding Opportunities

Fate, Destiny and Self-Determination/le sort le destin et l'auto-determination: an international tapestry installation. 

More about it's journey....

Here we are setting up the exhibition at Craft Ontario 990 Queen Street West Toronto. from left to right Agota Dolinay, Janna Hiemstra (the curator of Craft Ontario), Donna Kim (Edge of Your Seat) and Aruna Ready, who came from the UK to join us during the exhibition of the project. Figuring where we'll be putting things on the wall. 

Starting to place the panels and shapes in their positions

Aruna Ready, Agota Dolinay and Donna Kim. 

The project completely installed in the gallery

On the other side of the tapestry installation, the names of each contributor and participant is listed. 

A table with small frame looms were made available so that visitors to the gallery could weave a shape. On the right, a slide show featuring all the people who contributed to weaving and finishing the panels, as well as some process shots of how contributors wove their shapes. 

The opening reception for Fate, Destiny and Self Determination. About 100 guests for the opening. 

Aruna Ready came from the UK to be here for the exhibit and take a few tapestry classes with me. She will be writing an article for the British Tapestry Group newsletter about her experience here and with the tapestry installation. 

Fate, Destiny and Self-Determination is an ongoing project and you can still participate by weaving a shape. For more information please contact me at linedufour.tapestry@gmail.com. Everytime the installation is exhibited more names will be added to the list of participants. Recently the project was featured in Hand/Eye magazine: http://handeyemagazine.com/category/terms/textile/weaving

Recently, Joe Lewis also released a review of the exhibition entitled: Re-dressing the Wall and you can go to his fibreQuarterly newsletter to read about it.  http://fibrequarterly.blogspot.ca/2014/10/re-dressing-wall.html. 

These two delicately woven shapes were created by Cos Ahmet from the UK. To see more of his work go to www.cos-ahmet.co.uk. 

Cos wrote: "Just heard that two of my tapestry works have been selected for British Tapestry Group's next show Woven Art 14. The works were selected by artist/ weaver  & curator Hillu Liebelt and happy with the ones she's selected which will be included at the Knit & Stitch Shows in London & Harrogate (in the north)."

Suzanne Mitchell

Brantford ON.

Cambridge Handweavers and Spinners Guild

 Alex Friedman, California USA

www.alexfriedmantapestry.com

Alex Friedman , California USA

More Tapestry

Debbie Harris was inspired by this Georgia O'Keefe painting of a sunflower. She interpreted in her own visual language. She had it framed at   Picture It Framed, 3071 Dundas St W (at Quebec), 416-762-1221. The owner, Pat Schnurr did the framing.

Tapestry Exhbitions

The Art of the Cloth

One of my tapestries, Divine Intervention, is part of a touring exhibition, launching at the New Hampshire Institute of Art, October 8, its opening reception. It will travel to other venues in the US.

http://www.surfacedesign.org/events/art-cloth

AMERICAN TAPESTRY BIENNIAL 10

ATB 10 opens at Kent State University Museum on September 25, 2014 and runs until January 4, 2015. From 118 artists who submitted 230 tapestries, Juror  Jessica Hemmings, Professor of Visual Culture and Head of the Faculty of Visual Culture at the National College of Art & Design, Dublin chose 37 tapestries. Opening reception: September 25, 2014.

Community Threads Tapestries

are now on exhibition at the Dufferin County Museum until November 9 2014, hosted by the Stitches Across Time fibre art exhibition, which you can also still see. For more information go to http://www.stitchesacrosstime.com/. 

Woven Together 

You are invited to visit the upcoming exhibit of tapestries by members of Tapestry Weavers South, to be held at the Library Technology Center, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega campus, Dahlonega, Georgia, USA. The exhibit will be from October 1-31 and open during the library hours as posted on this web page: http://ung.edu/libraries/about/hours.php

A reception will be held on October 8 at 5:30 in the Library Technology

Center and will be followed by an artist talk by Joan Baxter, who will be

in Dahlonega to hold a workshop for TWS.

The exhibit will have tapestries by over twenty members of TWS, and several

tapestries by invited artists Joan Baxter, Silvia Heyden,and Jon Eric Riis.

The website for Tapestry Weavers South is http://tapestryweaverssouth.org

We hope to see you there! If you can't make it to the reception but come

to Dahlonega at another time to see the exhibit, please give me an email

and stop by my studio, if you can -- tommyescanlin@gmail.com

Call for entry

Call for entry mini textiles art

http://americantapestryalliance.org/exhibitions/small-tapesty-international/small-tapestry-international-4-honoring-tradition-inspiring-innovation/

Tapestry workshops

Mary Zicafose 

http://americantapestryalliance.org/education/workshops/new-stories-tapestry-and-ikat-techniques-for-weavers/

The American Tapestry Alliance announces a new workshop. You are invited to attend a four-day intensive tapestry workshop led by Nebraska weaver Mary Zicafoose, who will be sharing the foundational elements of her art/weaving practice. Instruction will focus on:
Mary’s signature tapestry and weft faced ikat embellishment process
Discussion of elements of scale and the development of design
Instruction in wool & silk dye process
Finishing techniques for exhibition and sale

Big Cat Textiles Workshops in Scotland http://textilecentre.co.uk/

FOR SALE 

Tissart 60" tapestry loom for sale. Contact Madeleine Brazeau. at 647 385 7741 or email zeauma@gmail.com.