Merry Christmas

tapestry2008 wishes everyone a very Happy Christmas, safe holidays and a wonderful 2010, full of weaving!

The tapestry2008 blog will continue into 2010 so please forward any information to share about exhibitions, workshops and just general information that is of interest to the tapestry community at large.

Recent Museum Acquisitions of Wissa Wassef Art Centre Tapestries‏

Dashour Lake by Sayed Mahmoud

Egyptian Landscape by Ali Selim

RAMSES WISSA WASSEF ART CENTRE, EGYPT

Following the great success of the summer exhibition of Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre tapestries at "Nature in Art Trust", Wallsworth Hall, Gloucestershire, The Ramses Wissa Wassef Exhibition Trust is very proud to announce that the following museums have acquired large tapestries for their collections:

The British Museum

The Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester

Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery

The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter

In addition to the recent acquisitions listed here, tapestries are also held in the collections of The National Museum of Scotland, The Petrie Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum.

The representation of the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre tapestries in UK museums is something of which the Wissa Wassef weavers can be very proud.

To read about and see pictures of the acquisitions go to: Wissa Wassef
WISSA WASSEF

WEAVERAMA

Victorian Tapestry Workshop, Melbourne.
October 2009

Workshop weaving is a demanding 9-5pm job where weavers interpret the works of artists through highly skilled, labor intensive and artistically demanding processes.
However, this exhibition gives us a window into the personal creative practices of the weavers in their own time, after workshop hours.
Sue Walker, founding director of the Victorian Tapestry Workshop, always maintained that the weavers were all artists in their own right. Their talents were obvious in the translations from artworks by other artists into woven tapestries, but their own artwork was seldom displayed in the workshop. This exhibition validates her statement by showing the diverse range of artistic practices of weavers and other staff.
The range of artwork exhibited includes woven tapestry but is varied - from mixed media to print to sculptural forms. Weaving all day, often on monumental scale works, means little time in the week is available for personal works in tapestry/the artist yearns to work in another form/returns to their original medium or experiments and develops their own highly individual style of work in tapestry.
Cheryl Thornton's finely woven miniatures are sensitive to every detail. They are understated and captivating in every pass of weft over red warp. The illusive tapestries are not facades - they are about the interaction of warp and weft, depth and a quiet appreciation of the medium.
At the opposite end of the scale Emma Sulzer's three dimensional woven training shoes at first glance say it all in a quirky humorous way. The famous brand names are resplendent worked in wool, cotton and touches of lurex.
Milly Formby's Monster Brooches are lots of fun; I expect woven as some light relief from heavy art, taking pleasure in the experimentation with materials within the small shaped pieces.
John Dicks presents plastic needlepoint, a contemporary take on the domestic craft, previously so shunned in art circles. The craft circle has come round again as we again celebrate the hand made.
The throw away materials of cardboard and newspaper are painted and arranged like a Marquette for a stage set by Lily Fraser. The freedom and abandon in this work is entirely refreshing and thinking about this work in relation to woven tapestry is very exciting.
In some previous instances workshop weavers have had their own designs woven in the workshop. This has allowed for individual creativity to flow into the weavers' day jobs. Perhaps this exhibition can again spark some weaver initiated designs and commissions for the workshop.

Valerie Kirk tapestry Weaver and Head of Textiles, ANU School of Art, Canberra.

Call for Papers

Sustainability - Issue #3

Call for academic papers documenting research that contributes to an understanding of craft and design issues in relation to sustainability.
Due date 30 June 2010

he Carbon issue - Sustainability in craft and design

What is the impact of climate change on craft and design practice?

This issue welcomes academic papers documenting research that contributes to an understanding of craft and design issues in relation to sustainability.

Green thumbprint

In terms of carbon emissions, craft production is not in the same league as coal electricity generation or jet travel. Yet with recognition of over-consumption as a problem in rich countries, questions are raised about the continuing production of non-essential goods. Is the handmade an exception? How?

Are there ways of developing a 'green thumbprint' that can reduce the environmental load of craft production, particularly kiln-based processes in ceramics and glass? Are there important efficiencies in new technologies that involve processes such as on-demand printing and customisation?

Craft ethic

Alternatively, does the ethic of the handmade provide an alternative to over-consumption, say by encouraging a culture of repair rather than replacement? Does the hand-made basis of craft provide an alternative route to escape dependency on fossil fuel? How can craft production engage with this today?

Much design in recent years has involved out-sourcing labour to manufacturing bases in Asia. What role might a concept of 'product miles' play in promoting local production? How can the return to local avoid a narrowing of diversity and creative insularity?

Aesthetics of the new green economy

In contrast to the 'clouds' of virtual exchange infiltrating work life, climate change re-focuses attention on the material world as the inevitable basis for life. In today's ecological imagination, carbon looms as a dangerous substance that needs capture to prevent it suffocating the world. Does this affect the aesthetics of carbon? How does this influence the way we look at objects in wood, or stones such as diamonds?

Papers due by 30 June 2010.

Kevin Murray is Guest Editor for this issue.

Inquiries, contact Kevin Murray at kevin [at] craftunbound.net

Or Jenny Deves at jenny.deves [at] craftaustralia.org.au

To submit papers please register online

For journal announcements and calls for papers

For author guidelines

Craft Australia Research Centre call for papers.

Magdalena Abakanowicz and Craft Australia

Abakan Brunne c.1970 Warsaw / Poland
Textile, dyed sisal
Technique: high warp loom-woven, pieced and sewn
Primary Insc: signed M.ABAKANOWICZ in paint on black suede leather strip sewn to lower left front of 43061.1
309.0 h x 306.0 w x 46.0 d cm
299.0 h x 278.0 w x 46.0 d cm
Accn No: NGA 76.1318.A-B

The above information was taken from the National Gallery of Australia's website.


These image are from a collection found in the Craft Australia archives. I believe these images were taken at an exhibition held in Australia in the 1980's. The collection of images have been given to the National Gallery of Australia as they hold work/s made by Abakanowicz.
I will investigate this and get information on each image.

Abakanowicz, Magdalena (b Felenty, nr. Warsaw, 20 June 1930). Polish abstract sculptor, the pioneer and leading exponent of sculpture made from woven fabrics. Initially she worked in conventional media in painting and sculpture, but from 1960 she concentrated on textiles, using hessian and rope (in some works she has also incorporated wood). Sometimes she obtained her raw materials by visiting Poland's Baltic ports and collecting old ropes, which she then unravelled and dyed. At first she made reliefs, but she soon moved on to large three-dimensional works. In 1962 she first exhibited in the West (at the International Tapestry Biennial in Lausanne) and thereafter her work appeared often outside Poland in both solo and group shows, winning her an international reputation and numerous awards.

Information about Magdalena from encyclopedia.com
This link also has a number of you tube links of Magdalenas' work and an interview with the artist.

For Sale: A new collection of wool and cotton tapestries

RAMSES WISSA WASSEF ART CENTRE

HARRANIA, EGYPT

FOR SALE

A NEW COLLECTION OF WOOL AND COTTON TAPESTRIES

Eight new wool tapestries and eight new cotton weavings for sale have been added to the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre website

Hurry to visit Wissa-Wassef Arts to view the collection.

"PHASE" TIM GRESHAM - TAPESTRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY

Suel

Liquid Module VI 60x60cm 2009

Liquid Module IV 60x60cm 2008

Frequency IV 60x60cm 2008

MASTER OF HIS CRAFT

"PHASE" TIM GRESHAM - TAPESTRY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
14 - 31 OCTOBER 2009
GALLERY 101, 101 COLLINS ST. MELBOURNE.

"PHASE" is Melbourne artist Tim Gresham's latest solo exhibition of photography and woven tapestry. Held in the up market Collins Street precinct of the city, the show exudes confidence and accomplishment through the sophisticated works combined with the precise, minimal hang.
Gresham is a quiet and unassuming artist, dedicated to his practice. He is a Queenslander by birth, but now lives and works in Melbourne where he has had six solo exhibitions and participated in many group shows. His work has been acquired by public and private collections and he has completed several commissions.
In this latest solo show there were 12 small framed tapestries - 15 x 15 cm, 6 medium format tapestries 60 x 60cm and 12 digital Type C prints 60 X 60 cm. The even, square measurements and number of works reflects the precision of technique and image making. Mastery of tapestry weaving and photography is evident in the perfect edges and precisely woven squares and tightly framed photographic images. The skill is in the editing, deciding what to deal with and cutting out all extraneous detail.

Tapestry is by nature a repetitive process, the weaver steadily building the image from base of the loom to the top of the tapestry, picking up the warp and passing through the bobbin thousands of times. Although the weaver learns to automatically pick up every second warp in one direction and the alternate warps in the opposite direction, this process is usually not apparent in the finished work. Traditionally tapestries have had striking, narrative images demanding the viewer's attention. From a short distance away they have read as flat images historically linked to the Fine Art of painting, trying to hide from the lowly craft of weaving. In Gresham's tapestry it is all about weaving - the rhythm, the repetition and image worked intrinsically with the medium.
Overlapping, scalloped edge patterns and curved forms undulate and move rhythmically across the surface like groupings of notes in a musical score. The enclosed warp is emphasised by pick and pick pattern of the weft making subtle stripes that vibrate throughout the work. Shapes have stepped edges, calculated according to the warp and weft ratio, creating a tension between the given grid format of weaving and the artist's introduction of fluid design.

Colour in a soft and muted light to mid tone palette of Australian bush hues with white is used to achieve subtlety and softness or vibrancy. Combined with the expert use of the repertoire of colour mixing techniques, there is control of blending soft, feathered edges or making sharp contrast.

The black and white photographs point to the elements in Tim Gresham's urban environment that inspire his creative mind. Repetition in the surfaces of buildings, shadows softening graphic lines in concrete, reflections in water distorted by a rippling surface all point to an interest in graphic geometry softened by natural elements. These works share common themes with the tapestries: a sense of time; patterns continuing beyond the frame and contrast of underlying structure with distortion. They assert themselves as highly personal viewpoints of a contemporary city experience.

In all of the works the image extends out from the cropped frame, suggesting infinity. They provide a space to contemplate, to find pleasure in the universal sequences of forms, variations of the hand made and time devoted to the pursuit of excellence. "Phase" presents classic works to invest in, live with and enjoy into the future.

see: www.timgresham.com

Anybody need very large tapestry loom?

Are you interested in the loom or do you know anyone who might be interested?
Please contact David if you are. davidlise@bigpond.com

Tim Gesham - Phase

Image 1: Maquette I 15x15cm 2008
Image 2: Liquid Module I detail
Image 3: Liquid Module V detail
Image 4: Frequency XII 60x60cm 2009
Image 5: Frequency II 60x60cm 2008-1

All images copyright of the artist

Tapestry & Photography
14 - 31 OCTOBER 2009
Artist Reception Thursday 15 October 6-8pm

With opening remarks by Naomi Cass
Director, Centre for Contemporary Photography

RSVP 14 October
03 9654 6886 arts@gallery101.com.au

GALLERY 101
GROUND LEVEL / 101 COLLINS STREET
MELBOURNE VICTORIA 3000
TEL + 61 3 9654 6886 arts@gallery101.com.au

TUESDAY - FRIDAY 10AM - 5PM | SATURDAY 12PM - 4PM
arts@gallery101.com.au www.101collins.com.au

PHASE

While many artists today work across a number of related mediums, Tim Gresham’s practice involves two distinct and contrasting mediums– photography and tapestry. Neither medium is employed to develop studies for the other but instead demonstrate a reciprocal adaptation. Working with the peculiarities of both mediums these works resemble each other whilst maintaining their difference. With common characteristics such as subject matter, pattern and formalism, the tapestries and photographs present notable contrasts between the two technologies used.

The built environment of the city provides numerous architectural perspectives that Gresham frames into formalist photographs or abstract forms on the loom. The observed patterns of architectural structures and city landscapes and the concept of pattern are both significant to Gresham’s work. Evident in the natural world, patterns are a universal concept developed and applied across a number of human practices from mathematics to linguistics to art. In art practices such as the visual arts, dance and music, patterns are used to maintain rhythm, produce optical effects or provide structure in composition such as the use of a refrain in song or poetry. Within Gresham’s work pattern is employed to optical effect and to provide structure and rhythm.

Reminiscent of patterning in other works of art from seventeenth-century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer’s chequered floors to Op Art painting from the 1960s, Gresham’s work often produces an optical effect creating an aesthetic experience and playing with perspective. In the tapestries this effect is created through juxtaposition of colour and diffusion of line, producing a visually vibrating effect. In his latest tapestry work Gresham has exchanged his previously bright palette for a subtle one of varying tones, reminiscent of natural colours from Australian flora. The patterning has also become more fluid as the artist now draws the design as the tapestry develops. The warp provides a uniform structure upon which the work is created. This structure creates a rhythm in the regularity of the weave and results in a rhythmic motion performed in the weaving process itself.

The subtle, naturalistic colours and fluid style of the tapestries contrast with the black and white, geometry of the photographs. Rather than utilising the camera’s deep focus, Gresham’s telephoto lens compresses the perspective and tightly frames the photographs within a shallow plane. Pattern is articulated in architectural forms or pools of water through the use of black and white, with the light and shadow falling uniformly across the surfaces. While pattern evident in architectural forms evokes concepts of strength and balance within Gresham’s work, these forms are distorted by the artists’ perspective and natural light. They become asymmetrical compositions, contrasting the texture and patterns of water and concrete, steel and glass. Like the tapestries, the photographs are tightly framed suggesting an infinite pattern extending beyond the picture plane.

Gresham’s two practices interact fluently. On the one hand he utilises the ancient technology of weaving, attributed to the Greek goddess Athena and symbolised by Homer in The Odyssey. In this practice he does not weave heroic stories from history but creates forms that articulate light and texture in pattern and colour, representing an experience of the contemporary, urban environment. This practice is time consuming, indicative of the hand-made. On the other, Gresham utilises contemporary technology through photography–a practice of mechanical reproduction with a relatively short history and rapid advances. His photographs reflect the time-sensitive quality of photography, capturing fluctuating light and shadow. While both practices present obvious contrasts, Gresham develops his ideas of pattern and optical effect and universal concepts of time and rhythm, in distinct yet corresponding compositions. His comparative practice reveals the possibilities of adaptation as a creative process.

Rebecca Chew is Deputy Director at Centre for Contemporary Photography

Threads of Influence

Celebrating Fifty Years at Sturt Weaving with Elisabeth Nagel

Exhibition from 25 October to 22 November 2009

25 OCTOBER 2009 EVENTS

9 - 10.30am Open Book- Monique van Nieuwland in conversation with Elisabeth Nagel. Includes morning tea. Sturt weaving room.

11am Threads of Influenc- Exhibition to be opened by Grace Cochrane. Until late 2005 Cochrane was the senior curator of Australian Decorative Arts and Design at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. She now works independently as a curator and writer on contemporary craft and design. Weavings by Elisabeth Nagel, Jeannine Binoth, Kay Faulkner, Julie Monroe-Alllison, Melanie Olde, Monique van Nieuwland and Liz Williamson.

1.30pm The History of Sturt Textiles and its context within Australian Textile Practice – an illustrated talk by Gillian McCracken. Includes refreshments. (Phone 4860 2083 to book)


Sturt Gallery Open seven days 10 - 5 Phone 02 4860 2083 Sturt Café Open Wed - Fri 10 - 3 Sat - Sun 10 - 4 Phone 02 4860 2086 Cnr Range Rd & Waverley Pde Mittagong NSW 2575
Exhibition Program link
Sturt Gallery website

”RAW WAR”, billedvev

8 October - 15 November 2009

Since 1980 Unn Sønju`s primary aim has been to liberate tapestry from its traditional past by using its unique plastic properties to find new visual solutions to current concerns and observations.

The exhibition “RAW WAR” is a selection from a series of tapestries made as an angry outcry and demonstration against war.

“War is an abomination created by mankind for his own destruction
War is senseless
War is created by the few and destroys the many
War is violent
War is the alibi to murder each other, officially
War is obscene
War hits children and women hardest
War is raw”

Images of conflict, violence and blood bombard us daily in the media. Fact and fiction merge into one gory horror. While the newscasts of current warfare and terror censor out the blood and body parts, this is more than made up for by action films and data games. It appears that violent horror is just an everyday thing mankind must live with! Mankind is becoming increasingly insensitive to the real. War is seemingly not dangerous. It is just entertaining.

The nature of war and the nature of tapestry are very different. Making images and statements about the chaos and consequences of war in wool and linen is obviously perverse. Yet the thinking is that tapestry’s unique plastic properties are so removed from actual war that they can bring a different perspective and vision to the nightmare of war. Equating blood and gore with woven red wool is so extreme it might just trigger a reaction?

Unn Sønju is born in 1938 in Oslo. She has her degree from Oslo University College (former Den Kvinnelige Industriskole i Oslo) 1960 – 62, and College of Arts Leeds, UK, 1957 – 59. She has participated in an impressive amount of group and collective exhibitions in Norway and abroad, and has had more then 30 solo exhibitions from 1971 till today. Sønju has mad numerous commissioned works, several to among others Oslo University College, and her works has been purchased to both private and public collections. She has also had the position of professor in tapestry at Oslo University College.

Soft Galleri

Sue Lawty and the World Beach Project

We all know Sue and her "stone drawings" produced at the V&A and the World Beach Project (WBP). I find the WBP so simple but beautiful. The ascetics of a simple stone, pebble or rock can be a powerful tool in a drawing. Using stone instead of a piece of charcoal, graphite or even paint provides a 3d drawing medium that can be used on a flat or vertical surface intrigues me. Sue's drawings are displayed vertical and the WBP is almost always flat or horizontally display. Simple line drawings are one of my favorite art mediums, as Paul Klee said "a day without a line is a day not worth living" This quote I read at the Paul Klee Museum in Switzerland. Sue's stone drawings remind me of the simple pleasure that a line or many lines can make a beautiful drawing.

In Sue's drawing below, is my "line" for today!

Video link to the WBP

Sue Lawty installing a drawing

I received an email today from Sue Lawty. Sue was interviewed by radio Australia on Thursday 24rd September. There are the links to the radio interview.
ABC Radio Australia says:

Beachcombers around globe are being invited to take part in a unique online art exhibition. The World Beach Project is open to anyone and everyone. All you have to do is head to your favorite beach with a camera, collect some stones, create a piece of art, take photos and upload the pictures to an online gallery. Creator of the project is Yorkshire based artist Sue Lawty and she joined us In The Loop to explain its inception.

Interview with Sue Lawty Link
MP3 Loop
World Beach project Link
World Beach Project Map

Sue Lawty's Blog

CAC Tapestry Postcard

Momentum is going to Wagga Wagga

7 August - 27 September 2009

Wagga Wagga Regional Art Gallery
Artists from across Australia demonstrate the accessibility of the language of textiles and its relevance to contemporary life, focusing on the finest and most exploratory aspects of contemporary fibre textile practice.
Wagga Wagga Regional Art Gallery website

Tamworth Regional Gallery textile Biennial website

The Wdnesday Tapestry Group Exhibition

The Wednesday Group Tapestries Celebrating Henry's Hudson

1st August to 17th September 2009

Greene County Council on the Arts

Website

23rd September to 31st October

Clifton Arts Center
Website

Arts Society of Kingston
7th November to 30 November 2009

Website

Wednesday Group Website

New Victorian tapestry Workshop tapestry

A recent shot of the floor, with the Royal Children’s Hospital tapestry on the loom.
(Click on image to enlarge)

Merv Moriarty

Founder of The Flying Art School and the Brisbane Institute of Art presents A FOUR DAY COLOUR WORKSHOP for Artists, Designers,
Photographers and Textile Practitioners. This is a rare opportunity to learn from one of Australia’s great teachers of art.
Merv Moriarty has been a practicing artist all his life, exhibiting in major galleries in Australian capital cities. Merv has an intense
interest in colour as a profound visual language and has written on this subject extensively. His work is represented in major
public collections, including The Art Gallery of NSW and the Queensland Art Gallery. He has worked in colleges, universities and
private art schools as a teacher in art, colour and design.
No drawing or painting ability is required for this workshop. All colour exercises use a simple diagrammatic format.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Venue: Textiles workshop, ANU School of Art, Ellery Crescent, ACTON, Canberra ACT.
Dates: 2-5 August 2009 10-4pm
Fee: $500 ($450 unwaged)
Registration, payment and a detailed list of required materials is available from Valerie.Kirk@anu.edu.au

Momentum

18th Tamworth fibre textile biennial 2008
SOFA Gallery Australian National University Canberra 8 July - 1 August 2009 website

Closing event 6pm Friday 31 July , speaker Catrina Vignando General Manager Craft Australia websiteImage: Vicki Mason

Exhibition curated by Valerie Kirk.

Artist in the exhibition include:Image: Ainslie Murray

christine atkins
babbarra designs
jane bowden
alana clifton-cunningham
annabelle collett
fiona gavino
robyn glade-wright
hilary green
cecilia heffer
melissa hirsch
liz jeneid
jill kinnear
kelly leonard
rodney love
penny malone
elisa markes-young
lucille martin
vicki mason
ainslie murray
debra porch
louise saxton
demelza sherwood
annie trevillian
elefteria vlavianos

Public program held in conjunction with Momentum

Thursday 30 July 2009
A choice of parallel development
programs:
Weave with Jennifer Robertson
Print with Annie Trevillian
Art/Textiles with Valerie Kirk. Beyond
the Parliamentary Triangle – a tour to
interesting art and textile places off the
tourist track. Fee $10 per person.

Friday 31 July
Symposium, ANU School of Art Lecture
Theatre (above library).

Saturday 1 August
Floortalks by Valerie Kirk, curator
Momentum and artists.
1pm. ANU School of Art Gallery

Information and bookings: Valerie.Kirk@anu.edu.au

From Here to Eternity:

From Here to Eternity: Contemporary Tapestries from the Victorian Tapestry Workshop

The Victorian Tapestry Workshop has two new exhibitions on show.
From Here to Eternity: is exhibiting at the Queensland University of Technology website
12 June 2009 to 02 August 2009

The second exhibition is

Contemporary Woven Tapestries from the Victorian tapestry Workshop.
Showing at the Central Goldfields Art Gallery website
05 July 2009 to 15 August 2009

Egyptain landscapes - Nature in Art

Tapestryies fro the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art centre, Cairo Egypt will be exhibited at Art in Nature Gloucester UK 7th July to 6th September 2009. The exhibition is not listed on thier site yet but keep an eye on it.

Art in Nature website

Exhibition Program

Jane Freear at Art in Action

Jane is working across a 2 1/2 meter warp to demonstrate at Art in Action (16-19th July 2009) at Waterperry Gardens near Oxford. Jane wants to enter the piece in the BTG open show.
The BTG are planning on touring the show so keep an eye on their website for updates.

Art in Action
Jane Freear- Wyld
The British Tapestry Group

The British Tapestry Group

Margaret F. Crowther - Workshop on 3-D Forms

As you may know BTG has widened its membership to include international weavers. We are endeavouring to attract members from around the world to share BTG's vision:
'The British Tapestry Group exists to promote woven tapestry as a
contemporary art form in the UK and internationally, by raising public
awareness through professional exhibitions, networking, regional
initiatives, training and development.'

To this end BTG is holding its first small format tapestry exhibition - Weaving Within - for members only, to be held in 2 venues in Stirling, Scotland, from September 12th to November 8th. The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum, and Historic Scotland's Stirling Castle are the two venues.
Please visit www.thebritishtapestrygroup.co.uk for more information.

BTG is staging an exciting weekend event on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th September, with a Conference, Private View and dinner on the Saturday at the Stirling Smith Gallery, and a day of workshops on the Sunday at Stirling Castle. This will give participants a chance to see both exhibitions as well as the exciting studio at Stirling Castle where The Hunt of the Unicorn tapestries are being woven.
Please visit www.thebritishtapestrygroup.co.uk for more information, non-BTG members welcome.

Conference Programme - Saturday 12th September:
JOAN BAXTER
"Tapestry…where do we go from here?"
Joan will give an illustrated talk on her personal view of where tapestry is at the present time, and ways forward in developing the media.

SARA BRENNAN
"My work, its process and inspiration"
Sara's tapestries are an unspoken response to landscape in a reduced and simplified form. She will reflect on past and present work, explaining her ideas, design sources and processes.

RUDI RICHARDSON
"Artists and Weavers - My time with Mark Adams"
Mark Adams was an American artist who utilised painting, stained glass and tapestry in his artistic expression. He started producing tapestries in 1955 after studying with Jean Lurcat.
Rudi wove his designs from 1978 - 1998.

DINA WARD
"Fabulous Tapestries"
Dina's talk illustrates the history of tapestry from its early beginnings to its heyday and beyond with examples from around the world.
Workshop Programme - Sunday 13th September

JOAN BAXTER
Colour
A workshop exploring how the use of multiple threads can create not only vibrant colour, but also texture, mood and atmosphere. Students will work from imagination, real objects and photographic sources. This class is for those who have already done some tapestry. This is a superb opportunity to work with Joan; she is a fabulous colourist and truly knows how to mix colour in subtle and exciting ways. Her experience as a weaver, and her commission work, are testament to this.

MARGARET F. CROWTHER
3-D Forms
Since the 70s Margaret has been interested in using yarns as a sculptural material. The workshop will be suitable for anyone with some experience in basic weaving who would like to be free of the traditional tapestry loom for a day, and explore some ways of creating three-dimensional forms. Margaret has a unique style to her work and this will be a great opportunity to learn new techniques and explore three dimensional works in a friendly and supportive group setting.

ANNE JACKSON
Thinking Through Tapestry
This will take the form of a forum for considering the creative process in woven tapestry, involving a presentation, discussion and some practical input, looking at widening horizons to new sources of inspiration and creativity, including the internet and critical theory. Participants will be encouraged to bring along sketchbook work and spend some time discussing and developing ideas with the workshop leader and other participants. This is perhaps an opportunity to explore new ideas or take other ones forward in a tutorial type of setting.

JO McDONALD
Weaving With Paper
Cutting, tearing, and slicing paper will enable the participant to construct with texture and manipulate a structure into more sculptural shapes. This class is suitable for those with limited experience. Jo will share with the group a variety of uses with paper and how she creates her own unique pieces of work, allowing participants to explore both weaving and paper in a fun and challenging way.

Chicks on speed and the Victorian Tapestry Workshop.

Weaver Milly Formby
Image copyright Victorian Tapestry Workshop

Anna Clabburn has written an article Chicks on speed for the latest issue of Craft Australia's newsletter 716 craft.design.
Big sister, little sister
The Victorian Tapestry Workshop collaborates with the dynamic Chicks on Speed
Event Viva La Craft
Anna Clabburn 5 May 2009

The tapestry project was initiated by the Chicks who have already worked with Craft Victoria. Suitably, collaboration is also a mainstay of the VTW's mandate and is inherent in the nature of the tapestry medium itself.
716 craft.design
Chicks on Speed article by Anna Clabburn
Victorian Tapestry Workshop
Craft Victoria

Land exhibition

ATA Web Gallery Exhibition - LAND

If you haven't viewed this exhibition yet, you should check it now! Six gallery pages of images from the LAND exhibition held last year in conjunction with the Tapestry 2008 conference event. If you didn't have the good fortune of traveling to Australia at that time then your luck improves because here is the exhibition you otherwise might have missed!


Land exhibition