January 2011

Welcome to the first post of 2011. I hope this year will be exceptional with all of your plans and dreams being successful.

The focus for many Queenslanders for the past month has of course been on the floods. Other places in Australia have also been and are still are suffering. These have been extraordinary times. It is the spirit of many Australians and the sense of community that has shone through. I have been very fortunate and have not been affected.

I would like to share with you some projects that I have been working on since the last post.

 This tray cloth was woven on 4 shafts. The weave structure is  crackle. It is threaded with 4 blocks but woven using only a combination of 3.

 Later on in the year I will be teaching a week’s workshop titled Building Blocks for Fibres Ballarat (13 -20 April. www.fibrearts.com.au),  Textile Arts Academy, Brisbane (20-26 June www.textileartsacademy.com.au) and Sturt Winter School, Mittagong ( 4-8July www.sturt.nsw.edu.au). I have used this month to prepare and to weave a number of samples. This is a view of some of the samples. These will be some of the techniques to be explored in this class. See the websites for what will be on offer at each venue. It is quite amazing the diversity that can be achieved from the one design.

 

Lastly, I have embarked on a challenge. The design is drawn up, the loom threaded and the weaving just begun. It will take some time to complete.

 

At the end of April

This month I’ll let some images tell the story. The month’s activities were concerned mainly with two textile events: Fibres at Ballarat and Textile Fibre Forum at Orange. Both are for 5 days. Both are intensive. Both are wonderful. At both I taught a class called “Images in Cloth”. And more importantly, at both I had a wonderful group of women who did amazing work in my class. I was thrilled with what they achieved.

In “Images in Cloth” we spent half a day exploring various approaches to design and then in the remaining time wove images using various structure in pick up on a “universal” threading. To give an overview, I have included an image from the start with the class in Ballarat and one from the end with the class in Orange.

I was very fortunate that June acted as tourist guide in Ballarat and showed me the sites. One of our first stops was seeing the statues in the Botanical gardens. It seems appropriate to include this image because of the implied drapery of the veil in this statue. It looks like cloth and appears so real. I have only shown the head as the image does show the drapery so clearly.

 

We then went to see the mill at Creswick. I was in for a treat! As I walked in the door I noticed that there was a series of wall hangings in the style of Peter Collingwood’s macro gauzes. They were by Ian McKinnon. It was a treat to see hand weaving in an industry setting. The two sat very nicely together. I did meet with Ian, the artist who is also in charge of the looms and had a very interesting discussion on his weavings. I was very impressed by his work and did acquire one. In addition, I was very fortunate as I had a tour of the mill. It was fascinating.

 

 Ian McKinnon in front of some of his macro gauzes.

Ian and June, my tour guide, beside one of the looms at Creswick. A variety of woolen fabrics were being woven. The Mill has a shop where many beautiful items are for sale.

In 2008, Redland Regional Art Gallery had acquired a piece of my work titled Which Way. At the time I was running short on time and didn’t organise photography. Then when it was acquired, it was too late. But the Redland Art Gallery has kindly organised me a copy of the image as it appears in their catalogue (It appears in the  “Photography and New Media” section). I am delighted to finally have an image.

 

At the end of February

Highlights of this month include a trip to Wagga Wagga, a book launch and an indigo bath.

But first, Kaos has been very busy supervising the reconstruction of the back garden. Apart from putting in more grasses in pots we are finished. What good timing: all the rain we’ve been having will surely make it all grow.

The trip to Wagga Wagga was for the Passing Out parade of our son, Andrew. He has joined the army and had completed his initial training. It was a very impressive occasion, lots of marching and pomp and ceremony. I was a very proud Mum and David would have been bursting out of his skin with pride.

Redland City Council launched the publication of a catalogue of the work in its collection to mark 7 years of the opening of the Regional Art Gallery. My work, “Which Way” is listed in the category of “Photography and New Media”. This is the work currently on tour with “Twelve Degrees of Latitude”.

Finally I got to do an indigo dye bath. I had been collecting various works to be dyed. They were all pulled up ready to go. The bath was made and then I started dunking. Some pieces had just a few dunks, others had up to 12. A comment on the actual bath: I used natural indigo as opposed to the synthetic version. I did find that I used much more natural to get the colour I wanted. The recipe I used came from Dana McCown and I have posted it in recipes. I am delighted with the results and the indigo bath is there for more dunking later as required.

 

While I was in Washington DC and at the Textile Museum, I acquired a piece of cloth that was resist tied ready for dyeing from Nigeria. The way it had been tied resulted in a 3 conical form so I was fascinated to see what pattern I would get when it was undone.  I am delighted with the result. I did use about 12 immersions to get to the colour I was happy with.

The scarf has three resists processes. The first was a warp resist and was used for devore. The second was a folded and clamped resist that was then dyed in indigo as was the third. It was also a different folded and clamped resist but a different format. I used 2 folded and clamped resists as I wasn’t totally happy with the first. The second set of folds aligned very nicely with the first.

The yardage is woven damask in 5 end satin. It was woven on the draw loom with an additional set of shafts for warp resist. I was very happy with how it wove and the design has worked very nicely with the indigo resist pattern.

Finally, I came across an interesting recipe in an old book, Hand Block Printing and Resist Dyeing. It is a recipe for finishing cotton cloth ready for presentation. It is a recipe for a sugar bath which ”leaves the cloth soft and slightly silky”. I tried it on a piece of commercial fabric which I had already dyed. Rather than rely on my own preknowledge, I took the samples to the month’s Weavers Interest group at Qld Spinners and Fibre Artists. The results of my survey were of 17 people 2 couldn’t tell the difference, 11 thought the treated fabric was different and had more body and 5 thought the treated sample was “soft and slightly silky”. It will be interesting to try again, but this time with handwoven fabric. I have also posted this recipe separately.

At the end of January

Firstly meet Kaos: the fence builder, the landscaper, the loom buddy, the source of cheap entertainment (He’ll keep catching that ball just however long you want to throw it.)  He’s my son’s, dog. Kaos will be staying with me for a bit.

I have been very busy landscaping the back yard. Kaos had ploughed up the lawn for me.

This is progress so far. After Kaos had ploughed up/wrecked the back garden it was time to fix up the disaster. I have redesigned a new garden path that follows the existing garden. Then had a concrete edge laid before digging out and laying pavers with a gravel fill. I must admit it looks great so far. It’s also just the thing to do on hot summer days! I am looking forward to planting.

I have also been busy weaving both on the 24 shaft computer assist and drawloom.

There is a collection of scarves and fabrics that are pulled up ready to dye. The large piece is the damask that is shown above. I hope to get an indigo bath happening in the next few weeks.

On my 24 shaft loom, I woven a fabric length that explored a combination of techniques. The original source of inspiration was patterning on ethnic fabrics that often combine uneven woven bands and in addition some interesting dye patterns. I wanted to combine supplementary weft patterning with warp shibori.

I have just realised that I haven’t shown a picture of the catalogue of “Twelve Degrees of Latitude”. It is a touring exhibition by Museums and Galleries Services of Qld celebrating Q150 with works selcted from Regional Gallery and University Art Collections in Queensland. “Which Way” was selected from the Redland Regional Art Gallery Collection. I was thrilled to be notified that it was included. A touring schedule is listed on my web site www.kayfaulkner.com.au. I do suggest that if you wish to see the exhibition, that you check whether the work is hung as this exhibition is extensive and smaller galleries will select work to be hung to suit their space.

 

Last week I went to see the lighting installation by KT Doyle . Check out her blog at http:// ktdoyle.blogspot.com.  The installation is in Briggs lane in the Brisbane CBD. I have been following her progress with the project so it was great to see the final outcome.

First week of the New Year

So much for good intensions. I was intending to update the blog on the 1.1.10 but life got in the way: family, friends, garden, cat and dog (both being looked after and both demanding attention). It has been a very busy Festive Season.

The plan for this year is to highlight at least one piece of weaving a month (when I am home).

Noisy visitors come to my garden. Another plan for the year is to upgrade the garden, making it dog friendly and yet providing a haven for visitors of all persuasions and a palce for quiet reflection for myself. Hard work is about to begin as a major overhaul is required.

One of a series of scarves woven in alpaca/silk on 24 shafts.  This particular scarf could have been woven on 16 but extending this draft to 24 allowed me to play with other block arrangements on the remaining warp.

This series started as a quick way to colour a warp navy and white. The warp was wound in 3 sections, plaited tightly and dyed in a navy dye bath.

This process of resist dyeing on a warp and then weaving  is in essence a form of ikat. It was a very quick form though. The warp was prepared, dyed and dried in a morning.  By varying the treadling sequence on an 8 shaft threading, 3 different patterns are obtained. It was interesting to see the flow though in the dye pattern created by the plaiting.

Central Queensland and the Southern Highlands of New South Wales

It’s a good thing that the airport is relatively convenient. I have just spent a week in Mackay and then a day in Mittagong.

It was a wonderful week in Mackay. I went there to talk weaving, dyeing and to spent time walking on the beach and in the rainforest with my friend Helen. Helen has a 4 shaft loom and wanted to investigate “holes” and textural fabrics, so we worked with overtwist wools, wool/lycra and her stash on a lace weave structure. I got this very excited email this week. The scarf turned out just as you said it would and looks great. The overtwist worked better on lengthier parts than shorter parts. So the small piece I have decided to turn into a U shape, pick up the edge and knit into the middle calling it “Captured”. Then I started to experiment with knitting with the overtwist – wow – what an experience. The overtwist wool looks delicate but the wool lycra worked on very large needles just goes nuts and sends the yarn around it into contortions – why haven’t I discovered all this before, it is great. I am looking forward to seeing how Helen will incorporate this into both her weaving and knitting.

Helen enjoys doing wall pieces that combine weaving and knitting. We installed this piece in the Sarina Library.

Then when I got home from there, I also couldn’t resist going down to Mittagong and having a look at an exhibition, Threads of Influence. Yes, one does have to be a bit crazy to go all that distance in one day, but I did really want to go. A flight and a car hire is all it takes. Elisabeth Nagel has been weaving and teaching at Sturt for 50 years and this exhibition celebrates that achievement. Other weavers who had also taught at Sturt were invited. The exhibiting weavers were Elisabeth Nagel, Jeannine Binoth, Julie Monro-Allison, Melanie Olde, Monique Van Nieuwland, Liz Williamson and myself. It was a very diverse exhibition.

The invitation for the exhibition with a detail of my work on the loom on the cover.

This is one wall of the gallery showing work by Elisabeth Nagel, Liz Williamson and myself.

Melanie Olde in front of her work.

Monique in front of her work.

As well as seeing the exhibition it was great to catch up with the friend that I had made during the residency. It was also amazing to see what Sturt looks like in summer. It was very lush and green. We celebrated the end of the day with wine and cheese on the lawn.

It was delightful: late afternoon, a cooler end to the day, drinks and chesse on the lawn,  and relaxed conversation.

How different it looks now. For those who followed the blog from my resisdency at Sturt I often included pictures of the gardens including this pathway to the studio. The grounds were so lush and green.

When I was artist in residency, I use to always start my blog with a picture of the view from the front of the studio. It seemed appropriate to finish this update with the same view.

The next adventure

I have decided to continue this blog that I began at Sturt. I have had such fabulous feedback on it, so I’ve decided that I’d like to continue to share my adventures and musings.

Now here’s a challenge! How do I condense 7 weeks of an amazing trip into a few words and just 10 photos? I was home just one week before I set off on this next adventure to the USA/Canada. A basic overview includes some teaching, some visiting and participation in a class at Vavstuga. So here are just a few highlights:

 9.9.09 What magical numbers they are! I left home on that day and arrived in the USA on the same day flying onto Reno.

Early morning in Virginia City. The sun is just shining up the valley. The shadows are long. The heat of the day is yet to begin and the day is quiet. Look at how the town fits in amongst the tailing mountains. There may be wild horses.

First stop: Reno where I finally got to meet Suzanne. We had been in contact for a number of years so it was great to finally meet. After a day or so to recover and collecting provisions, we went to Virginia City for the first of the workshops. I was fascinated by the history of the area. Crossing this area in the early settlement days with wagons over this very harsh high mountain dessert was an amazing feat. Then came the miners creating a tent city with their search for silver. There’s no city here now though. Impressions include the amazing harsh landscape, buildings in amongst the tailings, the most amazing clear blue sky and early morning sun coming up the valley. It was an inspiring spot to hold a weaving workshop. Great results were achieved. Those ladies worked from early till late at night, achieving an impressive quantity of samples.

 

This is the moment when all is revealled. What fun!

Next stop: Atlanta. What a contrast: from hot and dry to wet, wet, wet! I arrived in the middle of flooding. Again I was there to teach. A visit to Swan House provided a day for recovery out of the rain before I started work. The curtains there have the most amazing variety of trims. Again both classes produced an impressive quantity of work. It is amazing how diverse a range of samples can be achieved because of the direction and interest of the individuals in each group. Between the workshops, my hostess and friend Judith and I had a day of play in the studio. We did some experimental dying, but more will appear of this at a much later date. Needless to say we had fun!

The first Atlanta class with their amazing collection of samples.

Work produced in just 3 days by the second class. What variety! Put the two group’s samples together and what a real mixture there is. And no, one group didn’t produce “more” or “better” than the other in spite of how many times I was quizzed on which group was better… They were just different and the work equally full of potential.

North to Waynesville and my stay with Catharine Ellis and husband Kent was next on the itinerary. It was great to be able to spend some time with them as our friendship has developed over many years through a mutual interest and the development of loom controlled shibori/woven shibori resist. Fall had started. I drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway in an open topped sports car watching the leaves starting to fall. I also got to see Biltmore House. This was an amazing visit. Both Catharine and I had been to France for the International Shibori Conference last year. On that trip we had visited Prelle, a weaving mill in Lyon. They had the most amazing resource of records from their past clients including what was woven, and all the dye recipes and weaving details for each client. I was excited at the time because they were weaving velvet, one of my areas of interest, while Catharine was excited because they were weaving a commission for Biltmore House, just down the road from her. Imagine our delight when we came into the room and saw that velvet which we had seen being woven in Prelle installed!

 

There were treasures inside: 3 rooms of the most exquisite velvet: drapes and bed coverings. WOW! What a shame we couldn’t take photos inside.

From the traditional to contemporary. Blankets were being woven on a small privately owned jacquard mill in Asheville.

Next stop: Philadelphia via Kati and John in Alpena, Northern Michigan. I was in a quandary: how to divide up time between Philadelphia, Washington DC and New York in a week? I think that I can safely say that I maximised my time: 3 days in Philadelphia with Bettes and Larry , 1 day in Washington DC ( Textile Museum and the Smithsonian complex), 3 days in New York. (Smithsonian National Museum of  American Indians with a costume exhibition,  Here are some visual highlights.

 

Four artists used a collection of old laces and interpreted them  in various ways for this exhibition at the Design Centre at the Philadelphia University: Lace in Translation. I particularly enjoyed this chain wire fence and a huge cut out metal cylinder.

C15 velvet under glass in the Metropilitan Museum of Art, New York. There was an amazing collection of very beautiful velvets that I just happened to find. I had asked at the front desk if there were any textiles on display with “no” being given as a reply. I decided to go in anyway and see a collection of old masters. This is what I found instead!

I had been hearing about this silk shawl ever since I had been in Atlanta. Reports on it were just surfacing and here I was in New York and able to see it. Woven from Golden Orb spiders silk in Madagascar it was surprisingly large and very yellow. The design was very complex with a mixture of supplementary warp and discontinuos weft pattern on tabby. The shawl had been woven in bands and joined. A surprising detail that seemed to be at odds with the detailed weaving and intricate fringe was that the fringe was very uneven. Possibly all the left over “silk” was used with not one iota wasted or trimmed off.

Four of us collected in Philadelphia and drove north into the New England to Shellbourne Falls and Vavstuga. 8 of us had the most wonderful week of exploring a variety of weave structures, with wonderful food such beautiful surroundings. I got to experience Fall and I even had a bit of snow one morning. My friends were not impressed by snow and I wanted more. They thought that it was way too soon to be starting winter. In 5 days we had put on 10 warps and woven on most and that was just till 9.00 at night. When we were evicted from the studio, we progressed upstairs where we were exploring Laos looms under the guidance of Deb McClintock, an expert on the technique. We were all excited by the similarities of what could be achieved by those “primitive” looms and double harnesses on Swedish looms.

What an amazing collection of work: 10 looms threaded and woven on in 5 days! Samples include Rep, Monks Belt, Swedish Crackle, checks in fine cotton, Satin blocks, Leno, Honeycomb, Treddled Opphamta (supplementary weft patterns in 3 different processes)

The fun never stopped. Late night activity: How to weave supplementary complex weft pattern on a “Laos” loom. There’s more than one way to achieve the same goal!

This is the view from the room where we had meals. It was surely an effort not to “hog” the view every meal time. I am entranced by the Fall colours!

For the last week, I went north to Ontario. On the way we were fortunate to have an appointment to see the collection in the American Handweaving Museum at Clayton. It has an amazing collection of the work by weaving pioneers including Bertha Frey, Lucille Landis, Mary Snyder and Theo Morman .

What I found delightful was the transparency of this work. I had been familiar with a denser background for this technique. It was a treat to see a real piece of Theo Morman’s work.

On the way north, we also stopped off to do a usual “must see” visit to the Textile Museum in Toronto on the way up to Barrie. How did I fill in that final week? I played in the studio of my friend Jette and visited the ROM. They have a very wonderful textile section where you can get to pull out drawers and admire old textiles, including velvet. The week flew and it was time to head back to Australia, arriving home on 28th October.

Did anyone count photos? Well I did it: 14 photos!