Tapestry TopicsA Quarterly Review of Tapestry Art Today

N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e A m e r i c a n Ta p e s t r y A l l i a n c e

Winter 2004 Vol 30 No 4

Although it is in a rural location in NewEngland there has been a steady flow of visitorsfrom far and wide including New York City,Boston and eastern Canada. People have beenvery excited to see it and have returned bringing

friends andfamily. EveryThursdayevening lectur-ers will dis-cuss the exhib-it and relatedsubjects andanswer ques-tions. (Seelisting inMembers'Section, pg 21)

Lastchance to seeABT5! TheRochester ArtCenter inRochester MNis the third andfinal venue forATB5. The

new dates of the exhibition have expanded fromMarch 26 to May 8, 2005. Susan Iverson, one ofthe represented artists, will give the opening talkand gallery walk so make a date to be there.Joanna Foslien will also provide a gallery tour totrain the docents. The RAC is an exciting brandnew venue and, judging by the websitehttp://www.rochesterartcenter.org/, should pro-vide an excellent educational and promotionalservice for the exhibit. If you are in the Midwest,we hope you will plan to see it.

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www.americantapestryalliance.org

In this issue:

A Different Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sharon Marcus

Tapestry as Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Susan Iverson

Mary Kester's Formed Objects . . . . . . 7Linda Rees

Marika Szàraz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Kathe Todd Hooker

Shaped Tapestry: Why? . . . . . . . . . . 10Christine Laffer

Shaped Coptic Textiles . . . . . . . . . . . 12Mary Lane

New Book: Shaped Tapestry . . . . . . . 15Reviewed by Sharon Marcus

Self Worth and Self Knowledge . . . . 16Larry Knowles

New England Tapestry 2004 . . . . . . . 18Priscilla Alden

Announcing "ASK ATA" . . . . . . . . . . . 21Jan Austin

Membership News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Letter from theDirectorsBy Alex Friedman and Christine Laffer

The Dorr Mill in Guild, New Hampshireopened its doors September 20th, as thesecond venue for the juried ATB5 exhibi-tion. Over 200 people attended an eveningof art, music and food. Alex gave a gallerytalk for a sizable group that evening andfollowed up the next day with a moredetailed talk for educators who will presentthe show to many school groups and othergroups who plan to come see the exhibition.

Christine Laffer, "White Sac," detail, 18"x 8.5"x 2.5", 1994, silk,cotton, wool, bas relief tapestry,

see article, page 10.

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 42

After the very successful Critical Forum inDenver organised by Mary Lane and Michael Rohdethere has been a concerted effort to find ways tocontinue the discussions that were so stimulating.We have now set up two online study groups for astart; one moderated by Sharon Marcus and theother by Mary Lane. These were each limited to tenpeople and have already filled. Sharon has evenfilled a second group. Along with reading materialsthere will be online discussions to start a creativediscussion. We hope to add more study groups inthe future. If you are interested in moderating oneplease contact Mary Lane at Marylane53@mac.com

We are very pleased to announce that Mary Laneis our new board member. She has recently come offthe board of the GFR/Tapestry Center, and hasalready made big contributions in planning our edu-cational events. She brings a wealth of experienceand good ideas and we know that Mary will be avaluable asset to ATA.

Ellen Ramsey has agreed to become Chair of theFundraising Committee in addition to her currentposition as Chair of the Membership Committee,thus formalizing the connection already in placewith the Circle Membership program. If you areinterested in helping on the fundraising committee,have fundraising experience to share, or have sug-gestions for funding sources, please contact her atew.ramsey@comcast.net. ATA is planning an excit-ing event for our 25th Anniversary in 2007. Ellenwould like to hear from any members who would liketo take an active part in our Anniversary celebrations.

There is a new feature on our web page, calledthe ATA e-news, which will keep you informed ofevents or updates on a monthly basis. Managed byour very able Web Editor, Christine Laffer, it comesvia e-mail. News will also be placed in the newslet-ter but it will not be as timely.

ATA continues to thrive, now having up to 70Circle members, a great show of support for theorganization. We encourage more of the Circlemember to send images of their work for their artistpages to help our website give a more complete pic-ture of who we are. Contact Michael Rohde atrugweaver@aol.com for instructions.

The call to add tapestry catalogs to the ATALibrary has been very successful. We have receiveddonations from Helga Berry, Jon Eric Riis, MarikaSzàraz, and Aurelis, a Belgian tapestry group. Assoon as we can get them catalogued, they will beavailable for loan, as we do for the slide packages.Watch for an update on this or contact Kathe Todd-Hooker for information. Are there any volunteers inOregon who can help Kathe?

By the time you receive this, ATA will have justhad a Resource Booth at SOFA (Sculptural Objectsand Functional Art Expo) in Chicago. It will be thefirst time we are represented in this premiere art fur-nishings show. We anticipate that making ATA visi-ble in a national event will help to make tapestry amore prominent part of the art community. Wethank Dave Johnson, Christine Laffer, and AnneMcGinn, among others for helping to organize this.

American Tapestry Alliance would like to spon-sor Small Formats again in 2006. We need an organ-izer to make this happen. Is there anyone in theMichigan area who is willing to take it on?

American Tapestry Alliance is growing strongerand stronger as a supporting organization of con-temporary tapestry. We have an exciting board andwonderful volunteers. If you want to get involvedplease contact us.

Alex and Christine

About this issue

By Linda Rees

We have many interesting articles about weaverswho create nonrectangular tapestries. In several ofthe articles there are references to other artists whohave influenced their work. Searching the Internetcan provide information about most of the artistmentioned. We are also pleased that ATA member,Joann Cromley of Afton, MI, responded by submit-ting images of her shaped tapestries. Joann statesthat she has always woven geometric tapestries butwanted to go "beyond the straight selvedges - toactually allow the shapes to come alive."

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 3

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A new feature iscoming to TapestryTopics, a column calledASK ATA. Read aboutit on page 21.

Initially, when westarted solicitingreviews of tapestryexhibits, I specified thatthey be written by out-side observers, notorganizers or exhibitingmembers. However, itis logistically a chal-lenge to find reviewersto accomplish this goal,especially because wedo not have funds forprofessional writers. Inan attempt to communi-cate about the activitiesacross the country, wewill accept thoughtfulreviews by participating

members. I would like to encourage regionalgroups who are planning exhibits to make anattempt to find an objective source for review earlyin the planning. In either case, the goal is to havean objective review. If you are traveling and fortu-nate enough to see a relevant exhibit, please consid-er writing about it. Some of our best reviews havebeen by our own ATA members.

Letter to the Editor

The following letter from Joann Cromley wasinitially sent to Monique Lehman who suggested itbe sent to her through the ATA newsletter, so that adiscussion could take place.

Dear Monique,

I would like to commend you on an outstandingjob as Exhibition Chair for the American TapestryBiennial Five exhibit. I found the art work quiteunique, expressive and beautiful. For a tapestryweaver, the body of work is inspiring.

My concern is the extremely negative and psy-chologically destructive comments in the catalog byTomas Osinski, Juror. I found his remarks scathing,stinging, and hurtful and wonder why? Does suchblatant and diminishing criticism have any positivevalue to the artists or the art? I found his remarksunnecessarily painful. It also sounds as if he dread-ed the entire process, which makes me wonder whyhe consented to be a juror.

Your response to my concerns would be greatlyappreciated.

Sincerely and with respect,Joanne CromleyAfton, Michigan

Dear Joanne,

I had exactly the same feelings about TomasOsinski's essay when I read it the first time, I evenasked him to rewrite it; he refused and asked me toprint without any corrections. When I read it again Istarted to pay attention to what he said and not howhe expressed it. He made a few valuable points.

The juror wants to see original artwork, the repe-tition and imitation is boring.

Tapestry weaving takes a long time and the artistshould spend more time thinking about what he willweave and not waste his time on trivial subjects.

Tapestry artists should be more controversial;they don't need to worry about everyone liking them.

Joann Cromley, "Hourglass of Childhood,"

58" x 20

Susan Iverson, "Horizon - Red Line" detail of tapestry with pulled warp,

see article, page 6.

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 44

Artists should create art and not decorate boringinteriors.

By criticizing all the entries and purposelydiminishing their value he elevated even more theone that he liked. Most Eastern European criticshave a different style of writing than American writ-ers. The writer is expected to be controversial andnegative; he often makes fun of the artist. The criticsometimes is sarcastic but always thought provoking.

Osinski didn't care if we liked him and heachieved what he planned, he made us upset to thepoint that we had to notice his essay and rememberwhat he said. To my surprise he said that he enjoyedbeing the judge for the Biennial.

Monique Lehman ATB 5 exhibition chair

(A second letter sent to Monique)

Keeping in mind that for at least the last hundredyears, few artists or critics agree on what is valid artor literature, I have a reaction to Tomas Osinski'sstatement about Biennial 5. One who agrees to be ajuror of an exhibit should state his criteria clearlyand completely. His statement, "I was searching forsome message about 'Universal STUFF' and I mere-ly found things that were trivial," leaves me wishingfor HIS definitions of "trivia" and "UniversalSTUFF." He never gives us these, nor does he giveexamples of what he was looking for. He found onelonely example of the universal in all of the threehundred submissions. Dare we ask which one thatwas, so we can get a glimmering of what heapproves? Could we be allowed to know which fewexamples "stick out" as excellent?

Does the photo of himself perhaps give us a clueabout his attitude? Is he telling us his judgments areintentionally contradictory? Is he telling us that thetrivial can reveal the universal only when it brings anew awareness or recognition greater than it actual-ly portrays? Is he teasing us?

I would love to know, in concise language, whatthis artist is trying to tell us.

Jeanne Walker

ADifferentDirection

by SharonMarcus

Beginning in1997 I began to tireof the flat, pictorialand essentially rec-tangular format ofmy tapestries. Since1978 I had beenworking in a fairlytraditional style,using cotton seinetwine warp, woolweft, and a cartoontraced onto the warp.It seemed time for amore experimentalapproach. At thesame time I began tomove away fromthinking about tapes-try as an exclusively narrative medium, and consid-ered how I could evoke responses from viewerswithout imagery.

The initial work in this new style came about inresponse to an artists' retreat I attended in LakeMungo, Australia in 1997. After this experience Idecided to work not exclusively in tapestry, but tobranch out into book arts and metals media as well.The first tapestry in this body of work was "Site,"wedge-weave woven in linen and wire, with a smallamount of curving linear imagery. Though the threeparts of the piece were woven as rectangles, theywere manipulated post-loom into a high-relief,shaped presentation. The second tapestry in theLake Mungo work was "Chapters," a set of tensmall, linen, hemp and wire wedge-weave woven,embroidered tapestries, stained with tea and posi-tioned on laminated hand letter-press cards contain-ing text. As with "Site" the small tapestries werewoven as rectangles, and manipulated after weavinginto a more sculptural format. These forms not onlyhad high relief, but intriguing shapes as well.

Sharon Marcus, “Burn,” 44"h x 16.5" to 3"w, 2003, mixed media, wool warp,

linen, cotton and wire weft. Exhibited in ATB5

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 5

I have always found it useful to recycle my ownimagery. It is a means of delving more deeply intothe same material to explore its potential. I havedone this since the early days of working pictorially,but continue to do so whenever it seems appropri-ate. Importing slide images of the ten parts of"Chapters" into the computer, I began to look atthem simply from the standpoint of their two-dimensional outlines, appreciating the interest of theshapes without considering their high relief charac-teristics. From this observation came a group of tenmore small units comprising the "Walls of China"tapestry. In this case I used the silhouettes of the"Chapters" pieces as the outlines for ten wedge-weave woven, flat, shaped tapestries. The weft waswool/rabbit hair and wire and they were tea-stainedafter weaving.

The sculpted and shaped tapestries woven for theLake Mungo installation evolved into shaped piecesin a very natural way without a great deal of pre-planning. I chose materials and techniques that sup-ported the over-riding focus about the colonialimpact on early Australia. I believe that the easewith which I went from flat to sculpted to shapedwork in this instance came about because my mindwas very open to a major change in my workingprocess at that time. Being in the stark Outbacklandscape, away from the familiarity of my studio inthe Pacific Northwest, I had an ideal opportunity fora transformation in my working process. Thoughthe actual tapestries were completed in my studio,the impetus which made them possible came from

Australia. The total body of work stemming fromthe experience extended from 1997 to 2001, andincludes photography, book arts, metals and textiles.

In 2003 I began the "Personal Knowledge"series, which is on-going as of this writing.Currently seven tapestries have been completed inthis group: "Burn," "Facade," "Shield,""Intersection," "Connections," "Seam," and"Restraint." Conceptually the work relates to mycurrent interest in natural coverings - skins, crusts,husks, barks, hides, pelts, peels, rinds, sheaths,shells, plates, veneers and so on. I am curious howthese various coverings relate visually and in a tac-tile sense to weft-faced textiles. How do the tex-tures, patterns, structural lines and forms correspondto weaving? Rather than attempt to replicate whatis found in nature in a pictorial way, I decided toapproach it from a structural point of view, applyinga limited number of tapestry techniques to the prob-lem, primarily eccentric, shaped weaving and joins.

The tapestries are woven very spontaneously.The outline is pre-determined and traced onto thewarp, but all weaving occurs in response to theshape as the tapestry develops. The materials in thefirst ten of these pieces are wool warp and linen andwire weft. Ends are darned in afterwards so the tap-estries are completely double-sided. They are thendistressed, and mixed media materials applied. Theresulting tapestries are flat and hang on the wall, butI have plans to bring more dimension to the work asthe series continues. After years of working in amore constrained manner, I am exalting in thedegree of freedom that this approach has brought.My hope is to create work which is evocative andarchetypal, connecting to the viewer on a subcon-scious level.

Sharon Marcus, “Site,” 1"h x 32"w x 16"d when lying flat, 1998 linen and wire wedge-weave

Sharon Marcus, “Chapters” Weavings 6-7"h x 3-4"w x 1"d, 1999

linen, hemp and wire, wedge-weave tea-stained and embroidered. Cards: 8.25"h x 4"w,

hand-letterpress laminated cards

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 46

Tapestry as ObjectBy Susan Iverson

When I first started weaving tapestries, I associ-ated the technique with the ability to produce a fab-ric with strength and texture that could come off thewall - to become dimensional - to become an object.I must admit that this was the early 70's and theartists that I was looking at were making tapestriesthat did everything but hang flat on the wall. I sawtapestry, despite its history, as a new art form - onethat could hold its ownwith the contemporarypainting and sculpture ofthe time. I was lookingat the work of Peter andRitzi Jacobi, Jagoda Buic,Magdalena Abakanowicz,and of course, HermanScholten, a Dutch artistwho significantly influ-enced the way I thoughtabout tapestry. Havingseen his tapestry "YellowBraid" in New York andhis work in the book"Beyond Craft: the ArtFabric," I started to thinkabout the technical side ofdimensional and shaped tapestry. That was thebeginning of my fascination with pulled warp. I wastruly intrigued with the notion that you could weavesomething flat, and then make it dimensional with-out any artificial means.

In the early 70's I was at Tyler School of Art,Temple University studying with Adela Akers and Ihad the good fortune to enter the program the sameyear as John McQueen. John was weaving then andproducing woven objects in very inventive ways.He made a number of pulled warp objects butquickly moved on to the basketry techniques that hebecame so well known for. Adela did some beauti-ful pulled warp pieces later in the 80's. I made afew small samples to explore the technique but hadno serious ideas for major pieces at that time. I didnot use shaping until the late 70's and early 80'swhen I did a series of 6-7 ft. tall V shaped tapes-tries. Around that same time I did a few workshopsand lectures about pulled warp.

I came from an undergraduate program atColorado State University where Sherri Smith

stressed multi-shaft weaving and making the weavework for you. When I switched to tapestry, I missedthe technical problem solving that was so inherentin pattern weaving. Tapestry can be so beautifullystraight forward. I liked what I perceived as thehonesty of tapestry but I missed the mental gamesinvolved in working with complex structures.Pulled warp filled my need to experiment and solveproblems. Over the years I have woven quite a fewsamples of pulled warp and I feel that I haven't evenscratched the surface. Pulled warp is an extremelyversatile technique that can make a simple curve, anundulating surface, a complex geometric dimension-al surface or many other things. It lends itself to thenotion of tapestry as object. It can physically makea tapestry 3-dimensional or, even if the tapestrystays relatively flat, the movement of the warp con-tradicts the idea that the tapestry is merely image.

In the mid 90's after many years of teachingpulled warp, but not using it in my own work, Istarted using it again. While I have always thoughtof my tapestries as objects, they have been relative-ly flat. The dimension of the thick fabric and thefact that the image, color, and texture are formed bythe structure itself makes me refer to many of thetapestries as objects. In the "Horizon" series that I

started in the mid 90's, the tapestries became dimen-sional and came off the wall by several inches. Iused pulled warp to make ripples or folds in the tap-estry. They were as much about being fabric as theywere about the concept/visual content. Currently Iam using pulled warp in about half of my work -when I need a dimensional surface I use it. It isanother tool, a means to an end.

Susan Iverson, detail of "Useless Dreams" - side view to show the depth.

Susan Iverson, VirginiaMuseum of Fine Art -

gallery shot from 1981 of "V" shaped tapestry done

with pulled warp.

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 7

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Mary Kester's Formed ObjectsBy Linda Rees

Shaped tapestries by Mary Kesterwere selected for three of the fiveAmerican Tapestry Biennials,exhibits 1, 3, and 5. She has beenquietly weaving "formed" tapestriessince the early 1970s.

A native of Iowa, she discoveredweaving after trying various mediaat the University of Northern Iowa inCedar Falls. She was never interest-ed in painting but rather was lookingfor a way to "do objects." Substancewas of more importance than a pic-ture. Throughout the decade sheproduced weaving, acquiring moreproficiency through classes withWalter Nottingham at the Universityof Iowa and at Penland. As thedecade progressed, she did many commissions.

Mary's first weaving "was flat but it had holes init and hairy parts." Her pieces were not really denseenough to consider as tapestry until a move toSyracuse, NY, gave her the opportunity to get anMFA at Syracuse University in 1981. Since thattime she has used a scaffold loom but her focus hasnot wavered from an interest in depicting formthrough depth illusion and weaving in layers.

In the ATBI catalogue, Mary states: My tapestries depict forms from landscape

and human studies. "Cloaked" is part of a portalseries. In this case, the portal is cloaked by asofter drape contrasted by thrusting side struts.I create depth of form by making layers as Iweave and by picturing depth through shadingand color juxtaposition. The dense substance oftapestry fabric allows me to create both layersand detailed image necessary for making thedepth illusion I seek. I also admit to a love ofthe tactile process and the solitary time require-ments of tapestry work. I find the contradictionof depth illusion and fiber substance intriguingand hope the viewer does too.

In 1995, proba-bly the year whenthis artist's state-ment was written,Mary took a tripto Ireland whereshe discovered acompelling fasci-nation with mono-lithic stones. Thestone portals werea physical mani-festation of whatshe had alreadystarted to expressin "Cloaked" andother portalpieces. She hasvisited other sitesin France andScotland since andfinds it invigorat-

ing to be "studyingagain." Mary likes

"to work with abstraction, not direct depiction andfeels that the neolithic sites, which are enigmatic ruinsof unknown people for unknown purposes, qualify."

"Kerbstone," Mary's entry in ATB5, is a moredirect interpretation of a stone at Newgrange,Ireland than most of the earlier pieces in the series,such as the intriguing "Brittany Portal" from theATB3 exhibit. While the form of "Kerbstone" isrealistic, she has altered the colors from the stone'srelatively uniform gray and extrapolated the mean-ings and form of the symbols on this "pretty rock'".(See photo pg 18.)

Mary has been working on two thematic seriesfor several years. Images in the second "Quarters"series, such as "Colorado Bloom," have a decidedGeorgia O'Keefe feel, and make even more use oflayering than the "Portal" series does. She uses twowarps together and when she wants to break the fab-ric into two layers, she switches the warp pairing. Ifshe had been hand picking the units 1 and 2 alter-nating with 3 and 4, now she would have 1 and 3 onthe front and 2 and 4 as the back layer. If shemakes more than one layer that needs to come awayfrom the body of the tapestry. She leaves enough

Mary Kester, "Brittany Portal," 72" x 69" x 4"

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 48

extra warp when she cuts the weaving off so thatshe can pull it back down to where the first layerwould be extended and finished. The process mayrequire needle-nosed pliers for leverage.

Obviously, Mary must plan her design very care-fully before beginning the weaving. Once she hasher design worked out she makes the large cartoon.Most of the time she weaves the tapestry on its side.

Tabs are woven on the edge that will rotate to formthe top with cotton yarn of about the same densityas the body of the piece. Horizontal slits are neededin this portion to simulate how a seamstress wouldclip the facing for a collar. A steel rod is forged tomatch the top's profile.

In order to achieve the desired layering effect shehas evolved a unique system of working from boththe front and back of the warp. In converting anoutbuilding that had a dirt floor for her studio, theycreated a sunken central area for her two weavingbays. A large wooden beam was embedded into theconcrete. Huge eyehooks in the beam and in its cor-responding beam in the ceiling provide a stablemeans of anchoring her scaffold looms. The space is18 feet tall and allows her to move freely from oneside to the other. . Mary believes "one of the goodthings about having several types of studio before isthat this time I got it right."

Marika Szàraz

by Kathe Todd Hooker

Marika Szàraz has been weaving tapestry since1975. Her first five years of learning to weave tap-estry were in Hungary weaving tapestries from car-toons provided by leading contemporary artists. Shemarried and moved to Belgium where she maintainsa studio, teaches and weaves her extraordinaryshaped tapestries.

I first saw a tapestry by Ms. Szàraz in an ATAshow "World Tapestry Today" in Chicago in 1988and again at the ATB2 show in Atlanta in 1998. Wewere also in a miniature show in Sombathely,Hungary many years ago. In those years, I was moreinterested in trying to figure out where I could showmy small format/sewing thread tapestries than shap-ing tapestries. I was fascinated with the facts thather tapestries were not in the more traditional squareor rectangular shapes and that some of them weresmall format. I had been introduced to creatingshaped pieces in graduate school so I was familiarwith how they were created.

Shaped tapestry is a term that Ms Szàraz andmost of Europe find puzzling and she just calls whatshe does "my technique". In a recent e-mail shethought perhaps she might call it "technique szama".In North America, shaped tapestry is a catchallphrase for anything woven in tapestry technique thatisn't a flat-woven rectangular tapestry. Her tech-nique is based on leaving wedge shaped voids in thestructure of a flat woven tapestry. Later after thetapestry is cut off the loom the wefts are pulledalong the warps in a way that distorts the rib struc-ture and shapes the tapestries.

When viewing Ms. Szàraz work, it would bevery easy to get lost in the magic of "how" and for-get the equally fascinating "why". It is a commonattitude in American tapestry weaving, that tapestryis at its best when technique disappears and thedesign becomes the most important element. Ms.Szàraz, however, takes the opposite tack. In her ownwords "I narrow down my subject until it is theessential-- of the structure, the tapestry. The struc-ture becomes the medium and the subject in thesame time."

Mary Kester, "Colorado Bloom," 80" x 90"

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 9

Ms. Szàraz exhibited her first shaped tapestryweavings in 1980. She began experimenting on thecomputer with the shaped designs in 1979 and feelsshe is still discovering - even though she is nolonger interested in using the computer to design herwork. "Each tapestry brings me another question,another solution, and [is] full of surprises." Sheloved weaving tapestry, but felt the "rectangularshape was an obstacle" and gave her a "closed feel-ing." In an article by Peter Snowdon, from "TheBulletin," April 29, 2004, she said: "Working in asquare always bugged me. I feltlike I was caught in a trap, andwanted to get out." When asked inan e-mail why she weaves shapedtapestries that aren't rectangularand square, she said, she had'never asked why because it was asimple continuation. As a child,when listening to stories and fablesher question was always the same:"and after… what happenedafter?" Through teaching, experi-encing the act of weaving, andstudying whatever she createstechnically she has no fear of thedoing. She has internalized thetechniques until they are part of her.

When asked if any of herdesigns were ever serendipitous,she said, "For me [chance or acci-dental] don't exist. I have a trustand reliance. I am the executor,channel. I propose, but I acceptalso."

Talking about her philosophy ofweaving and art, she explained:

Kandinsky created abstractpainting to express somethinginexpressible. I would like to show in my artworks something essential, [focus the] feeling ofessential as harmony, peace, faith, and communi-cation. I would like to transmit this feeling of artto people…Through this [narrowing] you canfeel the long hours spent next to the loom, ritualmotion and gesture. You are one with the materi-al, no times, nothing around, only you and peace.It is a great moment of joy. My life is filled withgreat moments.

She prefers not to weave figuratively becauseshe feels this would be an "expression of limita-tions" and likes the sensibilities of abstract painting.

As trite and overused as the expression seems, inthe case of Ms. Szàraz's tapestry it is appropriate tosay "less is much more". The structure of the tapes-try and the play of light across the ribbed structureshave become the statement. Simplicity is used todefine a complexity and multiplicity of ideas: "Thewoven surface within which the routes are more

important than the destination." Thework is meant to be contemplativeand meditative, both in the doingand viewing. Many of us whoweave tapestry have commented onthe place one's mind goes when allof the elemental levels of tapestryweaving become one with time andplace. Ms. Szàraz's tapestries are thefinal step in this expression of thatplace. "It is the sensation of goingnowhere in a temporal moment ofpeace and solitude."

Her designs appeal to the viewerwho takes the time to look and con-template in much the same way asmazes, chanting and Zen sand gar-dens appeal to the viewer and listen-er. In an interview with Ann DeBodt in the Art Magazine Ms.Szàraz states: "I experience my workas an exteriorization of internalsilence."

In the same interview with AnneDe Bodt, Ms. Szàraz states: "For mea very simple shape harmonizedwith empty space gives the impres-sion of the song of silence, of har-

mony, of serenity…Its message is so evident thattrying to explain it could only falsify it. This forminvites the spectator to participate instead of justlooking." For me this has been true every time Ihave seen one of her tapestries in real time.

Questioned about where she saw her work goingand where she wanted it to go, Ms. Szàraz replied,"Forward-- to the most far reaching discoveries andto the surprises."

Marika Szàraz, "Contemplation," 89" x 44", Exhibited in n ATB5.

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 410

Shaped tapestry: Why?

by Christine Laffer

The possibilities of how to approach tapestryweaving usually start with weaving from the frontor the back of the loom and stop with the choice toweave from a cartoon turned on its side or kept ver-tical. All of these options refer to the orientation ofthe tapestry maker to the image as it is woven at theloom. The unexamined assumption is that the tapes-try will have a rectangular shape. This shape comesfrom the perpendicular relationship between thestretched warps and the beams of the loom. Theresulting rectangle makes sense to a weaver in thesame way that a bronze caster finds sense in pouringmolten metal down and not up when casting.

While this analogy of tapestry weaving to bronzecasting doesn't really hold much truth, I used it toimply that certain physical laws play an absolute ordeterminant role in the process of weaving. While itis true that woven yarns obey the laws of physics,gravity is not paramount among them. Tension,compression, elasticity, and friction provide thedominant network of forces that make interlacedstructures work.

In 1987, Marika Szàraz pointed out to me thattapestry has more in common with basket weavingthan with any other weave structure. It took meseveral years to fully decipher what she meant.Now, whenever I feel the warps under my fingers Iknow that their taut verticality is only temporary.Once off the loom they will find other directionsthat depend on the stress and structure of the weftsthat surround them.

Shaped tapestry sets its boundaries withoutaccepting warp and beams as fixed, determinateentities. A tapestry maker might find that a rectan-gular shape does fit the content of the piece. Atother times, it can interfere. For example, if youwish to weave a fish within a rectangular field thenyou must make decisions about what that environ-ment consists of and how much illusion of three-dimensional space you want to convey. Some ofyour content will be determined by the nature of thepictorial field.

I will try to summarize my thoughts on this fromtwo sides. If I were to approach the rectilinearity oftapestry from a textile viewpoint, I can see that bothyardage and rugs have sound reasons for shapes thatfit the parameters of carpentry. It makes sense thatthe logic of the grid would carry the most weight inmaking textiles when we want them to fit the roomsthat we live in. Further, a rectangular cloth rolls orfolds neatly and efficiently.

On the other hand, if you accept the WilliamMorris/Jean Lurçat definition of tapestry - whichhas proven its validity - then tapestry containsimages within a shallow pictorial field. This fielddoes not lend itself to delicate atmospheric nuancesbut instead brings the viewer constantly back to thesurface with bold color and form. If the shallow-ness of this field becomes the same as the surfaceitself then the image and the object become one andthe same. Ritzi Jacobi achieved this ultimate distil-

Christine Laffer, "Suspension," 57"x 27"x 4"1994, wool, cotton, linen, bas relief tapestry

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 11

lation of a tapestry with "La Dernière de CetteSerie" (1987), erasing any image it might have car-ried and leaving only the tapestry itself marked bytime and misfortune. At this point, tapestry asobject has taken its position on the thresholdbetween the illusory and the real.

Clearly, looking back, Magdalena Abakanowiczhad discovered this presence of the object in worksdating from 1962 and on. Marcel Marois discov-ered, in the early 1970s, that he could assemble sev-eral pieces woven on different warps into one pieceusing layers as part of his content. Archie Brennan's"Steak and Sausages" (1972) may have been intend-ed as an elaborate joke, but it certainly shows avalid exploration of shaped tapestry as real object.Marika Szàraz produced shaped pieces since the late1980s, if not earlier. Janet Moore, whose work Ifirst saw in 1990, brought shape and image togetherin an almost mythical way. (See Tapestry TopicsFall, 2003, pg 4)

Once you decide not to weave the ground as aspace and the content as a representation of reality,then some previously unencountered difficultiesarise. How is the work displayed? What is its rela-

tionship to the wall?Your content willhave to respond tothe real world in away that fits with theobject's physicalqualities. Instead ofcreating an image ofa fish, you create afish-like object - ananalog - with theshape and markingsof a "real" fish.

This does twothings. First, it pro-duces a certain anxi-ety in both the artistand the viewer. Thiscan result in reac-

tions on all sides of the spectrum, from ambiva-lence, to the extremes of humor or distaste. Second,the immediacy of the object causes the viewer toread the piece in a different mental framework

where expectations of art and its standards of judg-ment are questioned or modified.

I write these things in the process of lookingback. I can fill in the narrative gaps with informa-tion accumulated over the last eighteen years. Butin 1992, as I developed in skill and the issues pre-sented by tapestry grew more focused for me, I

grew desperate. My struggle with representationversus object qualities had reached a point where Ihad to resolve them. I decided to complete aMasters of Fine Arts degree at a local universitywhere questions about the complexities and puzzlesof art making could be answered. I had started alarge piece, "Cloth of Construction: Tarps" in 1991where I intentionally developed eccentrics to bucklethe weave and create a synthesis of image and sur-face. From there, between 1993 and 1995 as I com-pleted my degree, shaped eccentric tapestry becamemy entire method of working.

The key that unlocked this wellspring turned outto be the work of two artists, that of Eva Hesse andJoseph Beuys. Each of these artists had stumbledupon the instantaneous perceptual link betweenshape - particularly silhouette - and reality. In gen-eral, we exist in and move through the world basedon visual factors (phenomenological information)that we process at an incredible speed. We react toshape, size, motion, and color before we even beginto think in terms of language. If the artwork issquare, motionless and colorful, we can engage

Christine Laffer, "Cloth of Construction: Tarps," 8.5' x 11.5' 2003, wool, bas relief tapestry

Christine Laffer, "UntitledDrawing 1," 11"x 8", 1992,

ink on paper, drawing

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Shaped Coptic Textilesby Mary Lane

The term Coptic is derived from a Greek wordmeaning Egyptian. The Egyptians were subjected tothe rule of a series of outside cultures beginning in332 BC, when the Ptolemic Greeks conquered theircountry, When the Arabs conquered Egypt in AD640, bringing their Islamic culture, they continuedto use the term Coptic to refer to the native peoplewho by then were primarily Christian. It is still usedto refer to the Christian minority in Egypt today.

The "Coptic period" in Egypt began in the late3rd century AD, under the influence of late Romanart and continued to develop during the ByzantinePeriod, AD395 - 611. Its efflorescence coincidedwith the integration of Christianity into Egyptiansociety.. Hence, Coptic textiles date from the lateRoman period to Islamic times. They include gar-ments, hangings, cushion covers and other house-hold decorations. Earlier burials from the DynasticPeriod in Egypt contain textiles such as mummywrappings or grave goods, but textile remains areconsiderably more numerous after the dynastic prac-tice of mummification was abandoned in the 4th

century AD. After that people were buried fullyclothed with additional textiles wrapping the body.Most of the excavated textiles show signs of wear,indicating that they were not made specifically forburials.1

Among the vast repertoire of Coptic textiles, tap-estries exist primarily as fragments. Many of thesewere shaped and originally adorned plain-wovenlinen tunics. Like other Coptic fabrics, tunics, werewoven in both rep and tapestry weave. A linenground cloth was combined with tapestry ornamentsin the form of bands, squares, ovals and roundels.To achieve transitions from plain to tapestry weave,the warp might be doubled or trebled in the tapestryareas or some warps might be skipped and allowedto hang on the back as floats, or trimmed later.2

The Copts adopted the tunic from the Romans,who conquered Egypt from the Greeks in 30 BC.They were often worn in layers, the outermost beingdecorated with the colorful, tapestry inserts.Because the tapestry areas were more time consum-ing to weave, the width of the bands and the extentof additional decorative ornaments reflected thevalue of the cloth and the wealth and rank of thewearer. Although the form of the tunic remains fair-ly consistent through time, the mode of constructionchanges. Early tunics were woven as one piece offabric - starting with one sleeve, proceeding throughthe body and finishing with the other sleeve. Thislayout requires a loom almost three meters wide.Eventually (maybe in the 4th or 5th C), the tunicsleeves were woven separately and sewn onto thebody of the tunic, which was still woven from sideto side with a slit opening for the neck. The loomwidth required for this is only half that of the pon-cho style construction. Other modifications indesign include weaving the ornaments separatelywhich meant they could reuse ones from worn gar-ments. Weaving the tapestry sections separatelywould have also allowed for specialization amongthe weavers.3

Tapestry panels on tunics usually consist of apair of purple, longitudinal bands running from theshoulder down the front and back. (Fig. 1) The longnarrow bands, called clavus bands, or clavi, areeither unpatterned or combined with linen.4Additional tapestry embellishments on tunicsinclude: orbiculae (round or oval ornaments) orother shaped ends to the clavi; tabulae (squares)placed at the shoulders, sleeves or hem; and trans-

with it as peaceful and we then progress to seeingthe image and reacting to its content. If the art-work is oddly shaped, moves, or is hard to see,then we are on guard until the object is properlyidentified. Kinetic sculpture, in particular, hasexplored this terrain.

Drawings that I made in late 1992 that exploredthe power of silhouette became small shaped tapes-tries. The audience response that I had access to atthe university made it clear that presentation ofthese tapestries was as important as the weaving ofthem. Rarely did anyone ask me how long it took toweave, or whether I had painted the cartoon ingouache or acrylic, or what yarns did I use - none ofthese questions arose. Instead, people tried to figureout what it was they were looking at (they were, infact, on guard), what they thought of it, and what Iwas trying to convey. Once I ironed out the presen-tational difficulties (still in flux), they reacted to thework outside of the frame normally used by viewersof tapestry. It put me in fresh territory. And I hadno desire to go back.

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 13

verse bandsat the neck-line betweenthe clavi andthe sleeve.

Severalfactors hinderaccurate dat-ing. Mosttextiles werecollectedbeforearchaeologybecame sys-tematized andconsequentlyare notaccompaniedby prove-

nance, stratigrahpic dating or other contextualrecords. In addition, grave looters looking for moreprecious materials often discarded textiles, separat-ing them from artifacts, such as coins, that are moreeasily dated. Because textiles were often cut intopieces and sold to several museums, understandingeven the form and format of Egyptian textiles isdifficult.

Although wall paintings, mosaics, book illumi-nations and written sources give important informa-tion about textiles that help date pieces, style hasbeen the principal dating criterion. Stylistic dating,however, is also problematic, primary because theearlier classical style persisted during the laterdevelopment of a more abstract mode. These twostyles occur at different times and places in manyvariants and intermixtures. The variable ability ofweavers to replicate the models; the slower dissem-ination rate of stylistic changes to provincial work-shops and the development of independent regionalstyles further complicate dating. The complexity ofsuch factors, however, results in a richly diversecorpus of Coptic textiles.

Ornaments on tunics were often placed at theshoulders and knees, two vulnerable joints subjectto disease and crippling. The placement of the deco-ration may have been apotropaic, warding off theevil eye. Defense against the evil eye was typicallyachieved by an eye that stared back with a powerthat counteracted the evil force; an upraised hand; ora design so complex and fascinating, e.g. an inter-

lace pattern, that it captured the stare of the evil eyeand kept it moving.5

"Tunic with Cavaliers" is a typical example of a7th C Coptic tunic. (Fig.1) The longitudinal clavi ter-minate in palmettes with two tapestry squares at theshoulder. The clavi bands are ornamented with grapeclusters. The grape harvest, associated with Dionysusand death and resurrection is therefore symbolic ofthe harvesting of lives. The flanking squares (Fig. 2)show a mounted rider with his hand raised. Thisimage combines the apotropaic, protective function ofthe raised hand with the mounted rider, a symbol ofChristian victory of life over death, and also reminis-cent of Christian orant, or praying figures.

Christian saints are often depicted astride horses,in either of two iconographical types, the armedfighting horseman who evokes the militant triumphof Christianity over paganism and the static horse-man, who is surrounded by a halo of his martyrdomor apostate.6

Monochrome tapestries, such as "Tunic with cav-aliers," rely on line and silhouette for their effect, adesign sensibility also present in painted Greekvases. The most successful achieve a sense of bal-ance and clarity amidst their detail. In this piece theimage is defined by the combination of the purpletapestry weave with a technique referred to as "fly-ing shuttle", in which the lighter linen thread floats

Fig. 1 Tunic with cavaliers, 45.5 cm x 85 cm , Akmin 7th

C Rutschowscaya, Coptic Fabrics.

Fig. 2 Tunic with cavaliers, detail, Akmin 7th C Rutschowscaya, Coptic Fabrics.

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 414

across the surface of the fabric in order to createfiner, vertical lines, especially apparent in the figureand the horse. Flying shuttle is developed to a muchgreater extent in the patterns common in tapestryinserts such as "Tunic roundel with a human face."(Fig. 3) (See online color Tapestry Topics.)

Multicolored tapestry inserts may be realistic,with hatching and other illusionistic devices, or theymay utilize large areas of bold color and/or conven-tionalized detail. Three examples will display thevariety present as cultural changes produced a shiftfrom realism to abstraction.

The "Orbiculus with the head of the Nile god,"(3rd - 4th Centuries) (Fig. 4) exemplifies the fusionbetween the Nilotic imagery of Dynastic Egypt andthe classical realism of the Greek and Roman cul-tures. The figure personifies the ancient Egyptiangod of the Nile River. His hair contains riparianflora and he holds the symbol of the river's fertility,the cornucopia. The style of the figure, however, isclassical, like late Roman portraiture. Within thebody and the drapery, hatching with several valuesof a flesh tone creates an illusionistic, three-dimen-sional representation of the figure. The finely ren-dered features of the face and beard enhance theindividualism of the figure. The Nile god is glancingover his shoulder, as though caught at a specificmoment in time. The decorative, circular bordercontains the bounty of the Nile.

The persistence of pagan motifs, used singularlyor in a newly Christianized context, reflects both the

cultural complexty taking place and the underlyingsimilarities between the two belief systems. Bothare built upon dualities symbolized by battlesbetween men and animals or mythical beasts, or bypairs of identical humans.7 The structural similari-ties allowed for the incorporation of elements of theolder, indigenous belief system into Christianity,thus easing the transition.

Around 450 - 500 AD the shift to the Byzantinestyle becomes apparent. The "Head of Dionysus"(Fig. 5) no longer displays the same interest in real-ism seen in the representation of the Nile River god.

The Greek god, Dionysus, often shown with a gar-land of grape vines, replaced Osiris, the Egyptiangod of the dead and resurrection, allowing for hissubsequent assimilation into Christian iconography.8This image of Dionysus does not express the indi-vidualism seen in the portrait of the Nile River god.The Byzantine style favors absolutism and ceremo-ny and is marked by abstraction and otherworldli-ness. Forms are simplified, anatomy becomes lessprecise, and features are stylized. Note theenlarged eyes with thick outlines, the broad carica-tured mouth and distortion in the proportions of thebody. The interaction between the foreground andthe background also plays a much greater role inthe image.

Such stylistic changes do not necessarily imply aloss of technical skill. More commonly they reflectcultural changes. The prevalent imagery and style ofa particular time period reflects the current cultural

Fig. 4 Orbiculus with the head of the Nile god, 3rd C, 29.6 cm x 29.4 cm

Rutschowscaya, Coptic Fabrics.

Fig. 5 Head of Dionysus, 3rd - 4th C Volbach,

Early Decorative Fabrics.

Fig. 6 Rectangular Panel with a Bust ofa Woman, 5th C, 31.5 cm x 24.9cm,

Trilling, The Roman Heritage.

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 15

ideology. The stylistic changes seen in the represen-tations of the Nile River god and Dionysus mirrorthe shift from a more humanistic, pagan culture tothe other worldly focus of the Christian Byzantineperiod in which the individuality of the person and thespecificities of life on earth were of less importance.

The extremely conventionalized approach to rep-resentation during the later Byzantine period isapparent in the "Rectangular panel with a bust of awoman" (Fig. 6), dated to the 5th C or later. Thefrontal, static portrait employs a geometric approachto form. Facial features and structural anatomy arereduced to heavy lines and circles, jewelry to a lineof squares, and hair to a repeating arc. The bust issurrounded by equally stylized vine motifs andsquares containing flowers. This style, which focus-es more on composition and design than on realism,emphasizes the timeless and spiritual nature of liferather than the humanity of the individual.

The stylistic variety exhibited in this small selec-tion of Coptic tapestries reflects the influences ofthe various cultures that ruled Egypt. From theincorporation of new deities and spiritual faiths, tothe assimilation of stylistic devices, these transfor-mations mark the interchange between cultures. Inthe case of Coptic art, this interchange did notinvolve a wholesale adoption of each succeedingruling culture's artistic mode, but rather a complexand unique blending of elements from Dynastic,Greek, Roman and Islamic art. The lively intermix-ture of motifs, the strong colors and the technicalweaving skills combine to produce a vital and com-pelling art form that continues to delight viewers.

7 Carroll, Diane Lee. Looms and Textiles of the Copts:Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences, Number 11.Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1986, 65.8 Rutschowscaya, Marie Helene. Coptic Fabrics. Paris:Editions Adam Biro, 1990, 82.

Bibliography of sources not footnoted:Kybalova, Lumila. Coptic Textiles. London: Paul Hamlyn,

1967.Stauffer, Annemarie. Textiles of Late Antiquity. New York:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1995.Trilling, James. The Roman Heritage: Textiles from Egypt

and the Eastern Mediterranean, 300 to 600 AD. WashingtonD.C.: The Textile Museum, 1982.

Volbach, W. Fritz. Early Decorative Fabrics. London: PaulHamlyn, 1969.

continued...

1 Thompson, Deborah. CopticTextiles in the Brooklyn Museum.New York: The Brooklyn Museum, 1971, 1.2 Hoskins, Nancy Arthur. The Coptic Tapestry Albums & theArchaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet. Seattle: University ofWashington Press, 2004, 43-44.3 Carroll, Diane Lee. Looms and Textiles of the Copts:Memoirs of the California Academy of Sciences, Number 11.Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1986, 40-41.4 Since the cost of the tunics was based on the weight of thedyed yarn, a combination of wool and linen would have extend-ed the more costly dyed woolen threads over a greater area.5 Carroll, Diane Lee. Looms and Textiles of the Copts: Memoirsof the California Academy of Sciences, Number 11. Seattle:University of Washington Press, 1986, 54.6 Rutschowscaya, Marie Helene. Coptic Fabrics. Paris:Editions Adam Biro, 1990, 137-140.

New Book: Shaped Tapestryby Kathe Todd Hooker. Fine Fiber Press and StudioAlbany, Oregon, 2004.Review by Sharon Marcus

After a brief historical introduction, the bookbegins with a chapter on "Looms for ShapedWeaving". Interestingly, all of the looms mentionedare of "off-loom" or portable loom design, many ofthem familiar to people who teach weaving to chil-dren and young adults. The implication with thefocus on such looms, is that there is a natural con-nection between shaped tapestry and small scalehand-made looms. There is only a brief mention ofstationary looms for more large scale work. The var-ious looms Todd-Hooker describes are: pin looms,using foam core, Firtex™, or cork; slash loomsmade of slashed cardboard; slash loom variationssuch as circles, boxes, and cylinders; wrapped loomcylinders; comb looms; frame looms; and a varietyof miscellaneous ideas for ways of warping in an"off-loom" and small-scale manner.

"Weaving Basics", the second section of thebook, deals with weaving materials, small handtools, and techniques for stabilizing the beginningand ending of shaped tapestries. It provides the kindof preliminary information important for commenc-ing a weaving. Of particular importance is the cau-tion that tapestries woven with an intent to manipu-late through pulled warps, should choose fibers thatare smooth, and slide easily in post-loom finishing.

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 416

The Gallery Section could have been substantial-ly improved by expanding it to include a few of themany, well-known artists outside the United Stateswho have produced innovative shaped tapestries e.g.Tass Mavrogordato (UK), Shelly Goldsmith (UK)Yumi Kobayashi Lindsay (UK), Silvia Heyden(Switzerland), Joanna Buxton (UK), Diana WoodConroy (Australia), Wodek Cygan (Poland), Ci demGürel (Germany), Birgitta Ljungberg (Sweden),Claire Rado (France), Eta Sadar Breznik (Croatia),and Marika Szaraz (Belgium). Jon Eric Riis (USA)should also have been included. The Gallery sec-tion would have been more useful if each tapestryimage had been accompanied by a sentence or twolisting what specific techniques mentioned in thebook have been applied to the work.

The chapter "Shaping as You Weave" offers use-ful information concerning the many ways tapestriescan be shaped on and off the loom. The variousmethods described include leaving open spaces withthe use of scaffolds (space holders), using "darts"and pulled warps to shape tapestries after they arecut from the loom, weaving with the cartoon turnedon the diagonal, manipulating the warp to createtwists in the weaving, using cloth as a foundationfor tapestry, adding extra layers, manipulating slits,weaving eccentrically, embellishing with fringes,fasteners and so on. The instructions in this sectionare uniformly clear and easy to understand, and thediagrams, when available, are accurate and illustra-tive of the process. The primary problem with thissection has to do with the age and dated look ofmany of the photographic examples illustrating thevarious techniques. "Water Fall" (1978), "Anger'sEdge" (1978), "Falling" (1974), "GeometricAbstraction" (1972), and "Red and PurpleComposition" (1972) should have been replacedwith more contemporary examples. It would havemade the chapter more inspiring for today's audi-ence.

The final chapter on "Finishing" is wide-rangingand does not apply exclusively to shaped work.Though this is a book on shaped weaving, many ofthe finishes suggested seem more appropriate forsquare or rectangular pieces than for shaped, free-hanging or more sculptural tapestries. However,there are several good suggestions for the finishingand presentation of small format work.

In summary, Todd-Hooker has produced a bookwhich is a good introduction to the topic of shapedweaving, and it consolidates otherwise widely dis-persed information into one easy to read source.Though diagrams are easy to follow, the book wouldbenefit from more and better quality photographs.The emphasis is on small-scale work utilizingportable looms. True off-loom and large-scale tapes-try constructions are not addressed in any substan-tial manner. This is unfortunate because the changein scale involved in moving from small format tomedium or large-scale work is not simply a matterof applying all the same techniques to a biggerpiece. It almost always involves serious problemsolving and experimentation to be successful. Itwould have been useful to include a trouble-shoot-ing section directed specifically to such changes inscale. Despite the shortcomings mentioned, ShapedTapestry is a worthwhile addition to the library ofany person weaving tapestry who is interested inexploring a shaped format.

Self Worth and Self Knowledge: Reflections on ATB5By Larry Knowles

Among its many good works, the AmericanTapestry Alliance should be complimented andthanked for inviting Thomas Osinski, an architectand associate of Frank Gehry, to act as a juror forthe exhibit American Tapestry Biennial Five. Mr.Osinski's brief statement in the exhibit catalogueshould be required reading for every tapestry artistin North America. I am tempted to copy it into thisreview and stop right there. For those who haven'tseen the catalogue, let me quote two paragraphs:

I was looking for art that would take me toplaces that I have not been before and found veryfew examples. I was searching for some messageabout "Universal STUFF" and I mostly foundthings that were trivial. The quest for rebelliouscreativity resulted in one lonely example.

Why does an artist feel compelled to be justlike the next artist? Why would anybody spendendless time doing tedious work to create a tapes-try about nothing addressed to everybody? Is it

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 17

I would like to ask Mr. Osinski what was the onework that showed "rebellious creativity." To myeye, the exhibit was lacking in creativity or original-ity, all of the works being derivative in imagery,conception, and realization. The few ideas on dis-play were old and tired (even shaped tapestry hasbeen around for about 50 years now). Originalityhas never been a strong suit of tapestry; the mediumis by nature derivative. Still, even for tapestry, thework in this exhibit seemed unusually unimaginative.

The designer Yael Lurie argues that one of tapes-try's distinguishing challenges is that it has no back-ground or foreground; every pick is equally impor-tant. A successful tapestry must find a way to ener-gize every spot and integrate it coherently, vibrantlyinto the execution of the design. Most all of theworks in ATB5 suffered from dead zones, a part ofthe tapestry that failed to hold up its end. RuthJones demonstrates the old fashioned way to enlivenan entire tapestry using medieval milles- fleurs.Few, if any, weavers have Jones's technical facilityor her apparent ability to stare anachronism in theface without blinking an eye. But the busy-ness ofmilles-fleurs is by no means the only way to avoidthese debilitating dead zones. Ironically, they oftenresult from the weaver introducing some fussyweaving technique to fill in a plain area even thoughit has no intrinsic relation to the design and fails toachieve its mechanical objective in a way that har-monizes with the rest of the tapestry.

partially because tapestry artists want, at anycost, for their work to be liked enough so thatsomeone will hang it on a beige wall? Maybenot every artist should feel obligated to make art,or maybe for some, art is a safe murky asylumfor "emperors with no clothes" where they willnever be exposed.

If I had any beige walls, there are several piecesin ATB5 that I would be happy to hang on them.Two works were, in my view, quite wonderful --beautiful, exciting, interesting. Not to be coy aboutit, they were Kaija Rautianen's "Sense of Earth" andVerona Szabo's "Passage." I was also delighted tosee a handful of works that integrated the techniquesof three-dimensional fiber art into tapestry. It is, Ithink, no accident, that these shaped works wereamong the most coherent pieces in the exhibit.Mary Kester's "Kerbstone" most fully integrated thepictorial and the sculptural. While some may thinkSilvia Heyden has gone to the same well a few toomany times, "Unfolding" is a satisfying demonstra-tion of her gentle, distinctive approach to pushingtapestry into three-dimensional space. SharonMarcus, always interesting, shows that you canmake a compelling tapestry with just one color in"Burn." Marika Szaraz's "Contemplation" is a love-ly, undulating sculptural form (though you wouldn'tknow it from the catalogue).

continued...

Kaija Rautiainen, "Sense of Earth," 36" x 31"

Verona Szabo, "Passage-Our Grove is already wilting, its ornaments falling," 64" x 72"

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 418

For readers asking "who the hell does this guythink he is, anyway?" I should introduce myself. Iwove tapestries for over 20 years, putting my loomin its crate (not for good, I hope) seven years agowhen the demands of parenthood forced me to sim-plify my life a bit. I studied with many talented tap-estry makers offering workshops around the country.I also spent six months at the Gobelins. For some-one without any real artistic talent, I made a fewtapestries that look reasonably good on beige walls.My day job is practicing law. I have also writtenseveral reviews and articles about tapestry for theusual publications. Most of my old tapestryacquaintances have written me off as an offensiveignoramus and those who haven't probably will afterthey read this.

Contemporary tapestry makers often fall victimto a logical fallacy that might be presented by thesyllogism: Socrates is a man; I am a man; therefore,I am Socrates. Some of the statements in the ATB5catalogue fall into this trap, invoking the glorioushistory of tapestry as if that alone validated thework of contemporary tapestry makers. I play soc-cer on weekends; so does David Beckham; but Ihave no illusion that I am David Beckham.

Arguments about the place of tapestry, or aboutthe mission of an organization like ATA, are littlemore than fantastical musings if they are not basedon honest self assessment and self knowledge.Neither of these should be a threat to a healthy, real-istic sense of self worth. ATB5 is a pleasant enoughexhibit. Its participants should be proud of theirwork. They should also be honest enough to takethe accolades of friends, enthusiasts and uncriticalcasual observers for what they are and not let themgo to their heads. I think Thomas Osinski got it

New England Tapestry 2004By Priscilla Alden

The Library Arts Center Gallery in Newport, NHwas the setting for an exciting regional exhibition of21st century tapestries woven by seventeen NewEngland artists. The juried exhibition was sponsoredby the Tapestry Weavers of New England (TWINE)from September 24- October30, 2004. I was one ofthese artists and quite pleased to be part of this cele-bration. Our exhibit was held in conjunction withthe ATB5 exhibit at the nearby historic Dorr Mill inGuild, NH. The two shows were a welcomed oppor-tunity to showcase tapestry weaving to a NewEngland audience.

The jurors of this exhibit, Suzanne Pretty, ElinorSteele and Jan Austin, selected "Unfinished Dream"by Maria Estela Serafini as the ATA Award for thebest tapestry in a regional exhibit. Maria's tapestryis an elegant portrayal of " La Isabela", her home inCordoba, Argentina. The wild dry grasses and threedifferent kinds of trees were woven with hand dyedsisal that she twisted and sometimes mixed withwool threads of different hues. Maria weaves with along needle on a frame loom. (See image andaward details on pg. 22)

It was very exciting to enter the gallery and besurrounded by the colors and diverse themes of theexhibit. There were faces, dancing starfish, land-scapes, abstractions and geometric images revealinghumor and pain, along with political and social con-cerns. The challenge of displaying the dramaticrange of colors was masterfully executed by JanAustin and Betsy Wing of TWINE, with gallerydirector Doris Nelson. It was decided to group thetapestries according to cool and then warm - and

exactly right -- but what matters most is what youdo with that sort of assessment, how you use it tobetter understand and assess your individual placeas a tapestry maker and the appropriate goals andobjectives for your organization. Ignoring suchviews, harsh as they may seem, will leave you won-dering why no one sees you the way you see your-self, the way you want to be seen. Sort of likewhere tapestry artists and organizations have beenfor the last few decades.

Mary Kester, "Kerbstone," 26" x 56" x 3"

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 19

sometimes hot, colors. As I traveled around thegallery, the colors and emotions carried me on anartistic journey.

Maria Kovacs' "Ein Augenblick," (a blink of aneye) is a composition of seven aerial view tapestriesshowing the division of land and water. They form alinear group that references the horizon line. Hercolors are mostly muted, describing a cloudy view.Katie Bloomfield describes 'Glencolumbkille," hersoft Irish coast landscape,

I begin at the Earth…. Move farther awayfrom myself, out into the world that is held bythis particular piece of the Earth, and arrive atthe horizon and end at the heavens, the infinite. Iimmerse myself in my own view of a place thathas touched my heart and planted itself there.

"St. Spiridon Church" is another small landscape ofsimilar colors, woven by Meredith Gonzales. Bothpieces are intimate and feel three-dimensional.

Another wall in the gallery was filled withturquoises. Suzanne Pretty's "Balance" depicts:

...a scene with china stacked in a precarious pileset on a rock tablecloth in front of cloud wallpa-per. A Caribou Cup is balanced on the end of afork placed in a Flamingo Cup set beside a FishTeapot stacked on top of a Snake in the Grassand Rock Plates. Each piece of china is carefullybalanced and teetering as the worlds depicted onthe china try to balance"

Dolores Broberg's tapestry "Rejoice: BirthAnnouncement for a Turtle" is a delightful seascapebordered by turtles celebrating a turtle hatching outof his egg at the edge of the sea. It is indeed joyful,woven of sandy and watery colors.

The next group of tapestries features reds andyellows. Elinor Steele's "Reconstruction 1" is a boldbright geometric composition. It is "one of a seriesof designs that represent my desire to weave thefragments of destruction into something strong andordered." Elinor has a very strong sense of designand color and uses the computer to define her ideas."Opposites Attract" by Susan Perrine is a non-tradi-tional tapestry woven with beautiful red, cream andgreen papers. The wide paper warp ends protrudeseveral inches from the surface and create a colorful,textural grid. It is difficult not to touch them!

Elinor Elkin has three small pieces in theshow, "Hands"," Invisible" and "Dream". Her weav-ing is textural as she uses different kinds of yarnstogether. There is good humor and emotion in herdesigns, a dreamlike quality to them revealing astrong sense of imagination. Her colors are moreearthy and neutral.

Betsy Wing's three tapestries are about colorgradations and geometrics. Beautifully blended col-ors are contrasted with dramatic stripes of strongcolor. They hung very well next to Priscilla MayAlden's bright "Ancient Flow" tapestries. Thesepieces are bold geometric designs "about the con-

Priscilla May Alden, "Ancient Flow II," 30" x 24"

Maria Kovacs, "Ein Augenblick," detail, 11" x 20"

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 420

nection I feel to past cultures. There is a rhythm,like the beating of distant drums, which connectsme to the Spirit Place and flows through me".

"Three Faces" and "Eye on the Prize" areDeann Rubin's dramatic, beautifully designed tapes-tries. They "were studies in children's book illustra-tion themes that I have been exploring in computerdrawings". Her contrasting bright colors contributedto the strength of her design. Thor Carlson's"Lozenge Quadrille" is an abstract design of vibrantcolors. He uses the techniques of Flemskvav, Kilim,

Soumac and Native American weavings in his work."Monk's- Book of Kells" is Nancy Corkery's purpleand red tapestry. She uses different kinds of yarns tocreate texture and softness.

Janet Austin's three small tapestries, "Red &Green Apples" are beautifully woven and hung. Sheis "playing with the contradiction between flatgeometry and the asymmetrical depth of organicimages."

Eve Pearce's large tapestry, "Petra Ifan" is awonderful woven representation of a smaller unsungStonehenge. "Standing under the headstone I couldalmost touch it. The monolith rests delicately onthree points, each smaller than my fist". Her use ofshading and color blending adds to the success ofthis landscape. At the end of my walk around theexhibit is Louise Abbott's "Twilight Shadow ". Itwas designed from a photograph she took while gar-

Tapestry Comes to New EnglandBy Alex Friedman

The Dorr Mill opening on the 20th of Septemberwas a resounding success. The venue, which hadbeen a former woollen mill and the last to close inthe Connecticut Valley last year, reopened in a newguise. New walls and lighting were added to theformer finishing room of the mill to make an innova-tive setting for the ATB5 exhibit. The walls, paintedplum and gold provided a handsome backdrop forthe collection. Patryc Wiggins, the director of theGuild Institute, which is sponsoring the event, hiredprofessional exhibition designers and recruited manylocal people to help make the startling transformation.

The café and two smaller shows relating to theMill and the people who worked there were set upin large tents nearby within the vast industrial build-ing. One, a collaboration between a poet and a pho-tographer, called SPIN, forms an oral history proj-ect. The second is a small exhibit about machinetools crafted in the local area. It was recently partof a Smithsonian exhibit.

The opening itself was attended by about 200people including two of the artists represented in theshow, Lorna Ramlochansingh and Eve Pearce. Theevening included food, music and a gallery talk toan eager audience. It is the first time that an ATA

dening. She was so surprised to see her shadow inthe picture that she wanted to see it in fiber. Theshading and blending is beautifully done in this veryweaverly piece. (See online color version.)

"New England Tapestry 2004" was a wonder-ful opportunity to educate the public about the art oftapestry in a beautiful gallery setting. TWINE isproud to have this exhibit near the ATB5 Biennial.Newport and Guild, NH both have a proud heritageof textiles celebrated by these exhibits.

Eve Pearce, "Petra Ifan," 31" x 36"

Extended Dates for ATB5in Rochester, MinnesotaMarch 26 - May 8, 2005

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 21

And now to ATB "Six"!

Jurors: Shelley Goldsmith, UK and Lotus Stack, USA

Entry deadline: November 2005. Exhibition Dates in 2006-2007

The American Tapestry Biennial Six is open toall tapestry artists who design and weave their owntapestries, either individually or collaboratively. Forthis exhibition, tapestry is defined as "handwovenweft-faced fabric with discontinuous wefts." Entriesmust be one of a kind and have been completedafter January 2003. Artists may submit two entriesbut only one tapestry per artist will be accepted.

The goal for the exhibition is to show the best ofcontemporary tapestry from around the world. Forthis ATB6, the jurors will be looking for a diversityof works that draw upon the unique characteristicsof tapestry technique. References to textile tradi-tions in form, structure, and/or materials will be aconsideration.

Look for full information in the Spring 2005newsletter and on the ATA website.

ASK ATABy Jan Austin

Announcing a new question and answer columnfor the ATA website and newsletter to be managedby Janet Austin.

I am a reference librarian who is experienced atanswering questions on topics I know nothingabout! I will make use of reference materials andexpert consultants on various aspects of tapestryweaving from the technical to historical and perhapseven philosophical, ethical, and spiritual matters.

Please let me know if you are an expert in any ofthese or other pertinent areas. I would expect tohave more than one answer for many questions, asthere is often disagreement about the absolute truthwhen it comes to tapestry!

We will post the questions and answers on theATA website, and select the most interesting onesfor the newsletter. If you don't use a computer, then-submit your question by snail mail, and we willsendyou the answer the same way.

Guidelines: questions should be about someaspect of tapestry, and preferably thought provokingand of interest to other readers, not JUST to the per-son asking the question.

Email your questions to me atnitsuanaj@yahoo.com, or mail to:

154 PineHill Rd, Wakefield, RI 02879, USA

Biennial show has come to New England and wordof mouth is spreading the news far and wide.

ATB5 will be on view until Jan 9, 2005 at theDorr Mill Business Center, Dorr Mill located in themiddle of Guild, NH on Routes 11 and 103. Galleryhours are Wed. thru Sat. 10-4pm and Friday 10-8pm.

Weekly talks on Thursday evenings are planned- October 28, Christine Laffer- November 4, Sue Pretty- November 11, Janet Austin- November 18, Micala Sidore- December 2, Lorna Ramlochansingh- December 9, Elinor Steele

Later lectures will be with Jerome Regnier; EvePearce; Tamar Shadur and Mary Kester.

Telephone for further information (603) 863-8857.

ATB5 displayed in red and gold gallery at Dorr Mill

Ta p e s t r y To p i c s Wi n t e r 2 0 0 422

Maria Estela Serafini Wins ATA AwardBy Jan Austin

The ATA Award was presented to Maria EstelaSerafini for her tapestry "Unfinished Dream," at theopening reception for New England Tapestry 2004,on Saturday, September 25, 2004. The award con-sists of a ribbon, one year complimentary member-ship in the American Tapestry Alliance, and an ATAcatalog. The jurors, Suzanne Pretty, Elinor Steeleand Janet Austin chose Serafini's tapestry because ofthe artist's creative use of tapestry techniques andmaterials to eloquently portray the dreamlike feelingof a remembered place.

Maria Estela Serafini was born in Dean Funes,Province of Cordoba, Argentina. She got herTeacher's degree in the '60s. At the end of the '70sand in the '80s she was dedicated to China paint-ing, and took drawing classes at the same time. Inthe '90s she began to work with textiles in framelooms at La Rueca ( The Spinning Wheel) inCordoba, Argentina where she was one of GracielaSzamrey's students.

Serafini has lived in a suburb of Boston since2001. In November, 2002, her tapestry"Knowledge Tearing the Ignorance" got anHonorable Mention in the Second InternationalBiennial "Interlacements: Fiber and Metal" inCoral Gables, Florida.

The artist writes about her ATA Award winningtapestry, "UNFINISHED DREAM":

Each human being has a personal idea of par-adise. Mine was fulfilled when we found "LaIsabela", the ranch which became our home. Itdidn't last long; by then I began to "write" mydream in the white page of a warp.

I awoke before my dream finished but when Inow look at my tapestry the strength of thememories comes out enlightening my present:each sunset, each laughter, each conversation,each goal we achieved is already woven.

I remember the music of the wind when Iwatch the trees; or the fragrance of the grassafter a rainy day. I remember my kids growing asteenagers and the warmth of my husband's handsafter an intense day of working.

When I wonder what is the shape or the colorof a dream, there is my tapestry! "

And more Kudos

Barbara Heller has won second place in the2004 International Juried Online Symbolist ArtShow, 'The Artist As Shaman' for her tapestry "StillLife…with Bird." (Pictured in the Fall, 2004Tapestry Topics) The exhibition includes 38 juriedfinalists, and opens May 1, 2004, athttp://www.dracoblu.com/symbolistshow.html.More than 300 entries from artists representing 19countries included: painting, printmaking, photog-raphy, drawing, etching, collage, fibre, sculpture,and digital works of art.

Janet Austin earned the HGA Award for her tap-estry "Granny Smith," at the Weavers Guild ofRhode Island Exhibit, "Woven Expressions" at theSlater Mill Gallery, Pawtucket RI, September 2004.(See color image on ATA web site artist pages.)

Maria Serafini, "Unfinished Dream," 56" x 61" with frame

Newslet ter of the American Tapestry Al l iance 23

ATA MEMBERSHIP FORM

1 year 2 years Name__________________________________________Individual $35 $65 Address________________________________________Studio Circle $55 $100 ______________________________________________Curator's Circle $125 $225 City________________________________State_______Collector's Circle $250 $450 Postal Code_________________Country______________

Phone____________________________________________Please contact me about volunteer opportunities Fax/Alternate phone______________________________

Email__________________________________________Send payment to: ATA Membership _______________________________________________

c/o Janet Austin Visa/Mastercard number Exp. Date 154 Pine Hill Road Wakefield, RI 02879 _______________________________________________(401) 789-2957 card holder's signature

Contact ATAPO Box 28600San Jose, CA 95159

Director of Member ServicesAlex Friedman AQSF@aol.com

Director of ResourcesChristine Laffer claffer@christinelaffer.com

TreasurerAmy Kropitz Alfincher@yahoo.com

Member ChairEllen Ramsey ew.ramsey@comcast.net

Membership DatabaseJanet Austin nitsuanaj@yahoo.com

Education ChairPriscilla Lynch Jplynch@iserv.net

Library ChairKathe Todd Hooker spider472@comcast.net

Slide RegistryJoyce Hayes joyce.hayes@comcast.net

Ask ATA HostJanet Austin nitsuanaj@yahoo.com

ATB6 ChairPeggy Strang peggy@frenchcreekfiber.com

ATB5 ChairMonique Lehman lehman@artcenter.edu

WebmistressJeanne Bates aBates@3-cities.com

Membership NewsBy Ellen Ramsey

Thank you to our newest Circle Members! Studio Circle:Myra Dorman, Mary Lane, Pat McMullen, Anita Shankles, andPat Williams. Curators Circle: Georgeann Blaha. Your gener-ous support is critical to our continued organizational success.

December 31st is approaching, and now is a great time tomake a tax deductible contribution to ATA by upgrading yoursupport to Circle Membership. For information about how youcan join the Circle and take a tax deduction for 2004, contactEllen Ramsey. ew.ramsey@comcast.net (206) 440-8903.

The 2005 Membership Directory will be produced andmailed in January. Now is the time to notify ATA of any andall changes to your contact information for the roster section.Send corrections to

Jan Austin, nitsuanaj@yahoo.com, or 154 Pine Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879.

Moving? Please don't forget to notify ATA. Our newslet-ters are mailed via bulk mail, which means they are not for-warded by the postal service. We do pay for Change Service,which means the post office will tell us your forwardingaddress, but by notifying us you will save ATA $2.81 (thecombined cost of the change service fee, a second newsletter,and first class postage to mail the second newsletter). Wethink you are worth every penny, but please be aware of thiseasy way you can help ATA.

American Tapestry AlliancePO Box 28600San Jose, CA 95159

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Tapestry Topics

Guidelines for submitting articles to Tapestry Topics:

Next deadline: 2005: January 15, April 15, July 15,October 15

Send all items to: Linda Rees lerees@charter.net --Or--

1908A Senate St.St. Louis, MO 63118

All photographs and electronic images should include size, date completed and photo credits.

Articles should be under 2000 words. Submissions will be edited for clarity and space requirementsExhibition reviews: We seek articles that describe the show with insight and critical observations. Describe the overall sense of the show and explain the parts that contribute to this sense.

Newsletter committee: Proofreader: Anne Clark, Layout: Elinor Steele, Distribution: Ellen Ramsey

visit our websitewww.americantapestryalliance.org

Mary Kester, "Binding," 57" x 37" x 6"