Tapestry & Poetry

I finally have a moment to breathe.

Reading a Tapestry Poem
Ode to the Ocean by Nicki Bair

It seems like I have been running at full speed since the beginning of the year.  In six months, I have had an article published in Handwoven, spoken at the San Diego Guild, been interviewed about my piece in Small Expressions, did all the prep work to be up in nine exhibits this year, did all the photography and design work for the Pacific Portals catalog and finished three tapestries for Rita's Excellent Adventure told in tapestry...and the list goes on.  

I really look forward to going to Convergence and kicking back, taking workshops and just hanging around. Even more inviting is August, when I can just sit around in my studio and get some things started on all my empty looms.

I am hoping some downtime will also stir my creative writing which has been at a standstill all year.  When I am racing around to meet deadlines the creative juices simply do not flow.   I had a bit of down time docenting at the Timeless Textiles exhibit in Camarillo where I have two of my tapestry poems; one that addresses the fragility of the ocean and the other which addresses erosion.   I'd like to do another series of tapestry poems; they seem to really engage the viewer who must spend time figuring out the letters which are woven into the tapestry, stringing the letters into words and then reading the poem.  I, probably like most people, read poems too quickly.  Poems are meant to be read slowly and savored.  Each word is important and is carefully selected.   Often the sounds of the words selected add meaning to the message of the poem.   I find writing poetry slow...similar to weaving tapestry.  Both a slow mediums...the perfect combination for me.

Now that I have a moment to breathe, I need to find that stirring in my heart which will bring forth the words of the poem...perhaps this moment is it.

Rita's Excellent Adventure has Popped Up in Long Beach!

Rita's Excellent Adventure told in tapestry is a story about a young sand crab that loves purple plankton.  One day she heads out on a current to find the best plankton in Santa Monica Bay and has an adventure which is illustrated with 20 tapestries woven by six tapestry artist.  I wrote the story in verse and with five other weavers in the Seaside Tapestry Group we spent a year creating the tapestries.

It's Rita by Nicki Bair

It's a fun exhibit.  The first time around the room you read the verses and see how the artists have chosen to illustrate the story in tapestry.  And perhaps you discover Rita's eyes staring back at you from a spot hidden in a tapestry or two.  The second time around you notice how the frames on each tapestry use the same yarns but look different.  Each frame is at a minimum 1/2 inch wide but no more than 1 1/2 inches wide but then the creativity begins. Each frame is different.   Next you step back and try to guess which tapestries were done by the same artist; can you recognize their styles?  So many layers to a single exhibit!

It was wonderful to be selected for a HGA Community Exhibit as part of Convergence Long Beach 2012.  The gallery space is part of a program that Long Beach has which converts vacant commercial space into pop-up galleries thereby creating excitement and activity in the area. And of course, it makes the vacant building must more attractive for potential buyers.  The space for Rita used to be a bicycle shop.  

From a fiber standpoint the great thing is that there are three of these pop-up galleries within blocks of each other on Pine St., so if you go see one you get to see three fiber exhibits.  Just a half a block up is Designing Weaver's World of Fiber exhibit and a block or so away is Susan Mcghee's exhibit of woven metal at 555 Pine St. 

I did find out the hours in the Gallery Guide were incorrect.  The three galleries will be open this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting in the evenings.   Then during Convergence Long Beach 2012 the gallery will only be open for the big reception on Friday July 20th from 6 to 10pm. 

Timeless Textiles

I attended the opening reception for the Designing Weavers exhibit, Timeless Textiles.  It was at the SCIART Gallery in Camarillo and the exhibit will be up until Saturday July 28th.    I thought it was one of the best shows I've seen at that gallery.  The juror Dale Gluckman did an outstanding job in selecting the best pieces created by the Designing Weavers members.   This fiber exhibit simply pops with a diversity in composition, technique, material and color.

My husband took some photos... here are a few to give you the flavor of the show...but you should definately drop in.  It is well worth the trip.

By Michael Rhode

By Nicki Bair

By Sandra Rude

By Nadine Spier

By Julie Kornblum

By Heasoon Rhee

By Sofi Khachmanyan

By Deborah Jarchow

My Beetles & Me

I was interviewed by a docent, Debby Thompson about my piece in Small Expressions at the Long Beach Museum of Art.    If you would like to hear and see more about my piece, my studio and me check out the YouTube video she created based on the interview.  I think she has done a wonderful job.  What fun to have a hobby like video and to be able to combine it with a love of art to meet, interview and share  in depth insights of artists showing at the Museum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mXiLJnYkJk

 Enjoy!

Pacific Portals

Merna, Karen and I hung the Pacific Portals exhibit at the Long Beach Public Library - Main Library today; 152 beautiful and diverse tapestries from 12 countries.   This is the 9th unjuried international small format tapestry exhibit and is sponsored by the American Tapestry Alliance.

The library is a great venue and allowed us to separate the pieces into three spots; a Lobby Gallery at the entrance of the library, an Art Exhibit area where the tapestries are in display cases and the Lower Level Gallery which as the name implies is on the lower level of the library.   Being able to separate the show into three locations avoids the tendency to be overwhelmed by the great number of tapestries in this exhibit.   We also provided a listing which allows folks to find where a specific person's tapestry is located.

The exhibit will be up until August 30th and is open during library hours.  The library is closed on Sundays and Mondays.  If you are going to Convergence check it out.  If you are not, buy the catalog when it is available on the ATA site - it too is fabulous....but not quite as fabulous as the exhibit itself.

Here are some shots of the exhibit...

Lower Level Gallery

Entrance Gallery

Display Case

More Display Cases