Scandinavian Weavers Study Group

Category: Norwegian weaving

  • RED – Lisa Torvik

    “Transparent Tapestry #2 – Friends” 17″ x 13″ Linen and refleksgarn (reflective yarn).  Transparency Technique

    This is part of a planned series of four transparent tapestries featuring a Scandinavian reflective yarn.

    heart

     

  • RED – Lisa-Anne Bauch

    Hraun. (Lava) 11.5″ x 7″  Technique: Boundweave. Materials: Cotton warp, wool weft, wood button.

    lisa-bag

    Inspired by lava!

    Lava

    lisa

  • RED – Marilyn Moore

    Swedish Dishtowels.  Cottolin.  Plain weave with embroidery.  17″ x 26″

    FullSizeRenderMarilyn used red and natural cottolin for a set of six dishtowels. She wove them in plain weave, with a log cabin effect created by the two colors intersecting in the corners.  The Swedish heart was an appropriate addition, as they were given as gifts to friends on Valentines Day.

    IMG_5273

     

  • RED – Melba Granlund

    Julefest.  11.25″ x 25″  Krokbragd.  Cotton warp, Rauma wool weft

    Melba chose to weave her red krokbragd for a couple of reasons.  The colors seemed appropriate to the holiday season when she began.  It represents all the colors and joyfulness of the Christmas season — the greens of Christmas trees, the reds and golds of Christmas decorations on the trees, and the pure white snow represented by snow angels against a red background in one of the motifs.  In the krokbragd technique, the threads are also treadled repeatedly as 1-2-3, which could represent the Trinity coming to life in the birth of baby Jesus.

    But the other reason, “the real reason,” was that she wanted to see if she remember what Jan Mostrom taught her in a krokbragd class five years earlier.  (Clearly, it all came back!)

    IMG_5037

    details-melba

  • RED – Robbie LaFleur

    “So Lucky”  (dimensions) Plain weave, rya. Cotton warp, wool weft.

    “So Lucky” refers to the Norwegian symbol of luck and happiness.  Read more about the weaving at An Eight-Pointed Star in Rya.

    robbie

     

    IMG_2944

  • RED – Corwyn Knutson

    RED – Corwyn Knutson

    “Norwegian Cherry Tree”  31″ x 33″ Rya.  Linen warp and wool weft.

    Corky was on a driving trip in Norway, from Aurland to Bodø. Traveling through Hardanger on just the right spring day, he was inspired by hills that were brilliant with the bright pink flowers of cherry trees.

    corky

  • RED – Mary Skoy

    “Christmas Runner” 10″ x 44″ linen of various weights. Double weave

    Mary’s goal since she started weaving in the early 70s has been to weave household textiles, to use and display functional and decorative pieces she weaves. Scandinavian textiles are her inspiration: contemporary functional weaving seen in shops, those seen in use in the homes of family in Norway; and historical pieces in museums.

    Mary wove this narrow red runner for Christmas holiday use. It just fits on the top of her piano. And it’s RED, her favorite color.

    red1

    red2

     

  • Some Tapestry in the RED Exhibit

    Some Tapestry in the RED Exhibit

    Three of the pieces in the Scandinavian Weavers’ RED Exhibit at the Textile Center of Minnesota are tapestries. Each one depicts an image close to the heart of the weaver.

    Karin Maahs’ weaving, “Anderson Berry Farm, Bay City, Wisconsin,” features a red barn.  Unseen are the mountains of red strawberries Karin picked over the years, while her mother ran a berry farm on the property.  Although she based her tapestry on a photograph, she knows each hill, tree, and curve of the stream with her eyes closed.

    karin-2

    Nancy Ellison wove a red landmark, too: the covered bridge in Zumbrota, Minnesota, just miles from her farm. It’s the only remaining original covered bridge in Minnesota, so it’s a building in the memories of many Minnesotans.  The wool includes handspun yarn from Nancy’s sheep, so both the bridge and its image are grounded in southern Minnesota.

    IMG_5044

    The third tapestry is Jan Mostrom’s homage to a now departed friend: noted weaver and weaving teacher, Syvilla Bolson.  Appropriately, Syvilla is even wearing a Norwegian sweater, and the background with crosses is reminiscent of medieval Norwegian tapestries.

    jan-full

    Join the Scandinavian Weavers for an opening reception for the show at the Textile Center on Thursday, May 12, from 6-8.  It will be a busy night!  Three other exhibits are opening that day as well, and the Weavers Guild is sponsoring a meeting and talk by workshop artist Susan Wilson at 7pm.

     

  • RED – A Study Group Exhibit

    RED – A Study Group Exhibit

    Most years our Scandinavian Weavers Interest Group chooses a technique to study, but two years ago we chose to set our weaving goals to focus on a color at the heart of so many Scandinavian folk textiles — red.

    Please come to see this warm and lively show at the Textile Center of Minnesota Community Gallery, May 12-June 25, 2016.

    For our 2016 exhibit, members chose many paths in technique and materials.   We didn’t exclude the rest of the color wheel completely; our only criteria was that red needs to be a significant element of the piece. Some pieces are mostly red, and others are grand experiments in fitting red into a pleasing combination.

    red-postcard-with-line

    Featured Weavers

    Lisa-Anne Bauch
    Veronna Capone

    Nancy Ellison
    Melba Granlund
    Patty Johnson
    Corwyn Knutson
    Judy Larson
    Robbie LaFleur
    Connie LaTendresse
    Karin Maahs
    Marilyn Moore
    Jan Mostrom
    Keith Pierce
    Lisa Torvik
    Phyllis Waggoner

    Exhibitions Opening Reception: 6-8 pm, May 12, 2016.

    This festive evening will celebrate new shows in all the galleries at the Textile Center of Minnesota.  You won’t want to miss the other exhibits, either: On Borrowed Time: Postponing the Inevitable, Maggie Thompson (with an artist talk at 7pm); Hiaku Two Ways, Sandra Brick; and Joys & Tears in the Apron Strings, Yvonne Cory.