ABOUT THIS TAPESTRY:  I use only the finest materials to weave these tapestries.  They are obtained from specialty suppliers and hand spinners from all over the world and are mothproofed and dyed with light-fast dyes.  Each tapestry is documented with a label listing the title, size, date and artist’s name.  My initials are also woven into the tapestry, signifying the piece is an original one, and though often part of a series, has no future editions. 

I weave on different sized, hand-made, vertical looms warped with linen, wool or cotton warp, which is maintained at a constant tension.  The large tapestries are warped 8 ends to the inch and are woven using 4 to 8 warps per inch depending on detail or the desired results.  Each warp thread is “picked” by hand, using no mechanical device, as the weft threads are inserted one at a time.  The saturated color of single-ply wool is selectively combined with finer strands of luminous silk, wool and cotton fibers to create unique color combinations and sensual textures.   My weaving methods combine High Gobelin, Middle Eastern, Navajo and Concentric weaving techniques.

Tapestry weaving is not a hasty endeavor.  Starting at the bottom edge, the weaver works up--physically moving up the loom. The ‘joining’ technique used on Steel Creek Red is dovetail. In plain-speak, this means that every time I moved another color--I had to sequentially move the next, and the next, and the next. Every change effects the color next to it. Think giant Rubix’s Cube. Contrary to what it might seem however, hand-weaving does not take patience (I have very little of that!).  Surprisingly, (knitters know this), the focusing and accompanying body rhythm gives patience. On my worse real-life days, weaving settles me down.

I used to make about 1 large tapestry each year but my studio hours are now more dedicated to pieced textile works (art quilts), and I am making fewer and fewer tapestries. Still, the meditative process--unique to hand weaving is one I cannot entirely leave behind. Steel Creek Red was on my loom for almost 4 years. As a result, it became a kind of physical diary. I am glad to have it finally completed. But then, I will miss it. I can guess that it won’t take too long before I get out the linen warp and begin the dance again.