Tapestry 08

I finally got to see this today. At least, the Dean Clough and Bankfield elements, I believe there are more pieces at the Square Chapel.

This will perhaps seem over the top, but I honestly do think it was one of the most enjoyable (at many levels) exhibitions that I have seen in quite a while.

OK, let's edit that, the Klimt was, too. So, I am lucky.

Varied, imaginative, technically excellent work to stimulate and to inspire. Well, kind of. Seeing all the lusciousness made me want to rush home and find my tapestry loom, but at the same time I knew that I could never achieve anything like any of these. So, maybe, maybe not.

I did ask, and was allowed to take photographs, so I shall put one or two up here. But I did them without flash, and they are not necessarily all that brilliant. I hope they give a flavour. I would put up more, but I can't give attribution for everything just yet, so these will have to do.

First, two by Joan Baxter, who has to be one of my favourite tapestry artists. We are lucky enough to own one of the small pieces that she did for an exhibition at Meira Stockl's some years ago, which includes unwoven warp and laminated photographs, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to afford it!

Oh, phooey! I'm doing this via Firefox, and would you believe, either you can't easily move between websites or I am doing something wrong. So I will save this as a draft and at some point revert to using poor, despised AOL - which just possibly isn't so bad after all!!

I suspect that it having been 1 am at the time I wrote the above - I couldn't get off to sleep, which is getting to be rather too much of a habit recently - perhaps caused some of my difficulty. Anyhow, here I am, daylight hours, it isn't raining and I'm more awake than usual - so back to business.



I don't know if the cleverness of this first Joan Baxter will show. It has the suggestion of the shape of a kilt about it. The upper section is tartan, but with woodland elements subtly blended in. The lower half is swirling water. And there is so much more to it, but it takes a while for it all to become apparent, and it certainly doesn't show in this photograph!

I had a google hunt to see if I could find it on line, with no success. but it is worth having a look at Joan's website for other wonderful images.

And this is the other tapestry, at the Bankfield, that I loved. I do wish I were rich!



This next image is of two companion pieces by Hillu Liebelt.



I loved these - cool and spare, but with an apparent texture from a distance of a close-cut cotton velvet.

My final choice is this by Shirley Ross.



I was initially drawn to this because it reminded me of Arches State Park in Utah - the inspiration is actually Arizona, it turns out. Well, close....

I love how she has captured the character of the red rock, and the magical colours of the distances. I need to gt out my photograph album from that Utah trip (pre-digital days). I know there are some fabulous inspirations in there. Just waiting to be used.....sigh.