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*Students will purchase their own materials and should expect to spend $30-70.

Class Description:

In this 4-week class, students will be introduced to the techniques of tapestry weaving. They will learn about the basic elements of weaving (the loom, warp, and weft) and how to set up a frame loom for hand weaving. We will cover the fundamental weaving patterns and tapestry design techniques, such as plain weave, color block design, and methods for creating texture in the weave. The course will engage with the many examples of woven works from the museum’s Indigenous Arts of North America and Textile and Fashion Collections as well as the work of contemporary weaving artists. Through this class, students will gain a deeper understanding of the textiles that we engage with in our everyday clothing, homes, and lives and become familiar with one of our oldest technologies: weaving.

What to Expect:

The first half of the class will focus on loom set-up, weave basics, and skill building. This class will offer a mix of hands-on making, art viewing, discussion, and designing. We will look at images of the work of contemporary tapestry weavers and students will be offered reading material to add context to the skill-based class. We will then take a group visit to the galleries to look at works from the museum’s collection as inspiration for designing a final tapestry project. As students develop their skills, they will be encouraged to experiment with the materials they use in their weavings, using non-traditional wefts and found materials. Students will leave the class with one sampler weaving and one final piece and a tapestry loom for future weaving. Students do not need any prior knowledge for this course.

Timeline:

CLASS 1 – Introductions and Basics

• Introductions and community agreements

• Slide lecture/demonstration: Weaving basics

• Demonstration/activity: Setting up the tapestry loom

• Demonstration/Activity: Basic weave structures

• For next time: bring a found material to weave with

CLASS 2 – Texture Play

• Re-introductions, questions/reflections from last class

• Slide lecture: Contemporary Weaving Artists

• Demonstration/Activity: Texturing Techniques

• Demonstration/Activity: Finishing Techniques

• For next time: begin thinking about final design; optional reading

CLASS 3 – Designing

• Welcome and gather, introduce final project/check-in

• Gallery visits to woven textile objects

• Designing and beginning final weaving

• For next time: finish setting up loom and begin weaving, if you can; optional reading

CLASS 4 – Project

• Welcome and gather

• Project weaving

• Share work and wrap-up

Class Cancellation Policy:

If a class or workshop needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather or teacher illness, a “make-up” day will be scheduled on a FRIDAY or SATURDAY as the educator’s schedule allows.

Educator:

Etta Sandry is an artist, educator, and facilitator from the midwestern United States, currently based in Boulder, Colorado. Her material-focused research is rooted in weaving and spans media through sculpture, writing, and installation. Etta completed her MFA in the Fibre & Material Practices program at Concordia University in the spring of 2021. She has exhibited her work in the United States and Canada and was the 2022 Experimental Weaver in Residence at the Unstable Design Lab in Boulder, Colorado. Her work as an educator has recently included positions teaching fibre structures and critical thinking & writing at Concordia. Etta has over ten years of experience working as an organizer and administrator in arts communities. Most recently, this has included roles as a board member at the artist-run centre articule in Montreal and as a volunteer staff in ACRE Residency’s fibre studio in Wisconsin.

www.ettasandry.com