The legendary weaver Anni Albers said “our tactile experiences are elemental” and that playful exploration of materials is essential to “regain a faculty that was once so naturally ours.” We will play with a wide variety of materials – paper, cardboard, foil, sticks, buttons, pebbles, seeds, wire, fibers, yarns and more – we will, in Albers words, “group them, cut them, curl them, mix them, finally perhaps paste them, to fix in a certain order.” The resulting exploratory collages will revitalize our sense of touch and lead to a deeper appreciation for the elemental importance of materials.
Next, we will explore materiality as it specifically applies to weaving – interlacing a broad range of diverse materials in a playful and experimental way. Then we will create an original woven composition from these experiments and discuss the tactile sensibilities we have gained as a result of our woven explorations.
Enrollment Status
Open
Experience Level
Advanced Beginner
Maximum Class Size
16
Materials Fee
$20 covers class handouts and a wide variety of tactile materials both traditional and non-traditional, including weft yarns, for use in collages and in weaving
Student Supplies
A warped, 4 or 8 shaft floor loom or rigid heddle loom.
Variety of collage and weft materials: cardboard, foil, paper bags, sticks, nails, straw, fabrics, plastic bags, wire, wax paper
You must pre-warp your loom. Full warping instructions to be emailed prior to workshop.
4 or 8 shaft floor loom or a rigid heddle loom pre-warped with 5 yds of undyed cotton, linen, or wool yarn with size of 800-3000 yards per lb, sett for balanced plain weave with a width in reed of 10-14”.
Photo
Instructor
Cameron Taylor-Brown
Instructor Bio
Cameron Taylor-Brown started her textile career at the University of California, Berkeley. She studied and taught textile design at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. Her work is widely exhibited and has been featured in many publications. She is the founder of ARTSgarage, a textile resource center in Los Angeles. She teaches workshops at ARTSgarage, schools, guilds, museums, and conferences throughout the United States.
