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.
Experience Level
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
4 or 8 shaft floor loom or 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”. A frame loom is also acceptable. Full warping instructions to be emailed prior to workshop.
Variety of collage and weft materials such as cardboard, foil, paper bags, sticks, nails, straw, fabrics, plastic bags, wire, wax paper. Plus shuttles, bobbins, bobbin winder, stick shuttles, pick-up stick (optional), scissors, pencils, clear tape, notebook.
Homework
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 was introduced to textiles by artist Ed Rossbach at the University of California, Berkeley, and studied textile design at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, where she later taught woven design. Her work is widely exhibited and has been featured in many publications including Fiber Art Now, American Craft, Handwoven, and Shuttle, Spindle and Dyepot. In 2019, she curated the exhibit Material Meaning: A Living Legacy of Anni Albers at the Craft in America Center. She is the founder of ARTSgarage, a textile resource center in Los Angeles.
