On Saturday night I cut off a small tapestry that's been on my loom since last November--was to be a Christmas gift for my husband but is a belated one. I've used it at various demos since I began it, including taking it back and forth to the Southern Yarns exhibit in Asheville whenever I'd go there for demonstrations. Anyway, I wanted to tie up that loose end (every pun intended!) and so finished it off over the past two weeks.

Last week I took a few pieces to Southwestern Community College in Sylva, NC where I'd been invited to exhibit. The wall for exhibit is in the Balsam Center, apparently a multi-purpose building including student center, offices, and some classrooms. Not an "official" gallery but a nice small wall in the main lobby of the building.

I'm still waiting for yarn to arrive for the larger black walnut tapestry so that's sort of still on a bit of hold. There are some parts I can work on and began to do so yesterday afternoon. But, I'm waiting around a bit this morning before going to the studio hoping that the yarn will be into day's mail--wait, that's the postlady's van! Hooray, the yarn came--so off to the studio to get serious again about the black walnut piece. I hope to finish it by the deadline for the exhibit at the Artisans Center in Virginia that Joan Griffin has arranged--work has to be there by Sept. 20.

AND, I learned on Thursday of last week that I've had a piece accepted into the ACC Spotlight Southeast 07 exhibit that will be held at Arrowmont. The piece is the one of the roots that I finished earlier this year. My friend, Pat Williams, has also had work accepted into the show--two pieces for her! The ACC conference is in early September and I may attend...it's been years since I've gone to an ACC conference but this is close enough and I would also be able to see the exhibit.

Back in the studio after wonderful NC trip

I'm back to the studio (almost) and have taken many photographs in Noel & Patrick's paradise in the mountains of western NC. During the 10 days away I also completed one 6" x 9" tapestry, began a tiny one, did five small watercolor sketches, and one larger watercolor.

As I think back through the years, most of my images, either woven or painted, have been based on inspiration I've gained through experiencing the beauty of the 150+ acres of property near Sapphire, NC that Noel and Patrick own. I feel fortunate to be able to reap the visual harvest of all their hard work in organic gardening. Then there's also the surrounding lush forest and waterfalls, the pond and waterlilies, the heath and heather gardens--not to even mention the photogenic animals! It's such a treat to have a personalized artist's retreat such as this and wonderful, supportive friends who share it with me.

Tapestry Weavers South weaving cut off today!

I'm happy to say that that I was able to finish the last of the TWS collaborative tapestry today and cut it off the loom! Janet Hart will finish the slit sewing and maybe stitch back weft ends. I just posted the photo to the members who exhibited in "Southern Yarns" and essentially turned it over to them now...to make decisions about bottom finish and for someone to do it. It's been a great learning experience for me to work in this way...only attending to small sections at a time, having no pre-conceived plan, using what wefts are available from my assorted thrums.

The tapestry, as I looked at it today, reminded me of a tapestry I saw in a dream about twenty years ago...it was multicolored, many shaped, and (in the dream) was so beautiful. The dream, along with several other events of my life at that time, convinced me I needed to turn to tapestry weaving in a serious way and either learn to do it or to shut up about wanting to weave tapestry! I'm still learning but am not sorry I listened to whatever I was hearing inside my head and heart to tell me to "put up or shut up!"