James Koehler--in memory

Last summer I was given the gift by fate to be a member of James Koehler's workshop in Santa Fe.  I say "given" because truthfully I'd wanted the other workshop when I signed up.  But I was too late with my registration and so was assigned a space in James's class instead.  However, I went willingly because I know that there's always lots to learn from whomever I study with and I've been an admirer of his tapestries for many years.  So... off to New Mexico I went, ready for an adventure with sixteen other participants in Koehler's class, July 26 through July 28, 2010.

In James Koehler's studio with fabulous wall of hand-dyed yarn behind

James Koehler had become legendary in his teaching and many who studied with James took workshops with him whenever they could.  And, once in the workshop, I immediately began to learn why.  His gentle nature put everyone at ease right away.  His insights into concepts for design were inspiring.  The handouts he gave us held gems of ideas.  In the handout titled Quality he said:

Only by acting consciously and methodically can one attain some quality or value in life and in work.... The creative process is an unceasing metamorphosis of the quantities of our experience to a level of quality, an awareness of the mundane to an awareness of the essential. 

Here are photos from the workshop and also the visit we were able to make to his home/studio.

Last week on March 3, 2011 James Koehler's time in the world came to an end.  Those who were very close to him are heart broken.  And for those, like me, who'd just begun to know him--our hearts are also hurting.  His untimely death has left a large hole in the world of tapestry as well as in that of his friends and family.  But how brightly do his gifts still shine through his wonderful tapestries and in the teachings shared with so many.

weaving more each day

I'm certainly not back to stamina or speed for weaving as before the accident on the 20th--but I am weaving.  I've woven on the tapestry diary each day except for the day of the event and the day afterward--and for a couple of more days when I was out of town.  I completed February's diary and have begun the one for March on a frame loom.  There's more warp on the loom above February and I'll use it either for another month later in the year or for a small piece unrelated to the diary weaving.

February, 2011

March, 2011 has begun

I've been challenged to work without predetermined plan on something larger than each day's diary bit and I was able to start that yesterday.  I'll be checking in each week for the next month with my challenger to show what I've done during the week and to discuss it.  This is part of an effort to shake myself up and move into other ways of working.  It seems that my concepts and design ideas have been stale for sometime.  Even my trip to West Dean wasn't enough to move my thinking around--although some things from my time there will show up in future work, I know.

No plan... just action... where will this lead?!

I'll see the doctor for a follow-up visit tomorrow and maybe he'll take out stitches.  It will be nice to have my hand out of the gauze mitt and I hope that's on the agenda tomorrow.  Fingers feel good and the strength in my hand is improving every day.

Now... for the more fun stuff!  Thomas and I will be Roasted and Toasted by the Sunrise Rotary Club here in town on St. Patrick's Day as a fund raising event for many of the charities to which the Club donates--all in good fun (I hope!).  The photo was taken by NGCSU art major, Trevor Morris... and, yes, Thomas & I DID look that scary!  He couldn't find his pitchfork and I couldn't find anything other than the bird of paradise apron.  Plus, it was cold as ... (put your own "cold as ...." comment here) when the photo was taken.

painting yesterday

Using my left hand (I'm right handed) I rolled black acrylic paint on a canvas stapled to a plywood wall in my cellar.  Then I squeezed out a glob of red paint on a palette and began painting as best I could with my non-dominant hand.  No image, just slashes of paint.  I used up all of the red then squirted out a mass of white and began to paint with that.  The canvas is maybe 48" square and my brushes were wide.

After about half an hour of slashing at the canvas with strokes of red and then white paint I began to write What Now? over and over again with a large piece of charcoal and also with a graphite stick.

My writing is very crude when done with my left hand but that's OK... will be OK now, a week after the accident... that's the answer to What Now?  I'm not sure yet how long it will take me to get back to weaving at the speed I am used to but I know it will happen.  Thanks to good friends who've helped me see the light where the black seemed to be.

something will come from all this