EMAIL NANCY | GALLERY 1 |
WATERCOLOR WEAVINGS: Water and Landscapes
Continue below for Southwest imagery, Florals and Flags.
SOUTHWEST...
Navajo Eyedazzlers
FLORAL WATERCOLOR WEAVINGS
Click on an image for availability, sizing and pricing
Zazen Gallery, Charlevoix, Michigan
WATERSCAPES and LANDSCAPES constitue the bulk of my work in this technique. I have done a series of sail boat weavings, suggesting different weather conditions, seasons and times of the day. The possibilities are infinite! My landscapes span interpretations of local views, in all the seasons, as well as impressions of the American Southwest. More images will be posted soon.
FLORALS provide a constant source of inspirtation for me the weavings. Anything that grows lends itself so well to cutting and reassembling. SEE BELOW LEFT FOR MORE EXAMPLES.
FLAGS are naturals for this technique. They seem to take on a personality of their own. Some are earnest and hardworking (that is, blowing in the wind); others are aged and faded and some are young and robust. My one venture into the international realm is the Canadian flag.
More on Weavings in Watercolor
Beyond its powerful aesthetic attraction, I think my personal history provides additional clues as to why I created this technique and why I continue to develop it.
1)While in the Peace Corps in Bolivia years ago, I worked with local weavers of the Cochabamba valley. These artisans belong to an ancient tradition of Andean weaving that goes back long before the Inca civilization which dominated the area some 600 years ago. My task was to help give the weavers access to foreign markets. I lived in a picturesque, but poor, pueblo renowned for its weavings. As the initial liaison between the Quechua-speaking artisans and the export program, I never did learn to weave myself. However, I lived and breathed the craft for nearly two years, being surrounded by families devoted to weaving. Thanks to their hospitality I was able to observe every step of the intricate processes of preparing the wool, dyeing it and weaving it on various types of looms. A recent return to the Andes revealed that weaving is still alive and well today, enhanced by a growing tourist trade in Bolivia and in Peru.
2)During my long association with African art, I came to appreciate the continent’s less-well known two-dimensional arts. While traditional African art involves teaching the sculptural traditions of West and Central Africa, there are other arts worthy of study as well, particularly their textile and weaving crafts. These traditions shart common aesthetics, such as “repeat and surprise” design patterns. Like a clever visual pun, motifs and colors cover a field, interrupted every so often with a slight asymmetry or change in color. These “surprises” add to the richness of design and, as an artist, I was entranced by them. A similar impulse drives some of the patterning in my watercolor weavings.
3)Another undercurrent for cutting and reassembling imagery might rest with my years of blending motherhood with a career. The idea of working in a fragmented fashion, positioning, realigning and interweaving strands of paper parallels the multi-tasking required of one who is caretaker of children, wife, and who simultaneously pursues a “public” life in the workforce. It is a difficult “weaving” but, hopefully, the emergent product is worth the challenge!
A detailed description of the process of creating a watercolor weaving can be found in the menu offering "the weaving process" and in the article, "Expressing Energy with Woven Textures," WATERCOLOR (American Artist), summer, 1996.
What is a Giclee Print?
A Giclee is an ART QUALITY PRINT, an exceptionally high quality ink jet print made on a professional printer. Materials and inks used are of superb quality and intended to achieve both stunning appearance and excellent display life.
Stan Bowman of PERFECTARTPRINTS.COM creates my prints. See his web site for more info.
It is hard for people to appreciate the beauty of an excellent reproduction. I stayed away from making prints of my work for many years. However, a few years ago circumstances called for a print and I luckily learned of Stan's work with the new technology. He made me a few sail boat prints and I was blown away by the sheer gorgeousness of the product. Not only were the colors lush, but he was able to capture the subtle shadowing created by the protruding elements on the surface of the weavings. As a result, the prints look as though they are three-dimensional!