It's time for the holidays so it's time for some woven holiday beetles...
Friday, November 12, 2010
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Finishing & Re-Finishing
I am picky when it comes to hanging my tapestries. I have an image in my mind of how my art should appear when on the wall...and if it isn't right I never like it. And if I don't like it rarely will anyone else see it.
I completed a small tapestry; perhaps eight inches by eight inches back in 2008. It was an experimental piece woven with cassette tape - books on tape for the ATA small format show. I never really took to the piece; due to the nature of the weft, cassette tape, the warp lines were wavy and there was a visible pull in as I completed the piece in what I imagine was hurried boredom. It showed in the ATA exhibit but never again. I could never figure out how to hang it.
Earlier this year I finally 'finished' the piece; by finding an acceptable way for it to hang on the wall. I wrote about it here. After hanging a bit, I realized this was not quite the right solution. It was not hung to last; I really could not exhibit, donate or gift it. The edges of the tapestry began to look sloppy which accentuated the pull in. The Velcro would occasionally fall off and the glass was way too many reflections for a room with as many windows as I have.
So this week I 're-finished' the piece. This time I wired the tapestry to a black wooden board which hangs freely with wire in the box frame. The black board provides a straight edge on each side so the pull in, although there, is not distracting. The glass was replaced with plexi which still allows the sparkles of the material backing the piece to shine through and should allow it to be safely mailed. Having the tapestry hang away from the plexi glass provides a wonderful shadow which changes with the light and gives that feeling of the sun actually hovering above the horizon.
I think I may actually like this piece.
I completed a small tapestry; perhaps eight inches by eight inches back in 2008. It was an experimental piece woven with cassette tape - books on tape for the ATA small format show. I never really took to the piece; due to the nature of the weft, cassette tape, the warp lines were wavy and there was a visible pull in as I completed the piece in what I imagine was hurried boredom. It showed in the ATA exhibit but never again. I could never figure out how to hang it.
Earlier this year I finally 'finished' the piece; by finding an acceptable way for it to hang on the wall. I wrote about it here. After hanging a bit, I realized this was not quite the right solution. It was not hung to last; I really could not exhibit, donate or gift it. The edges of the tapestry began to look sloppy which accentuated the pull in. The Velcro would occasionally fall off and the glass was way too many reflections for a room with as many windows as I have.
So this week I 're-finished' the piece. This time I wired the tapestry to a black wooden board which hangs freely with wire in the box frame. The black board provides a straight edge on each side so the pull in, although there, is not distracting. The glass was replaced with plexi which still allows the sparkles of the material backing the piece to shine through and should allow it to be safely mailed. Having the tapestry hang away from the plexi glass provides a wonderful shadow which changes with the light and gives that feeling of the sun actually hovering above the horizon.
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