Around town

Since I don’t have much progress to report on the finishing of my circles tapestry or the beginnings of my next one I thought I’d share a little personal update about the things I have been up to here in New York.  Tomorrow I’m beginning a series of skill-share installations in New York City, Jersey City and Vancouver Canada.  Tomorrow’s is called Why is a Rock? and introduces the series with a hands-on embroidery lesson to anyone who wants to join me at Tompkins Square park from noon to two.  I’ll share my favorite stitches: running stitch, french knots and seed stitch.   While I wait for passers by to join me I’ll just be embroidering away on my rock-stencil silk (below).  Recognize that rock shape?

natural indigo stenciled on silk

The following week I’m sharing natural dye printing with a natural dye tour in Central Park, and there is a tapestry weaving one coming up too, but the location is yet to be determined.  This week some friends and I went to Central Park to do a run-through of the tour and it was very fruitful.  We found loads of different varieties of acorns (all of which Sam wanted to put in his mouth – to no avail) and even some cherry tree bark.

If you’re in any of the cities I mentioned, keep posted on the Everlea blog for upcoming events like these.  And of course I’ll be posting here about any weaving related ones.

searching for evidence of natural dye trees in Central Park West

I was able to see some Sheila Hicks weavings by chance last weekend when I made a special trip to Purl Soho for a Brooklyn Tweed trunk show they had.  The wonderful staff there directed me around the corner to the Drawing Center where there is an incredible textile exhibit, Thread Lines.  I couldn’t get good photos of any of the Sheila Hicks pieces since the lighting isn’t great and they are all in frames, but they are mostly 5X7 sample size pieces, similar to the ones I shared in my previous post about her work.  It was such a treat to see them in person.  Below is the Lenore Tawney piece that was there, too.  When I walked into the museum to see these and so many other incredible pieces by textile art pioneers, like Louise Bourgeois, I couldn’t believe that I was just stumbling upon it!  It’s such a New York phenomenon; there are just too many things to see that I couldn’t possibly know or plan to do everything that interests me.  What a stroke of luck this was!

A Lenore Tawney weaving at Thread Lines, and exhibition at the Drawing Center NYC

Janna Maria Vallee