State of the Arts Category Archive: Craft

Crafty people descend on Minneapolis

Posted at 5:25 PM on October 14, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, Events

Tomorrow through Sunday, the American Craft Council is holding its annual conference in Minneapolis at the Radisson Plaza Hotel. While here, curators and artists will tour local studios and art centers, including the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Highpoint Center for Printmaking and the Textile Center. The theme for the conference is "Creating a New Craft Culture."

Speaking of which, if you're interested in learning more about "Craft in America," PBS has a nifty five-part series which you can watch in its entirety on-line through October 22.

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A visit to Kelly Marshall's weaving studio

Posted at 10:42 AM on October 19, 2009 by Marianne Combs (5 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, People

Inspired by my recent trip to the Textile Center, I decided to pay a visit to a local star in the weaving world. Kelly Marshall actually got her start in weaving at the Textile Center Weaver's Guild of Minnesota when she was 19, then went on to study in Sweden, and now runs a nationally recognized business from a studio in the Northrup King building in Minneapolis.

Marshall's studio has four large looms in it, and a staff of three full-time weavers to work them. While weaving is often considered a solitary art, Marshall says she's always wanted company:

When I started weaving for a profession, I took a business class at Women Venture to help me get my mind around running a business as a weaver. One of the first things we did was project what the business would look like in 5 years. My vision was a large, sunlight room with several looms and myself and several weavers working on the looms. I have always wanted to share the craft of weaving, making the textiles, with others.

Photo by Abernathy Photography

Marshall is very aware of the pleasure that comes from making something with your own hands, but she also recognizes that if she wants to be a professional weaver for many years to come, she has to take care of herself.

I enjoy doing many different kinds of handwork and always have a project going whether it is stitching, knitting, beading, or bobbin lace making to name a few of the crafts I enjoy. Weaving is very taxing on the body and although I never had an injury from weaving I could feel the stress on my body after 15 years of weaving full time.

Photo by Andrea Rugg

Now Marshall spends the majority of her time working with clients, attending craft shows, and working on her favorite aspect of weaving - the design process. The infinite possibilities of form and color are what really excite Marshall.

Photo by Abernathy Photography

Marshall says even though she's not on the loom weaving every day, she still feels very connected to the work:

I consult with the clients and do all the designing. I calculate all the yarn needed for each piece and lay out the patterns and consult with the weavers when they start a piece to get the proportions correct. I am in the studio sewing the totes and am always working on developing new product.

Sometimes I do miss working on the loom where the task ahead of me is very determined, repetitive and meditative at times. It is a process of doing something that has hand memory, my body knows how to weave, set up a loom, the actions are learned in my cells, it is wonderful to be so connected to something. On the other hand I enjoy challenging other parts of myself: how to run a successful business, employees, human resources, benefits, marketing, product development, and financial planning. How do I fit into a community of fiber artists, and craftspeople in general?

If you'd like to check out Kelly Marshall's studio, you can! She'll be participating in the Northrup King Building's "Art Attack" gallery open house November 6-8.

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Embroidery that will have you in stitches

Posted at 1:49 PM on October 13, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, Fashion

"Burning for you, too" by Richard Saja

New York Designer Richard Saja has developped a following for his handiwork with a needle. Armed with brightly colored thread and a quirky sense of humor, Saja takes traditional toile (fabric printed with pastoral scenes, often featuring people) and superimposes his own story line. He calls his brand of pillows and toile furniture "Historically Inaccurate Decorative Arts."

"Mr. Birdman" by Richard Saja

Under Saja's hand, noble ladies and gents are transformed into clowns, monsters, and strange animal hybrids. Cupid angels sprout long locks of Van Halen-esque hair, Abraham Lincoln comes a-courtin', and luscious bouquets are disrupted by menacing beetles.

In a recent interview on Supernaturale, Saja explains his fascination with toile:

I knew that toile prints were a perfect canvas for hand embroidery: the black line of the print begging to be made more alive through the vibrancy of color, texture and technique afforded by hand embroidery. By wedding traditional toile prints to embroidery I found I had developed something easily accessible to modern tastes: tattoos are now accompanied by rabbit ears on children, cigars in dog's mouths, nipples, gold chains and mohawks on monkeys.

Of late Saja has been working with glow-in-the-dark thread, which allows a completely new scene to appear on your pillow once the lights are turned off.

(FYI - A Facebook friend posted a link to this artist's work, and I just couldn't resist sharing. Thanks for the tip!)

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A new art form each month

Posted at 2:00 PM on October 6, 2009 by Marianne Combs (14 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, Culture, How To

So here's the deal. I figure if I'm going to blog about the arts, I can't just sit back and watch. Because for every artist who performs before an audience, there are thousands of others who are practicing some artistic pursuit in the quiet of their own home, or with a group of like-minded individuals.

So my goal for the next year is to try a new type of art each month, and write about it. There are plenty of centers around the Twin Cities - and Minnesota - that offer extensive classes in various crafts, from pottery to photography to stained-glass. So why not check them out for the benefit of everyone?

This summer I started with something already familiar to me, paper marbling. Then I jumped into my first attempt at something completely new - making a mosaic. In addition to posting on what I learned, I also followed the work of one mosaic artist from start to finish, and sped it up into what I call "Fast Art."

Just yesterday, I posted on my most recent venture into weaving. Since I took a very entry-level class (not really enough to merit a "How To" presentation) I plan to return for a little more in-depth instruction later this month. Also, later this week, I'll profile the work of local weaver Kelly Marshall, and pay a visit to her studio.

The months to come present me with all sorts of options. What to try? And what sort of information would you like me to bring back from the experience? Think of me as your emissary, testing those classes you've always had a lurking desire to take, but never got up the gumption for. Information is power...

Some ideas that have been bandied about: how to do a particular dance move, how to draw the human figure, how to pour a metal sculpture, and how to make and use a pinhole camera.

Let me know what you'd like, and I'll do my best to make it happen. And maybe I'll even pick up a skill or two in the process.

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An introduction to weaving

Posted at 12:01 PM on October 5, 2009 by Marianne Combs (2 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, Culture

Spools of dyed wool at the ready for a weaving class at the Textile Center.

This weekend, I'm rather embarrassed to admit, I paid my first-ever visit to the Textile Center in Minneapolis. Just as Open Book is a center for all things literary, the Textile Center is a hub for all activity that involves thread, yarn and fabric. That includes weaving, quilting, knitting, sewing, needlework, lace making, basketry and beading.

The center is home to dozens of organizations, including the Weavers Guild, the Knitters Guild, and Minnesota Contemporary Quilters. The building includes a gallery, store, library, lecture hall and several classrooms. One classroom is dedicated to the art of dying fiber.

What brought me to the Textile Center was a class called "Try It! Weave on a floor loom." For the next year I'm attempting to try a new craft each month (see previous entries on paper marbling and making mosaics), and this class seemed like a perfect fit.

A typical floor loom.

So there's my loom - or at least the loom I got to use for the class. Over the course of six hours I learned how to wind bobbins, throw and catch the shuttle, tromp on treadles, and develop a (somewhat) consistent beat. I also learned that tension is key in a good weave.

But here's what else I learned. The ancient Egyptians and Chinese used looms as early as 4000 BC. Looms are actually the foundation for computer programming. Which may be why people who tend to like weaving (and are good at it) have an affinity for math (our weaving instructor works as an accountant during the week). In many societies, men are the weavers, while the women spin the thread.

"Homage to Jean Nodlund" by Paul O'Connor

In the main hall of the Textile Center is a retrospective of the weaving of Paul O'Connor. O'Connor was for many years a chemistry professor at the University of Minnesota, and his work took him to India for five years, where he explored his interest in weaving. When he retired from chemistry in the 1970s, he pursued his weaving interest with a passion, and now is considered an expert in the art of "double-weaving." His work is incredibly fine, and often uses sewing thread.

Look! I made something!

Here's my scarf - or at least a section of it. I still need to wash it and do some finishing work, but overall I'm feeling pretty pleased that in six hours I was able to pull this off. Now I should mention that for this class the instructor had our looms set up ahead of time, and just learning how to warp your loom is another class entirely. I'll report back on how well I pick up those skills in a month or two. And I'll post a picture of the scarf in its entirety once I've cleaned it up.

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How To: Make a Mosaic

Posted at 5:35 PM on July 16, 2009 by Marianne Combs (4 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, How To

If you saw last week's bit of "fast art," you know I've been hanging out at Mosaic on a Stick lately, learning the ropes. In the process I've gained a great deal of respect for the creativity involved in making a really stunning mosaic. While many people consider mosaics to be a sort of craft, enthusiasts know that it can also be high art, in the right hands.

The tradition of making mosaics goes back centuries, and when done correctly they can last for centuries as well. Across much of Europe and North Africa you can visit mosaics that date back to the Roman Empire.

Making a mosaic is surprisingly easy, once you have the right materials in place. Check out this "how to" slideshow. And once you've finished, check out the mosaic art of people like Sonia King, Emma Biggs, and Brooks Tower.

(p.s. Many many thanks go to Lori Greene, owner of Mosaic on a Stick, for humoring my quest for knowledge, and for being my hand model for many of the photographs.)

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Fast Art: Making a Mosaic

Posted at 3:39 PM on July 8, 2009 by Marianne Combs (17 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, Fast Art

Over the past three weeks I've been following Tara Nielson as she made a mosaic at Mosaic On A Stick in St. Paul. Every time she placed a tile, I took a picture. I've sped up the results into what I'm calling "Fast Art" (much healthier for you than fast food). Check it out, and if making a mosaic intrigues you, stay tuned for a "How To" presentation next week.

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St. Paul artist killed by garbage truck

Posted at 9:12 PM on June 26, 2009 by Marianne Combs (0 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, People

St. Paul-based artist Jean Matzke was walking her dog in lowertown St. Paul early this morning when she was hit by a garbage truck turning the corner. 70-year-old Matzke was a fiber artist, showing her work locally at Grand Hand Gallery, and teaching both at the College of St. Benedict and the Textile Center of Minnesota. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, St.John's University, and the College of St. Benedict, and has been featured on HGTV.

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How To: Paper Marbling

Posted at 3:00 PM on June 17, 2009 by Marianne Combs (7 Comments)
Filed under: Craft, How To

This is the first in what I hope will be a semi-regular series on "how to do stuff" - arts-related stuff, of course. Since I've been marbling paper at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts for the past year, I thought I'd start there.

The video above is by no means comprehensive. If you want more information about the history and various techniques of paper marbling, click here. For a vast array of different pattern samples, click here. If you're interested in trying paper marbling yourself, the MCBA holds classes about twice a year, with open studio days for you to marble on your own every few months.

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