A long and colorful relationship
My relationship with Spindleworkshttps://spindleworks.independenceassociation.org/, the people and place, is a long and colorful one. I enjoy shopping at their holiday sales, and have purchased beautiful scarves and placemats, and even a rug which graces my bedroom floor.
A Studio Visit!
Back in 2014 when I was renting a small studio space above Gulf of Maine Books, a group of Spindleworks artists walked down with their mentor for a visit. They were fascinated by my watercolor monotypes like Kitchen Vase, with layers of collage under and over the print. Another time I took up the invitation to join the Spindleworks community for “Lunch with an Artist.” After eating our bag lunches, I brought a sketchbook and some “works in progress” to share. These are just a few instances of our long and colorful relationship.
Weaving and textiles, a shared passion
As this photo of Anna McDougal’s woven bag illustrates so beautifully, Spindleworks artists are still making wonderful things from their loom-woven fabrics. But you probably don’t know that an early passion of mine was weaving and textiles. It’s true! I learned to weave on a frame loom in high school and later, transferred for a time to a weaving program at Boston University called the Program in Artisanry, or PIA. The program at B.U. no longer exists , but you can read about it here: https://artdaily.cc/news/7088/-quot-Craft-Transformed–B–U-rsquo-s-Program-quot-
Spindleworks today
Today, Spindleworks artists work in many different media including acrylics, clay and wood sculpture. And you can purchase their work either in person or online here https://spindleworks.independenceassociation.org/spindleworks-online-shop: But the program’s roots are in loom weaving and textiles. So every time I visit the cornflower blue house on Lincoln Street, it always feels a bit like coming home.
“Combined” Exhibit opens Friday February 24, 4-6 pm
I am so happy to be in a joint exhibition with Meetinghouse Arts and Spindleworks. And I like to think that the playfulness and freedom of my recent work in mixed media collage owes something to my friends and colleagues at Spindleworks where the love of art and “making things” is palpable. Here’s to a long and colorful relationship with this beautiful community of artists! The opening reception for “Combined” is this Friday, February 24th, from 4-6 pm and I hope to see you there!
