Ghosts At Greenfield Village

Since it is Halloween night - thought I would post a picture I took at Greenfield Village at one of the houses decorated for Halloween Nights.  

Fake

I have still been taking photography classes for the last two years but haven't posted much from them since it was a film class and so didn't bother to digitize the prints.  But now I am back in digital.  Unfortunately I took the beginning digital over two years ago and am now in advanced and I haven't forgotten most of my little photoshop skill.

Besides the regular assignments - he has assigned us a PIC of the week.  He does a quick evaluation so you can learn from it but you get 10 points as long as you turn it in, 0 if you don't.  I was impressed with the amount of work a couple of the kids did in the class (unlike my film classes - I am the only one who seems to be older than 40 in this class).  Some are also quite talented.

The first weeks assignment was: FAKE

He thought the right side of the photo was too blown out (I agree) and I should of done a simpler background (I am not sure about that - I wanted to tie the color of the foot to the Navajo rug).

I Create and Crate

That is a line from the novel I just finished titled "An Unnecessary Woman" byRabih Alemeddine.  In the novel the women translates books and when she is finished - she boxes up the completed translations then starts another.   She is committed to the process but not the final product.

I feel like that with my weaving frequently.

The book claims: "None of this art business is of any consequence.  It is mere folly"

But still some of us must do it.

Just finished some samples for a weaving study group.

These won't be create and crate - but will be sent out to others in the study group.

Warp Finished

The painted warp that was on my new loom is now done.  Finished the third of the table runners.  For this one I took two patterns from the Laurie Autio workshop that the Michigan Weavers Guild had and combined them.  I am getting more adventurous!

I have to leave this loom for a while and weave samples on my other loom that I have promised to do.

Next Off the Loom

As I learn to deal with my new loom - I decided to do a "sampler" table runner.  I took a number of the 12 shaft patterns from the Laurie Autio Workshop that the Michigan Weavers Guild had this past year.

Still have some of the painted warp on the loom - so my next attempt will to be to combine some of these drafts together into one weave structure.  I am taking baby steps on my new loom.

Finally Working

During the winter I purchased a new loom - an AVL Compu-Dobby 24 shaft workshop loom.  (Workshop meaning it is not as wide as their other looms and they claim it can be taken apart and taken to workshops).   It has had its' share of problems.  A part was broken in transit, they had installed a gear backwards, and most troubling.  I could not weave for more than a half an hour without a shaft sticking up.  I was continually unweaving problems like the long "floats below".

But I have FINALLY gotten the problems worked out and below is the first finished piece taken off the loom.  It is a table runner with painted warp that I dyed.

It has one short lift problem that I didn't catch and a threading problem that I was too lazy to take out (not used to threading 24 shafts versus my old 8) but at least the loom is now working.

A Lost Friend

My friend Richard Jeryann passed away Thursday, June 25.  Unfortunately I did not make it over to the house before he died to tell him how much I will miss him.

I met him many, many years ago when we were both taking weaving lessens at the Birminham Bloomfield Art Center.  He "twisted my arm" and got me to volunteer at the Weaving Shoppe at Greenfield Village.   He had unbounded enthusiasm for that place.

The picture above was taken at the weaving shop.  It will not be the same without him.

For those in the weaving community who will be reading this - a memorial/celebration of his life service will be held in a couple weeks.