Symbols of the Southwest class at EVFAC

A few months ago I mentioned a class I am teaching at Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center  June 15-17. That blog post is HERE. I am getting excited about the class and wanted to say that there are still some slots open. The class descriptions are on the EVFAC website HERE.  

The class description:

The southwestern United States is a place rich in culture, landscape, and weaving traditions. Tapestry weaving here is practiced by Navajo, Hispanic, and Puebloan weavers with traditions that reach back hundreds or thousands of years. In this class we will explore questions about the influence of traditional southwestern weaving on contemporary tapestry practice and how symbols are important in Native and Hispanic weaving practice over the last centuries and today. Most importantly, we will consider how we can use symbols from our own experience to inform our design process and investigate the essential pieces of ourselves that lead us to art making. We will use symbol as a design tool, create several tapestry cartoons, and weave either a small tapestry or a study for a larger work.

Basic knowledge of tapestry techniques is necessary for this class. We will explore whatever techniques come up during the class, but it is helpful if you know how the structure of tapestry works and have done a basic piece or two.

Instructor Bio: Rebecca Mezoff grew up climbing the mesas and red rocks near Gallup, NM. She has won numerous awards for her tapestries which are in various public and private collections. She studied contemporary tapestry as a student and then apprentice of James Koehler for 6 years.  You can see her work at www.rebeccamezoff.com. She teaches workshops throughout the United States and currently resides somewhere in the southwest where she doesn’t mind having to dump the sand out of her shoes (you can find out where she is now on her blog at http://rebeccamezoff.blogspot.com).

The class is going to be fun. We'll look at some traditional weaving from this part of the American Southwest, talk about use of symbols, both traditional and personal, and explore design techniques using symbols. We will spend time playing with design and work on weaving some of our ideas. As always, we will address the technical issues that come up and talk about use of color in tapestry. Call EVFAC to sign up. (505) 747-3577.

In other news, I have been in Boulder this weekend for a Sensory Defensiveness course from the leading experts on this sensory integration disorder, Patricia and Julia Wilbarger. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, just realize it is an occupational therapy thing. The Wilbargers did release me just in time... I got a half an hour at this great store before they closed:

Shuttles, Spindles, and Skeins is a great yarn shop and they have a huge weaving room with some beautiful Schacht looms (which are, after all, made in Boulder--I can't wait until I'm here on a weekday and I can take a tour of the factory).

Yellow columbine blooming on the street in downtown Boulder.