17 - 31 October 2024, Tapestry Weaving: Wattles, with Valerie Kirk

Create your own tapestry inspired by wattles with expert Valerie Kirk! 

Dates: 17 - 31 October 2024 (3 weeks)
Days/Times: Thursdays 1.30pm - 4.30pm
Venue: NatureArt Lab Studio, M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith, ACT

Materials: Some materials are provided for this course - warp and weft yarns are provided by our tutor. Participants can bring a tapestry frame if you already have one (or borrow/buy one at the studio); tapestry bobbins (borrow or buy at the studio); scissors, notebook and reading glasses (if needed). 

Course Description:

This tapestry workshop concentrates on looking at wattle as an inspiration for tapestry design and weaving. The complicated form of the plant will be simplified through the design process to make a cartoon as a guide. Beginners will warp up a small loom and learn the basic techniques of flat and cut pile tapestry weaving, moving on to weave a simple design with variations of colours in the weft.  Experienced weavers will design and weave their small tapestry focusing on blending colours and tone in the weft, flat and cut pile weave. Advanced techniques and problem solving will be covered. The beginners’ and advanced students’ tapestries will be cut off the loom and finished off to display.

Workshop Learning Outcomes: 

• Design and make the cartoon of wattle for the weaving
  
• Warp up a tapestry on a small portable loom
  
• Select appropriate weft materials
  
• Blend coloured yarns on the bobbin to weave subtle changes of colour
  
• Mark shapes on the tapestry warp as a guide for weaving
  
• Use basic techniques to weave a small tapestry with flat and cut pile weave and finish it off.

About the Tutor:

Valerie Kirk studied art and design at Edinburgh College of Art, where she discovered woven tapestry. As a graduate she came to Australia and worked in the Australian Tapestry Workshop and travelled the country to teach in communities and colleges, work as an artist-in-residence, exhibit and lead community tapestry projects and textile tours. Between 1990-2017 she was a Senior Lecturer and Head of Textiles at the Australian National University.

During 2004-2019 she was commissioned to design and weave six major tapestries to celebrate Nobel/Japan/Kyoto Prizes in Science associated with the Australian National University.

Awards such as the Australia Council New Work grant, ACT Creative Arts Fellowship, Muse Arts Woman of the Year Award and the Canberra Centenary Community Tapestry project mark substantial success and her artwork can be seen in collections nationally and internationally.

NatureArt Lab Awards:

    2022, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Promoting Sustainability, ACT
    2024, Telstra Best of Business Award Winner for Building Communities, ACT

Tapestry images by Valerie Kirk AM