Weaving Documentation – Jessica Timczyk

When I started this project, my starting inspiration had been the night sky and star maps. As I started my weaving though, my inspiration started to pull more from images of Greek and Roman column buildings, and the intricacies that were put into them. Thus, before I had started weaving I had intended to make a landscape image of a column building and then the night sky. As I proceeded to do the project though, I wanted more of a green landscape rather than just the sky to balance the building I would be weaving into the middle, which thus created to image that I have weaved. I had toggled back and forth on how to approach weaving a column building, whether I should make simply vertical stripes with a different color in between or actually weaving separate columns with blank space in between. I decided in the end to weave my columns while leaving actual negative space in-between them where the warp cold be seen. I decided on this method simply to give a break of openness between the density and tightness that characterized the rest of my weaving.

 

Since I wanted to work with a more picturesque scene that did not have many physical gaps and spacing in it, I decided that I would incorporate texture into my piece by using different types of yarn, featuring different levels of softness, like velvet, and different thicknesses. Using these different yarns coupled with a few different types of knots, like raya knots, I was able to create different textures for the different pieces of the scene. The piece ultimately became more textured as you work your way into the sky where I used a combination of raya knots and pulling on the yarn to create a puffy and fluffy texture. I chose to feature more bulky textures towards the top of the piece to pull the viewers’ attention to the scenery of the sky more than the scenery pf the hills, for like I had intended before starting, I wanted the sky and stars to be a main focus of the piece. I as well used a range of different crystals and pearls within my weaving to not only coincide with a theme of luck but also to convey an image of stars in the sky.

 

While doing this project, I learned how to incorporate embellishments into my weaving by way of using different crystals and beads. I also had the chance to learn how different textures of yarn and knots work together to produce a variety of different textures that can be used to convey different scenery and images in a more thoughtful way. From my critique, I learned that although the intention and images with in the weaving seem obvious to me, viewers are interpreting the images through their own biases, ideas and experiences and often interpret the shapes and scenery different than how it was intended by the creator. If I were to continue, I would want to work even more embellishing into my piece, using different types of beads, crystals, rocks and other materials because I find them not only extremely beautiful but also lucky and carrying a unique energy to pieces. Instead of continue using a wide range of colors though, next time I would like to experiment using a more neutral or monotone color palette to experiment with relying solely upon texture to convey an image.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sample Weaving                                                                 Final Weaving