O.C.A: PROJECT & EXHIBITION PLAN LEVEL THREE: SUSTAINING YOUR PRACTICE INDEX: Page Introduction one Aims & Objects five Content six Resources & Access seven Promotional Strategy ten Schedule eleven Summary twelve Appendix thirteen INTRODUCTION: Prior to commencing his present studies the content of the students learning related specifically to the occupation in which he was employed at the time – commercially/socially. More recently, and in the preceding levels of this degree, the student worked across a variety of textile media and approaches. His most recent textile work has seen him focus on Hand Weaving as a medium. Being inspired by natural yarns has challenged the student to create cloth that will be in demand by eclectic designers and will focus on the uniqueness of the product. The student gleaned his creative urges principally from textile artists such as Anni Albers, Cally Booker, Laura Adburgham and Pat Old. (Refer to the Category “Web Sites” in students Blog/Log www.ocatextiletransitioning.wordpress.com/blog) 1
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O.C.A: PROJECT & EXHIBITION PLAN
LEVEL THREE: SUSTAINING YOUR PRACTICE
INDEX: Page
Introduction one
Aims & Objects five
Content six
Resources & Access seven
Promotional Strategy ten
Schedule eleven
Summary twelve
Appendix thirteen
INTRODUCTION:
Prior to commencing his present studies the content of the students learning related specifically to the occupation in which he was employed at the time – commercially/socially.
More recently, and in the preceding levels of this degree, the student worked across a variety of textile media and approaches. His most recent textile work has seen him focus on Hand Weaving as a medium. Being inspired by natural yarns has challenged the student to create cloth that will be in demand by eclectic designers and will focus on the uniqueness of the product. The student gleaned his creative urges principally from textile artists such as Anni Albers, Cally Booker, Laura Adburgham and Pat Old.
(Refer to the Category “Web Sites” in students Blog/Log www.ocatextiletransitioning.wordpress.com/blog)
Anni Albers is reported by Ursina Arn-Gischott to have said:
“Yarn is a source of endless inspiration. If we as designers co-operate with the yarn, we can solve problems of design and form objectively. If the design is simple, is adapted to its end use and takes the yarn into account, our work will not be a short-lived fashion that will one
day look out-of-date. It will be ageless.”
(Double weave on Four to Eight Shafts (2000) – p32.)
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The all-encompassing theme of ‘Transitioning’ has led the student to design and create weaving drafts in Adobe Photo Shop and Fibre Works software. The transition between the designs and the weaving has been initially the finger-weaving of Taniko patterns seen in Maori Korowai and Mawhitiwhiti panels in their Meeting Houses.
These Taniko patterns have been inspirational in the form of hand weaving drafts.
As has these Mawhitiwhiti patterns.
For the student’s final assignment and assessment presentation he intends to take one weaving structure such as double cloth and present a beautiful resolved collection of up to six (6) pieces, with specific colour palettes. Each piece will have a connection from one to the other. Consistencies and differences will be commented on and can be viewed in the student’s entries in his Learning Log/Blog. www.ocatextiletransitioning.wordpress.com/blog.
He intends to review all his current samples and be selective based on the innovation and aesthetic appeal of each woven textile piece. The student presently envisages that these will be principally geometric in their form but will also transition into designs that will flow across the face of the fabric as an extension of the above Taniko and Mawhitiwhiti patterns.
In his sketchbook he has used the Koru Fern (native to N.Z) as a one of the primary sources of inspiration for both Maori and Pakeha.
Created by Photo Shop and drafted in Fiber Works Software
The mood for the stated transition above is colour-orientated and references that of a pattern-focused board. The interpretation that can be deducted from reading the nuances (photo above) is one of basic red, black and white being the nature led designs of Taniko like structures and the primary colours in the Maori Flag identifying the impact on their culture through the process of colonisation by the English.
The developed and resolved pieces to follow will have their own colour pallets as an extension of the above mood board and will emphasize colour mixes of the highest and strongest contrasts.
Woven sample of Koro Fern Design
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The students research is focused on transitioning from traditional Maori traditional ‘off-loom’ weaving to contemporary Pakeha1 ‘on-loom’ weaving and be based on the premise that the interlacement of Warp and Weft on a loom replicates the finger weaving techniques used by the Maori or an adaption thereof.
He perceives his work as evolving from that archived and most certainly inspired by the historical Taniko patterns found in museums around the world. Margery Blackman, Honorary Curator of Ethnographic Textiles and the Maori material in the Otago Museum has supported the student with images of these works.
Through his research he understands that the interlacement of the Maori finger weaving may not be able to be replicated on a hand loom set up with a pre tensioned warp tied to a back and breast beam. His intention is to determine if this is truly the case through a collection of woven pieces and the experimentation and development of those samples.
The final collection of pieces are intended to show more conclusively that the interlacement of warp and weft of hand weaving is predominately performed by a weaving shuttle and a specific draw-down on a table loom, rather than just the fingers of either the right or left hand.
His over-riding purpose is to present new and innovative ideas in his weaving that will consume the curiosity of any future audiences.
When accepted as a member of the Professional Weavers Network, the student intends to become involved in the Networks regular challenges. He also proposes to contribute to the overall promotion of weaving as a form of textile art in New Zealand. Opportunities will open up to the graduate that foster hand weaving by exchanging samples and therefore experience and share ideas with like-minded weavers of mutual interest.
The student will reapply for membership of the P.W.N. (See appendix1) after graduating as he does not meet their criteria currently.
The student will benefit from exchanging samples of weaving, learning and therefore growing in process, as well as enjoying getting to know people who understand specific methods of making textiles.
The opportunities that will open up for the student are principally those of sharing and developing his expertise co-operatively with local, national and international weavers and that the benefits of being a member of the P.W.N. will enhance his standing in his chosen area of expertise and have his work reviewed by his “peers.”
Pakeha1 – the term used by Maori to identify the British Colonisers of New Zealand.
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AIMS and OBJECTIVES:
To create a collection of woven textiles for final assessment in the first six months of 2019, these pieces will be form part of his personal portfolio having prepared weaving drafts in the appropriate software. These creations will transition traditional Maori finger weaving designs ‘off-loom’ and in to contemporary designs and patterns ‘on-loom’ as well as the extension in to more innovative areas of hand weaving.
Studying for this degree has been aimed at acquiring an increasing resource of weaving experience and knowledge on a table loom with the intention of proceeding on to more sophisticated looms with confidence knowing that he has met the requirements of the degree.
After graduating the student will consider studying for a Masters qualification and proposes to keep pushing the boundaries of his future weaving practice whilst researching historical weaving manuscripts found in the archives of libraries/museums in New Zealand.
The student proposes to apply for a Mason Charitable Trust Scholarship to help fund his work in the field of Woven Textiles. The scholarship is given to students of the National Society to a member who shows potential, to help with their education and travel costs, to learn from another culture, and also the costs of learning from an entrepreneur who is working in the area of the recipients expertise.
The acme of receiving and applying the Scholarship will also be to concentrate on a particular genre of practical hand weaving based on primary sources of research culminating in the promotion and the continuing improvement of his personal collection in the field of art textiles. This is a long-term aim that will take the student beyond the degree studies and into future woven textiles “work.”
To present textiles to a wide-ranging public audience by presenting his work for juried and non-juried exhibitions organised by weaving groups and other charitable and commercial organisations. Currently the student has been selected to include work as part of the O.C.A. Show Case exhibition at the Oxo Tower in London between the 24th and 29th October 2018.
There is a potential audience as well as possible participants in after school programs where children and young adults can have their minds opened and their hands made active to many forms of hand crafts, for example in the Y.M.C.A. home and school groups. The aged-care and retirement home industry is also constantly looking for tutors/mentors for their weekly craft activities. He is adamant that he will be involved in such groups and tutoring.
Funding is a problem in tertiary institutions currently in New-Zealand and is being channelled into Music and Drama more so than Soft Materials which includes sewing and weaving. There-in lies a challenge to re-introduce participants at an early age to skills that are compatible with the future tasks required of them for example when starting a family home.
To create a better balance between desk-top studies, time on the internet and time on the loom by converting essential research on selected weaving techniques into resolved outcomes of textile pieces. The student is fully aware that computer time can be an extremely positive experience when focused and directed at a specific area of enquiry and/ or topic of research as a support mechanism to time on the “loom.”
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After graduation his desk-top computer research will continue with a group of weavers studying www.archaeologicaltextiles.net . Members prepare articles from their research for their newsletter and themed samples to back up their research.
CONTENT:
The student’s purpose in creating a vibrant collection of textiles is to advance his prospects and meet the requirements for a B. A. (Hons) degree in Textiles by distance learning.His current thinking is that he will continue on with his studies into his senior years as a culmination of his focus on woven textiles at level 3. He perceives his journey currently as being that of a continuum.
Weaving content for level 3 assessment will include maintaining the weaving and development of the collection through the continued exploration and evaluation of the results of exploring drafts used in the woven textiles and finally with a clear focus on colour, technique and reflection of the Taniko and Mawhitiwhiti inspiration and off loom techniques.
The students focus will be to thoroughly develop quality woven textiles with an emphasis on using drafting software to do this within hand woven textiles. His aim is to develop and refine this approach and the resulting textiles as far as possible.
“Each textile piece where appropriate will be supported by relevant narrative. This will include interpretation of the textile piece itself when compared to the background and/or concept in which it has been conceived. This will ensure that viewers have an introductory stimulus to their visual experience on which they can then predicate their own observations.”
The collection as a whole will have more meaning when the audience is seen be global in its entirety and ensure that the viewer can interact personally depending of their own degree of awareness of the exhibition/presentation being contemplated. By global he means using social media to make images available to as many viewers as possible for example Instagram, and a personal simple website.
The context may be in accordance with the criteria set by the organizers of a particular display or exhibition or in the students case the rules and regulations of his for example local public library, their available space, fixtures and fittings and controlled lighting for public exhibits. Foot traffic in this place will be a constant flow of people visiting the library and passing by the display/exhibition. In this environment the audience will be persons from all sections of the public – not only those interested in textiles.
Generally speaking the context will be determined once the details of the precise location, space provided and any restrictions on size of the exhibits are known - should this be an Art Gallery or similar place. The student does not see such places as a possibility currently because of the cost involved, unless his future pieces yet to be executed call for such a location.
Should the student receive a Mason Scholarship then the audience will be those persons attending his National Associations Bi-Annual Conference and Exhibition. He will be required to exhibit his collection following the completion of his studies. There will be visitors from overseas at the NZ Conference/Exhibition and his work can be made available for sale. A prearranged position will be available in the exhibition hall. The students work
will be written up in the festivals catalogue of exhibitors and noted that he was a recipient of the Scholarship. He also has to write a report and an article for his National Associations quarterly magazine.
The student’s intention for level 3 is to create upwards of six (6) pieces of woven textiles and then based on what he learned from those pieces weave a further six (6) for final display/presentation. OCA requires the student to present all of his work for assessment prior to November 2019, distinguishing between the developmental pieces and those which he has edited for exhibition/presentation/or simply feels are strong enough to be in the final collection.
The student also intends to enter individual pieces for his National Associations ‘Creative Fibre Award’. Ultimately he wants to meet their criteria – yet to be advised. He has yet to complete work that complies with their proposed criteria. This is his goal however.
RESOURCES and ACCESS:
The student’s principal resource is that of an Ashford’s 16 shaft table loom, two back beams, a warping board, raddle and two reeds – of 8 and 12 dents.
Accessories include boat shuttles, incidental shuttles, bobbins, end rods, pick up sticks, heddles, reed and sleying hooks, cross sticks, fringe winders.
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Supplementary equipment includes a domestic sewing machine, over locker, embroidery module and essential sewing needles, scissors, threaders etc.
A white display board for visual appraisal of projects is essential –
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The student has maintained a library of textile resource material and lever arch folders containing indexed hard copies of the research data from all primary and secondary sources.
The student has also consulted books issued from library inter loan services where they were not available from his own library and used them in each level of his course.
The student prefers to own all his own equipment if possible except when weaving one-off samples. The student has travelled to Agnes Hauptli’s studio and hired her TC1 loom for weaving Jacquard drafts/samples.
The student’s yarns are sourced from local and online suppliers as and when they are required for a particular project and at the best quality and price current at the time. He does not currently hold large stocks of yarn.
The student’s NZ supplier is Fiber Holics – Agnes Hauptli. His online supplier is Webs and Gist of America.
Tencel, cottonlin and rayon chenille are the yarns he uses most. Wool from Merino and Gotland sheep have been trialled in woven sample as has Silk from Treenway Silks of America.
The student uses Tencel mainly for its sheen, denier and drape qualities. He has used Gotland wool to trial for weaving rather than for Felting. It is thicker than eight ply and is therefore in direct contrast to the finer yarns such as sewing cotton, cottonlin and string.
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Wool is a yarn he will be trialling because it is natural, soft and warm to wear by babies in particular. He does not have a preference for synthetic yarns unless they meet his requirements for specific weaving structures such as Devore.
The student envisages that his circumstances will change after graduation based on demand for his work by possible buyers but also his status in his community environment in particular. This will be in relation to any new weaving computer loom that he may acquire. The student would like to purchase a TC2.
The student is the only student in New Zealand studying the B. A. (Hons) Textile degree listed on the OCA website through the University of the Creative Arts in Barnsley, UK. His colleagues are International. His contact is with them by e-mail or the internet. He is currently using “Drop Box” as a reservoir for sharing weaving files with any other textile artists who also use this computer program. The student is a member of both his National and Local Fibre/Yarn groups and meets/communicates with them frequently. He is continually expanding his network locally and globally.
Yarn/Fibre/Weaving exhibitions are held locally and nationally for textile artists and the student intends to avail himself of these opportunities now and in the future. This will help to have his work seen and appraised so that he can continue to advance his knowledge and status in his chosen field – being that of a Fibre Artist.
A solo exhibition is planned for the public foyer of his local library. This will be a small presentation of his work plus his 16 shaft loom which he intends to use whilst meeting and greeting viewers to his exhibition – possibly over one or two days. More details once they become confirmed will be added to this Plan – watch this space.
PROMOTIONAL STRATEGY:
Promotional Strategy will focus primarily on two aspects 1: Designing and 2: Woven yardage or Textile Designing and Textile Weaving.
Branding of the work and a mission statement will also be imperative. A preliminary statement will be: -
“To promote the skills and talents of a professional designer that contributes to the creation of woven textiles for a defined market”.
A visual image will be an integral part of a web site as will other professional photos supported by narrative and marketing material. The student intends to work with a contracted service provider for a public web site. He is currently researching web sites as follows:
In order to build personal and business relationships on-line that encourage multi-way conversations the student currently uses a hosted website www.Wordpress.com as well as social media namely Pinterest and Facebook. This is because it is convenient, cost effective, quick, and easy to measure and provides feedback about the work displayed.
Presentation of the student’s work in Port Folio form is essential when applying for funding as will be a current CV. This will necessitate an edit/review of his inventory of textile pieces. The student will select from his total portfolio those textile pieces that demonstrate his weaving expertise and in accordance with the emphasis/theme requested by the organisation’s providing the funds. This may include photographs and/or digital images.
SCHEDULE:
The student has set out his time table currently and has allocated one month to each exercise listed in the course material – Parts One to Five.
2018
October 1 – 31st
1. Start planning/weaving a resolved collection of up to six pieces of textile fabric based on my research of the Double Weave technique.
2. Re-work and respond to suggestions arising from tutors September 2018 feedback3. Purchase further supplies of yarn/fibre for the proposed collection of pieces.4. Revisit and review Final Exhibition Plan and Project
1. Write Press release for his planned exhibition2. Prepare yarns prior to warping loom for weaving double weave design drafts.3. Continue drafting and weaving a collection of pieces
December 1 – 31st
Part Five – Exercise 2 – P85
1. Write Artist’s/Designers Statement.2. Hand Dye stocks of wool yarns as an alternative to using purchased Tencel yarn.3. Continue weaving a collection of pieces
2019
January 1 – 31st
1. Continue weaving a collection of pieces2. Complete application for a Mason Charitable Trust Scholarship due 1st February 2019
February 1 – 28th
1. Continue weaving a collection of pieces2. Send work to tutor3. Perform a skype interview with tutor4. Respond to and Re-Work suggestions arising from tutors feedback5. Prepare work for final assessment
March 1 – 31st
1 Attend Mason Charitable Scholarship work shop (if successful with application)2 Prepare work for final assessment3 Apply for July 2019 assessment by the 30th April 2019
SUMMARY:
The students Blog/Log address for Sustaining Your Practice is:
In the right hand column of the students HOME page of his blog/log is an index to monthly posts over the period of the study.
Quotes are being obtained for a public web site to record and promote the students work. Photographs of previous levels of the course have been archived in the computer program Picasa 1 and are instantly available for retrieval as and when required. Each photo will need to be assessed prior to acceptance and inclusion in any report or publication and made copyright.
Videoing of the student’s exhibition and portfolio is also being explored for presentation at assessment.
The student proposes to revisit previous levels of the course for further inspiration and the possible need for additional resolution of the proposed final pieces of work.
Secondly he will create weaving drafts in Fibre Works software for three different threading’s for four, eight and sixteen shafts.
Thirdly he will weave up to two separate segments on each warp of changes that further resolve each design.
APPENDIX:1. The Professional Weavers Network of New Zealand (Inc.) was formed in 1991 by a group of dedicated
weavers who met to formalise aims, and plan how the network would promote excellence in the art of weaving and art textiles. PWN aims to ensure textiles are promoted and recognised as a vibrant, exciting and high quality contemporary art form. This is achieved through working co-operatively to share and develop the expertise of the members.Members come from throughout New Zealand, with most working from home based studios. They sell directly to the public and through selected galleries. Many members exhibit work in their own exhibitions in New Zealand and overseas. Teaching is also an important activity for some members.The group holds an annual seminar which provides a stimulating and exciting environment for members and an opportunity to share their knowledge, expertise and new developments within weaving and the fibre arts. Guest speakers are a regular feature.Exhibitions are planned on a two-three year cycle. They are an opportunity for critics to evaluate contemporary functional weaving and fibre art works, and give the public a chance to enjoy and appreciate the work of the members.Criteria for membership is-a. that of having a standing in a chosen area of handwoven textiles in one or more of the following
fields:- exhibited nationally, sold work in recognised galleries, undertaken commission work and/or related tertiary qualifications
b. have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the evaluation and development of own work,c. to actively contribute to the learning and development of the group.
