This is a small tapestry I did a number of years ago. It is actually called "Shelter Me in the Shadow of Your Wing". It is a soumack tapestry, which I will NEVER do again!! (Just a personal response to the soumack process, but, as you see, a strong one.)Soumack is how many floor tapestries (rugs with images in them) are woven. Each weft thread passes not only through the warp threads, but wraps around it as well. So the weaving process consists of slowly following the cartoon (as usual) while wrapping the warp with the weft. Then a row of plain weave (which is packed in to not show), then another row of weft wrapping. Repeat forever, and ever, and ever, and.... Oh, sorry, I got lost in the memory of creating this piece!
This particular tapestry was woven of mixed fibers, including a lot of rayon in the wing and the sky areas, so there would be a shine there. Rayon does NOT like to behave in a mannerly way, so soumack with rayon was not fun at all. In fact, so not fun, that I have never really wanted to play with soumack or rayon again!
But anyway, I thought this tapestry was a good fit for the IF topic of "worry" this week.
Of course, my first response to this topic was "What me worry?" ala Alfred E Newman, and it made me think of our president, who has, from the first time I saw him, reminded me strongly of AE Newman. But surely that will be the first thought on many minds! If not, so that you don't see him elsewhere, here he is:
(This is obviously not my own illustration. It came from here.)...and here is a link to a comparison of the two gentlemen. I'm, by the way, not intending to be offensive to anyone, but really, the comparison is a natural! I can literally see Bush responding to a press question with, "What, me worry?"
8 comments:
You may not ever want to do one of these again, but it was well worth the effort. Would love to see it for real to appreciate the effect. Thank you for sharing this with us
I can understand not wanting to repeat such an involved process, but it looks amazing! I love the tapestry design as well. I enjoyed your little meditation on worry as well!
The effect of soumack with the yarns I used was one of consistent bumps, much like the even bumpiness of needlepoint - actually more like that than what you think of in soumack rugs, as they are done with finer yarns, and are usually wool, so softer than the blends I used.
This is a great image! Really impressive work!
ok, so your tapestry does sound as though it was challenging and frustrating, but hey it is wonderful!
I really like it!
Your writing cracks me up!! :-)
Hi K
The tapestry is excellent but George dubya is a howl! I dont think he has enough sense to know when to worry. Very well done indeed!
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