So it begins...

Last Friday, April 28, I got the letter from SMAHC annoucing that I have been awarded an Artist's Development Grant for $1000.00. Today I need to send in the grant contract acceptance form and then I wait for a check. They send out 80% at startup and then 20% when they recieve my final report. My first reaction was "yippee", then I started to wonder what it was I told them I'd do in the application. On review, it seems that I'm buying a a used Gobelin tapestry loom and I am planning to weave at least one tapestry on it in the next 6 months. I think I mentioned using handspun yarns for this project. Then I am having it photographed and getting docmentation (postcards and CD's) to send to galleries and shows and to use in developing a portfolio. Spinning yarn and weaving tapestries both are very time comsuming, so I will be doing lots of time management planning these next few weeks! I have started spinning the yarns already, using both my Schacht wheel here at my store, and my Jensen double treadle wheel at home. I will make arrangements to pick up the loom after I get the check. One of the first challenges will be fitting into my studio space. It's got a 60" weaving width!

I have lots of general ideas of what the tapestry will look like, but will have to finalize a sketch and then make a full size drawing (cartoon) to weave from. My theme for this project is rural images, and the tapestry series will be based on aerial photographs of local farmlands. I find the geometry fascinating, with straight line county roads intersecting wriggling streambeds. I see the shapes of the fields and the contours of the land the tractors follow when plowing. The images lend themselves well to tapestry weaving, which is more pictorial than traditional weaving. I'm excited to actually get started and see my sketches come to life!