Book of Light and Color; hand woven tapestry; hand spun paper: coffee filters and variable annuity quarterly report pages, linen; 2" x 1 1/2" x 3/4" (closed) ©Sarah C Swett 2020
Though I'm super excited to show you
this tiny accordion book,
it was not what I intended
to write about this morning.
this tiny accordion book,
it was not what I intended
to write about this morning.
What I hoped/planned to do
was release the other
(less colorful) little book
I've been working on:
was release the other
(less colorful) little book
I've been working on:
This second is not actually a book at all,
but rather a PDF guide--
though both (if you print the PDF),
are made of paper---
and this last week has seen me
bouncing between them
to see which would be done first:
one moment glued to the computer
moving my drawings half and inch this way or that,
the next, comfortably tucked into my backstrap
putting color next to color next to color
in breathless anticipation
of what it would turn (or fold) into,
then off to the iPad to draw something else
that would perfectly explain just one more thing.
I guess the accordion book won the race--
if race it was--
perhaps because my tapestries
are pretty much done when they come off the loom
while projects that rely on drawing and writing
can be shifted, adjusted,
ignored, changed and revised
seemingly
f o r e v e r...
but rather a PDF guide--
though both (if you print the PDF),
are made of paper---
and this last week has seen me
bouncing between them
to see which would be done first:
one moment glued to the computer
moving my drawings half and inch this way or that,
the next, comfortably tucked into my backstrap
putting color next to color next to color
in breathless anticipation
of what it would turn (or fold) into,
then off to the iPad to draw something else
that would perfectly explain just one more thing.
I guess the accordion book won the race--
if race it was--
perhaps because my tapestries
are pretty much done when they come off the loom
while projects that rely on drawing and writing
can be shifted, adjusted,
ignored, changed and revised
seemingly
f o r e v e r...
Tucking the Tails actually is very close to being done.
Indeed after months of puttering along,
I really thought we (the zine and I), were ready.
Except, this very morning,
I had a new idea about the layout
and of course I had to try.
Indeed after months of puttering along,
I really thought we (the zine and I), were ready.
Except, this very morning,
I had a new idea about the layout
and of course I had to try.
And that trying
led to more experiments/ideas
and there went the time
I was going to use to set up
all the behind the scenes stuff
to make it sellable in the web store.
But hopefully, later this week?
Maybe?
led to more experiments/ideas
and there went the time
I was going to use to set up
all the behind the scenes stuff
to make it sellable in the web store.
But hopefully, later this week?
Maybe?
Despite seemingly competing for my time,
the two projects
actually do relate to each other
in an elemental way.
Tucking The Tails, if you can't tell from the title,
is a collection of the techniques I use
to work in the weft ends
as I weave my tapestries--
tucking them in as I build shapes, that is,
in contrast to 'needling' them in
after the tapestry is off the loom,
or, as I was taught to do,
leaving them to hang off the back of the work
to dangle... forever.
the two projects
actually do relate to each other
in an elemental way.
Tucking The Tails, if you can't tell from the title,
is a collection of the techniques I use
to work in the weft ends
as I weave my tapestries--
tucking them in as I build shapes, that is,
in contrast to 'needling' them in
after the tapestry is off the loom,
or, as I was taught to do,
leaving them to hang off the back of the work
to dangle... forever.
Making my tapestries this way,
so that they are in effect two-sided,
is what makes possible such structures
as this little book I just finished,
the tri-fold tapestry behind it: Nowhere to Hide ,
and, indeed, pretty much everything I've woven since 1994,
(whether or not you could actually tell).
so that they are in effect two-sided,
is what makes possible such structures
as this little book I just finished,
the tri-fold tapestry behind it: Nowhere to Hide ,
and, indeed, pretty much everything I've woven since 1994,
(whether or not you could actually tell).
One of the best things about all of them,
at least for me,
is that that when they come off the loom
a good deal of the finish work
is already done--
and finish work is not my favorite.
(The other fantastic technique in the minimal-finish work realm
is Fringeless, four selvedge warping
but I've talked about that a lot elsewhere).
at least for me,
is that that when they come off the loom
a good deal of the finish work
is already done--
and finish work is not my favorite.
(The other fantastic technique in the minimal-finish work realm
is Fringeless, four selvedge warping
but I've talked about that a lot elsewhere).
It has definitely been the driving force
behind the mobiles, books, book covers
and other off-the-wall works
I've made since.
behind the mobiles, books, book covers
and other off-the-wall works
I've made since.
You can see more of this stuff in the Archive --
since I just realized that I wrote the post linked above
in 2016 -- and I've had a few new ideas since then.
since I just realized that I wrote the post linked above
in 2016 -- and I've had a few new ideas since then.
And speaking of new ideas,
putting together this post
has just illuminated another REALLY fun aspect
to the two-sided, three-dimensional work:
taking PHOTOGRAPHS of it!
Photography, formerly a chore
(and often a very expensive chore at that
for the high quality photographs I needed),
has become an almost irresistible pleasure.
Not only do the tapestries get to play with the light,
but I get to play with both of them together.
And surprising pleasures
are things to be treasured,
are they not?
I hope you have time to notice a few
no matter what whacky (or terribly serious)
things you are doing--
wherever you are--
just now.
putting together this post
has just illuminated another REALLY fun aspect
to the two-sided, three-dimensional work:
taking PHOTOGRAPHS of it!
Photography, formerly a chore
(and often a very expensive chore at that
for the high quality photographs I needed),
has become an almost irresistible pleasure.
Not only do the tapestries get to play with the light,
but I get to play with both of them together.
And surprising pleasures
are things to be treasured,
are they not?
I hope you have time to notice a few
no matter what whacky (or terribly serious)
things you are doing--
wherever you are--
just now.
ps. I hope to get Tucking The Tails into the store
before next Tuesday, and if so, will probably send out
an auxiliary newsletter so if you are already on my mailing list
you'll know about it. Otherwise, you can sign up with the form
on the top right (or the very bottom if you're on a phone),
or just check in to the webstore toward the end of the week
and hopefully it'll be there.
Happily, being a PDF, there will be no shortage
so no need to worry or hurry.
XOXO
before next Tuesday, and if so, will probably send out
an auxiliary newsletter so if you are already on my mailing list
you'll know about it. Otherwise, you can sign up with the form
on the top right (or the very bottom if you're on a phone),
or just check in to the webstore toward the end of the week
and hopefully it'll be there.
Happily, being a PDF, there will be no shortage
so no need to worry or hurry.
XOXO
