North Coast Road Trip: Pacific Textile Arts
Cathy Koos
Figure 1 photo, Cathy Koos
Hidden down a quiet back street near Old Town Fort Bragg is a lovingly restored hundred-year-old farmhouse – home of Pacific Textile Arts.
Figure2, photo Cathy Koos
With as many as 1 in 4 local residents engaged in the arts, Fort Bragg and Mendocino are creative anchor points on the north coast of California. Both communities attract artists of all disciplines, as well as lively fishing and ocean tourism traditions. You can catch a glimpse of a gray whale breeching and enjoy fish and chips at the harbor, fresh off the boat.
Figure 3 Glass Beach, CaliforniaBeaches.com
On a recent Friday, I met with one of PTArts’ founders, Lolli Jacobsen, and Board member Norma Andres. I was greeted at the door by Lolli and behind her was the most amazing collection of Japanese textiles made from plant fibers strikingly displayed. (See the next article.)
Figure 4 Lolli Jacobsen in the tapestry workshop, photo Cathy Koos
How exactly did PTArts land on the far north coast? A mid-century textile atelier, founded by Jean Pierre LaRochette and Yael Lurie, was an active hub in Berkeley but had closed by the 1980s. At that time, Lolli was teaching textiles at College of the Redwoods and another colleague, Rose Kelly, was teaching World Textiles at UC Davis. Desiring to promote the arts, the two women revived the atelier and reformed it as a nonprofit.
During this period, Lolli kept the nonprofit active and a governing board was formed at both College of the Redwoods and the Mendocino Arts Center. Then in 1993, weaver Jackie Wollenberg joined forces with Lolli to found Pacific Textile Arts and in 1996 the nonprofit purchased the house on Alger Street. They combined memberships of some local guilds, and finally had a home to call their own.
Figure 5, tapestry studio, Cathy Koos
In addition to the airy front room gallery, sales room, and office, the second floor has two artist-in-residence studios, and a space Lolli has come to claim as her international textile research studio. Completing the center are several portable classrooms at the back of the property. One building houses the 3000-volume Brockschmidt Sutherland textile library; another is a large, airy, fully functional weaving workshop; and the third is a cozy tapestry workshop complete with student looms as well as two large commercial tapestry looms.
“The House,” as they call it, was not move-in ready. Purchased from College of the Redwoods, major donations and pure physical labor allowed the PTA to eventually open its doors – plumbing and electrical were completely refitted, and Jackie Wollenberg personally laid all the birch flooring. While renovations continued, Jackie hosted many of the classes in her converted Henhouse Studio.
Figure 6, Nancy Kennedy, Rug Weaving Class Instructor, PTA photo
From ravens in the roof to code-required sprinklers, the house was finally ready for classes around 2012. First Friday events have become a long-standing tradition, as well. Calligraphy artists meet every Thursday to practice their art. From kudzu processing to tapestry, kumihimo to basket weaving, even bookbinding – textile workshops abound!
Figure 7, Felting class with Adriane Nicolaisen, PTA photo
While PTA has several hundred members, none of the work would happen without the thirty core members who cheerfully volunteer their time, like Lolli, Jackie, Norma, and a host of others. You can find the Pacific Textile Arts on the web at https://www.pacifictextilearts.org/ , on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pacific_textile_arts/ and on Facebook.