You may have noticed a new CNCH member guild recently. We welcome Tapestry Weavers West to the CNCH family! I recently chatted with TWW founder/member Tricia Goldberg of Berkeley to learn more about the guild.
San Francisco in the late 70s was abuzz with feminism. Earlier in the 20th century saw a resurgence in fiber arts, as an offshoot of the Arts and Crafts movement. Projects like Judy Chicago’s “The Dinner Party” art installation and fiber arts programs at San Francisco State and the California Institute of the Arts were embraced and fueled new enthusiasm and excitement for textiles.
Jean Pierre LaRochette and Yale Lurie taught tapestry, first at SF State and then in Berkeley at a traditional, French-style workshop, with one- to two-month intensives. The workshop welcomed drop-ins and soon fostered a community of fiber artists.
In 1985 after the workshop closed, a half dozen tapestry weavers gathered with a common desire to continue to support and encourage each other in this ancient fiber art, and to show their works. With an informal start, but with a specific intent to show, Tapestry Weavers West began.
From that promising start 35 years ago, the guild has blossomed into about 80 members. Most are from the west coast, but the guild enjoys members from all over the world. Inclusion and education are key to the guild’s mission, so there is no jurying for membership.
Tapestry is a slow art and individual projects may take a year or more to complete. A big perk of membership is that only members may exhibit in guild shows. Membership benefits also include exclusive programs, field trips, studio visits, and camaraderie with other tapestry artists.
Just before the pandemic, TWW sponsored “Climate Change,” a bicoastal exhibition interpreting the far-reaching effects of climate. With the expectation of improved tourism as the pandemic eases, TWW hosts a continuation of the same theme, “IMPACT: Climate Change,” at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, July 18-August 22, 2021.
Figure 1 Molly Elkind, Falling
While quarterly meetings are now on Zoom, pre-Covid
While quarterly meetings are now on Zoom, pre-Covid meetings were set in various locations around the West. They are now testing programs on Zoom. New members are always welcome, and Tricia tells me that you only need 2-harness loom for tapestry. A high-tension vertical loom is preferred, but a floor or table loom are fine for starting out.
You can find TWW online at https://www.tapestryweaverswest.org/ and on Facebook.