A modern take on an ancient art

By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Flashes of color and the nuance of technique in hand-woven rugs, scarves, ponchos, wall hangings, placemats and jewelry are on display at Visions’ Blue Moon Gallery on Maine Street in downtown Houlton until Friday, Dec. 26. The Border Weavers Guild, formed five years ago by women on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border, is presenting their artistry through the auspices of the Southern Aroostook Cultural Arts Project (SACAP) which operates Visions and promotes appreciation of the arts and artists in the southern Aroostook area.
Houlton Pioneer Times photo/Elna Seabrooks
EYES ON THE PRIZE— Laney Lloyd, who moved to Ludlow from Eugene, Oregon in July, demonstrated a plain weave to make cotton dishtowels. She said  visitors “really enjoyed the demonstration and were fascinated watching the shuttle fly back and forth.”
    “This is highlighting the talent of the textile artists in the area, particularly the weavers …. We have a lot of fabulous weaving examples from rugs to scarves, finer fabrics to coarser fabrics,” said Susan York, president of SACAP. Volunteer Dorothy Fitzpatrick, who helped greet guests as a hostess at the opening reception in mid-November, summed up visitors’ reaction to the exhibit: “They’re loving it. It’s a very talented group that’s showing their things back there.”
    Susan Szwed, a weaver and rug exhibitor, said her inspiration often comes from recurring themes in nature and in life. She explained that she uses a linen warp and a wool weft, with a special shaft-switching technique on her loom, to create geometric shapes for a tapestry-like effect.  “It gives a good body and good shape to a rug.” Her “Dream Eddies” is a vibrant blue and camel color geometric rug representing “in life how things recirculate back on themselves.” As a member of the Border Weavers Guild, she says they usually get together monthly to focus on educational topics like different weaving techniques “since what you can learn is endless.”
Houlton Pioneer Times photo/Elna Seabrooks
DREAM WEAVERS — Sandi MacDonald discusses with fellow guild members the colors and weave she used to create a scarf. Standing in front of Susan Szwed’s “Salamander Spiral Nebula” rug, from left,  are Diane Hines, Joan Staples, Laney Lloyd, MacDonald and Szwed.
    The exhibit, entitled "Weaving from the Heart – Hand Woven Items Created by the Border Weavers," stimulated enough interest to encourage others to try it as well. Sandi MacDonald, of Spring Valley Farm in Bancroft said she “was really excited because we already have people signed up for our weaving guild and our knitting guild – new members!” MacDonald raises Rambouillet sheep which are prized for their exceptional wool. Then, she has it spun into yarn which she hand dyes naturally to create knitted and woven articles of clothing from hats and mittens to sweaters, scarves and shawls. Anyone interested in joining  either guild can contact MacDonald at 448-3226.
    The ancient art of hand weaving dates as far back as 5000 BC in various cultures. It was common in medieval Europe and colonial America using natural fibers. The industrial revolution of the 18th Century introduced power looms and mechanization into the spinning, weaving and manufacturing process. But, hand weaving remains a popular craft for men and women in the world today. The exhibit is displaying various fibers used in the process in addition to finished work created by the Border Weavers.
    Visions, a project of SACAP and home of the gallery, is a shop that exhibits and sells finely-made craft  items and fine art including paintings, photographs, sculpture, cards and calendars. Robert Cowperthwaite, a SACAP board member, says “this is an opportunity for local artists to display their work, demonstrate their unique talents and make it available for children as well.”
    The gallery hours are Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2  p.m. Members of the Border Weavers Guild will demonstrate various weaving techniques at Visions on upcoming Saturdays:
    Dec 6 – Joan Staples: weaving on an inkle loom
    Dec 6 – Susan Szwed: tapestry weaving
    Dec 13 – Diane Hines: weaving on a floor loom
    Dec 20 – Laney Lloyd: weaving on a floor loom.