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I am interested in using color to create visual depth in cloth. The result of this exploration has been a surprising discovery of creating a space of suspension, where colors hover above the background, but the structure appears to suspend them just below the surface. While free floating behind the surface, the colors illuminate from within.
Techniques:
Handwoven in turned satin blocks. Three blocks of 5-end satin were used to create this piece, requiring 15-shafts, sett at 30 epi and woven at 26 ppi. Rather than open the sett for a balanced weave, I opted to maintain a higher sett in the warp, which felt like an appropriate density for a wall piece. The number of treadling repeats were reduced to square patterns when needed. A double end floating selvage was used, and a hand stitched hem finishes the piece at the bottom.
Dimensions:
38″ x 22.25″
Materials:
The body of the work is handwoven with 8/2 Tencel. The finished piece is sewn onto commercial cotton, padded with cotton batting, which is then hand stitched onto a wood support piece which slides into position on a wood hanging device.
Loom:
16-shaft AVL Compu-Dobby 1, (15 shafts used for this piece).
Cynthia Newman
Cynthia Jack Newman studied textile design at Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen Scotland and Oregon State University, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. After graduation, she worked as an apprentice for Barbara Weissman Handwoven as a production weaver, pattern designer and seamstress. She received a Handweavers Guild of America Master level Certificate of Excellence in handweaving, with a specialized study in satin blocks. She worked as a Look Development Textile Designer for LAIKA Studios and has designed patterns for Lunatic Fringe Yarns, including their Master Weaver Series, and has had several patterns and articles published in Handwoven magazine.
