About Complexity

Complexity is a biennial, international, juried exhibition of works by members of Complex Weavers.

Complex weaving is defined by the cloth produced and the mind it took to create it, not by the equipment used.

There is no requirement that the work be woven on a minimum number of shafts or on a Jacquard loom. The shed must be opened by the weaver, with or without electronic lift assist. The shuttle must be thrown manually or by weaver-manipulated fly shuttle. Works with historic inspiration and interpretation, as well as non-loom interlacements such as ply-split braiding, kumihimo, and tablet weaving are welcome.

Jurors

Our jurors for Complexity 2024 are Muffy Young, David van Buskirk, and Alice Schlein.

Muffy Young – Muffy Young is an award winning professional weaver, selling her scarves and shawls through craft fairs and small galleries. Originally inspired by textiles and landscapes when traveling in South America at age 16, Muffy continues to be influenced by the colors and design elements of Peruvian and Guatemalan cloth. Then, as well as now, the deep well of her inspiration is what is possible on a multiharness loom with hand-dyed yarn.

While completing her master’s degree in math at NYU in 1977, she took a weaving class at a shop near the campus.She had a colorful handwoven blanket from Avoca in Ireland and it sparked an interest in knowing how looms work. She left New York, not to work in math, but to build a career as a weaver.

She learned acid dyeing in 1981 and since then has only worked in animal fibers. Now she works exclusively in silk. She approaches design as a scientist, asking as any good complex weaver does: “What will happen if I try this?” One design leads to the next, and she’s always adding new work. Her home and studio are in Waltham, MA and is currently learning tapestry weaving.

David van Buskirk – David van Buskirk is a fiber artist, educator and textile designer. After receiving a BFA in Surface Design and Art Education from the Univ. of N. Colorado, he undertook advanced studies in textile design and handweaving at prestigious institutions in Sweden and a three-year apprenticeship with Swedish Textile Designer Age Faith-Ell. Upon completing his studies he resettled in New York, working for over three decades as a design director for major textile manufacturers. Concurrently he served as Adjunct Professor teaching woven design at the Fashion Institute of Technology from 1999 to 2017.

In 2017 he moved to Denver and rediscovered a passion for woven fiber art. David’s fiber art pieces have been exhibited in the Rocky Mountain Biennale (2020), Art of the State (2022), Complexity (2022). Concurrently his fiber arts is on exhibit at the Fantastic Fibers Exhibition at the Yeiser Art Center, and in the ATA Biennale 14 at the Appalachian Center for Crafts.

Alice Schlein – Alice Schlein, a New Jersey native, has been weaving most of her life, having taught herself to weave with the help of Lili Blumenau, a Bauhaus weaver, whose book The Art and Craft of Handweaving , was her earliest inspiration. Alice has enjoyed exploring structures such as lampas and other double weaves on shaft looms, dobby looms, and jacquard-type handlooms. She is the author of  books and monographs including Network Drafting: an Introduction and Lampas for Shaft Looms, and co-author, with Bhakti Ziek, of The Woven Pixel. She has taught at schools and weavers’ conferences in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. and more recently to groups worldwide via Zoom. She currently resides and weaves in South Carolina.

Sponsors

We are grateful to our sponsors who generously contributed awards to Complexity 2024.

The Complexity 2024 Team

Complexity 2024 has been brought to you by a team of volunteers chaired by Linda Schultz.

  • Linda Schultz – Chair
  • Ruth MacGregor
  • Teresa Edmisten
  • Susan Bowman
  • Patrice George
  • Denise Kovnat
  • Meg Wilson
  • Neva Thiessen

Complex Weavers

Complex Weavers is an all-volunteer organisation dedicated to expanding the boundaries of handweaving. We encourage weavers to develop their own creative styles, to inspire through research, documentation, and the sharing of innovative ideas. We challenge our skills and imagination by sharing information and innovations with our fellow weavers – both directly and through our study groups, Seminars, Journal, and biennial exhibition, Complexity.

Support Complexity

Mounting an exhibit like Complexity is a major effort, both in terms of time and dollars. Click here to learn how to support future exhibits.

Previous Exhibits

View the work from previous exhibits on the Complex Weavers website.