Our final weaving project was an open one. I chose to revisit tapestry (my first foray into tapestry was in my first semester). The image of the moth in light came from Holy the Firm by Annie Dillard, which I first read ten years ago. There are many passages within that little book that have stayed with me. One the most striking involves a moth that flies too close to the flame of a candle. Her wings burn and shrivel and her abdomen is caught upright in the candle's wax. The abdomen is hollowed out by the fire, but holds the flame. What is left of the moth burns as a second wick until she is blown out, late into the night.
So, this tapestry is an attempt to capture part of that story. It is 9.5" x 8.5". Woven with cotton warp and wool, silk and other unknown fibres in the weft.
The golden-tan wool was dyed using arbutus bark. The greys was dyed with arbutus and then dipped in an iron post-mordant. Arbutus is a tree native to the Pacific Northwest. Incidentally, they are plentiful on the Pacific Gulf Islands were Annie Dillard wrote Holy the Firm.
3 comments:
Hi Jessica--
The burning moth tapestry is wonderful... To confess: I've been peeking at your work all year without comment, and have really been enjoying it. I will be at your show with Steve!
Hi! Your Dad gave me the link to your blog and I'm so glad he did. How cool to organically dye your yarn and then weave it. I have never woven anything (only knit and crochet), this moth is really amazing.
Your Moth is fantastic...I remember how hard tapestries were.
You have such clean lines - great job!
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