Weave, Cut, Knot, Trim, Wash, Dry

Oops, no picture of me weaving, but you get the idea. Taking up the scissors is always so exciting!

Yes, so very exciting! And a little scarey too.



And then the first look...

The lighting in my place doesn't always cooperate with my schedule.


ah, the knotting is done, but it's a little late to run the washer, so I will wait until tomorrow to do the last part.

I promised myself I would finish this before the end of the year. It feels good to keep at least one promise.

A Personal Weaving Retreat

On Christmas morning I will begin weaving a Blessing Blanket

With all of the free flowing joy and celebration happening, I decided to use the energy to weave at this time. I have never spent Christmas in a personal weaving retreat, but it will surely be a joyous celebration. Take a moment to send a prayer if you think of it. Reports along the way to follow.



I always say the power of weaving is that there is no mistake I cannot fix---if I take the time. I certainly have had the opportunity to prove this several times over today. I don't remember the last time I made multiple threading errors, but I happily re-threaded (twice).

Have days of joy, peace and balance!

in whatever you do....

Talk About Weaving Spirit

So I was playing around with my favorite digital image--the self portrait I took when I first got my digital camera ten years ago. The image of me is a reflection off the glass of a framed picture. When I mirror-imaged the image, I was amazed to see a phantom carpet appear. Is that Weaving Spirit or what?

I knew if I didn't post something (anything) today I probably never would. I know there can be a general ebb and flow in the life of a blogger, but I never wanted to believe it would happen to me. My intention is to continue blogging, but I am in a quandary. It seems the things I don't want to blog about are taking up more of my time.

Let's hope this breaks the ice, and I can start posting again. There are many exciting things in the offing, and 2012 looks like a year of teaching, travel and creativity.

Still Too Busy to Blog

But not too busy to cook! I was invited to friends for Thanksgiving and decided to make a breadless dressing. I won't bore you with the entire list of ingredients except to say three of them: morel mushrooms, chestnuts, and wild rice.
I am mostly getting ready for my show "Where Weaving Meets Paper" opening Friday, but I had to take a little break and wrap some words. I'll tell you more about this project after the show.


And I had to whip up some more brooches as the stock was dwindling.


And poor Grace, the loom, has been sitting idle for weeks, and this project has been looming (so to speak)
It always feels good to drape warp chains over the loom. I will also tell you more about THIS project after the show opening.

Now that I have quieted the blog goddess, I can go back to the project at hand.

Upcoming Woven Paper Exhibit

WHERE WEAVING AND PAPER MEET

By

BONNIE TARSES

Woven Collage, Virtual Wall Quilts, Kaleidoscopic Woven Images

including works by participating artists and students

from workshops presented over the last decade,

“a puzzle with no wrong pieces”

Presented by: Noteworthy Paper & Press

101 S Higgins Ave Missoula, Mt 59802

First Friday December 2 from 5-8 PM

Show Running through December

Hours: | open mon-sat 10-6 406.541.6683

Involved in my Work

I've been working on getting ready to show some of my woven paper. I need to present a short bio with a picture. Most of my pictures seem to focus more on my cloth weaving, and it was suggested that I find an image that relates to the work I will be showing. And this is what I came up with.... What do you think?
I can't decide if it is stupid, creepy or extremely cool.

Happy Halloween from the Photo Archives

BONNIE BOLDLY FACES THE MILLENNIUM


I've been thinking about masks during the season of costumes, and I recall a phase of my weaving journey full of masks--the last years of the 20th century. (It seems so long ago).

There are many tutorials on YouTube on how to make a plaster mask. This one seemed quite good in case you are moved to make a personal plaster mask. After I made my mask out of plaster, I used it as a base and created a paper mache model over top of it. In fact, I can still use my plaster mask which I still have in a box somewhere.

Then I wove a horoscope weaving for the moment of the new millennium. I attached the weaving to the paper mache masks using a thinned down white glue. I won't tell you how many hours it took me to create the "hair" (twisting the fringe around floral wire so I could restyle the hair whenever I had a few extra hours).

I made this as a wall piece, but I can see that I could have made it into a headdress (which I would have done had I been living in Montana then) (grin)

Perhaps I will fish out the forms and do that for next Halloween.

Silk Ikat Brooches at Hangin Art Gallery

The Killdeer Artisans Guild will present their Holiday Exhibit with an artist reception October 29th from 2-4 PM.

I decided to make some of my ikat jewelry. Below are a dozen brooches posing with a quarter in the lower left to give an idea of the actual size of the pieces.

I first started creating wrapped silk jewelry back in the 80's. Somewhere in the vast store of slide trays, I have many images of examples (to be scanned one day).

Each segment is wrapped in a manner I have perfected over the years.



I couldn't resist posing the jewelry pieces along with some of my woven images.


I can't decide whether or not the background adds to the effect or takes away from the piece.


Here they are mounted and ready to go. (except that I ended up taking the busy background away from half of them) I will see which ones are left over.


I only made a dozen as the space is limited in the gallery, but I am prepared to make more. If you are interested in purchasing these amazing little gems, please contact Hangin Art Gallery

Woven Collage at Hangin Art Gallery in Arlee

Pictures are lacking at this juncture, but I wanted to share the final results. (14" x 20")


Here are 5 of the 8 wonderful women in the workshop. Each created a woven collage 5" x 7" based on the theme ---weaving the highest wishes for self into highest wishes for the world. (empowering and uplifting)

Know joy and create. As we care for ourselves, we respect & care for the world. No worries. Shown His love! Unity through unlimited diversity. Working toward compassion from me from the world, to me to the world. Travel, teaching and pleasure. Give the people of the world a voice.

The Renegade Weavers Ride Again

Back in the mid 70s, a small group of Montana gals got together and formed The Renegade Weavers. The qualifications for membership:
1. Do not belong to a Weaving Guild.
2. Never have woven a place mat. Over the years, I have broken both of the rules. and yet 35 years later---we came together again in Montana.

Most of us have joined weavers guilds and woven place mats.
But we still know how to kick up our heels.....

WOVEN PAPER COLLAGE WORKSHOP

WOVEN PAPER COLLAGE WORKSHOP

With Bonnie Tarses at the Hangin Art Gallery & Coffee House
Arlee, Montana

Woven Paper Collage is the first step to weaving cloth. The technique is fun, easy and full of creative expression. Begin with a stack of magazines, a scissors, and a glue stick. The results are always surprising and delightful.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS COLORFUL OPPORTUNITY!

Date: October 22, 2011

Time: 10 AM – 3 PM (with an hour for lunch in the middle)

Place: Hangin Art Gallery & Coffee House
Fee: $25

Call: (406) 726-5005 to reserve your space today.

Bonnie Tarses is a weaving master, creating magnificent cloth since 1960. She recently moved back to Montana to continue teaching and sharing her gifts with humor and spirit.

To see Bonnie’s work visit www.bonnietarses.com and

Bonnie’s blog http://weavingspirit.blogspot.com (an up to minute look into Bonnie’s studio.)