Three of us, Marlene Golden, Pat Stewart and myself, left Oakland via Southwest Airlines on July 14th. We rented a car, and drove the Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe.
on Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe
The weather could have been kinder. It was in the neighborhood of 100 degrees for most of our stay in New Mexico. Hot or not!, we spent three days touring galleries and museums in Santa Fe.
So much wonderful weaving and sculpture and pottery! Not many pictures though, as most places forbid photography.
Sculpture everywhere
Utility Shed in parking area on Canyon Road, Santa Fe
(Why can’t they understand I just want inspiration? There is no way I could accomplish a copy of their work!) I can’t even name a favorite; there were so many really incredible things to see. Well, ok, if you insist! My favorite was the visit to the International Folk Art Museum.
amazing, captivating, huge
That alone will draw me back to Santa Fe—besides, they let us take pictures!
We left Santa Fe, quite sated from wonderful Southwest cuisine, and headed to Albuquerque for the two conferences we all would attend, Complex Weavers Seminars and Convergence. Seven days of talking about, learning about, and seeing textiles.
Tien Chiu allowing the "Weavers handshake" at the Complex Weavers fashion show
Sandra Rude explains her artistry at Complex Weavers Fashion Show
Lillian Whipple surrounded by admirers at retrospective of her work (Complex Weavers Seminar)
Complex Weavers Seminars attracts people with 4 shafts looms to those with a jacquard, weavers from all over the world who love to talk about structure and design. There are 6 seminar sessions held over three days. There is a most informal fashion show, and time to talk to old friends and meet new ones.
Convergence was its usual overwhelming experience.
Early morning view from our 19th floor window, Albuquerque. Yes it does look like a moon scape on the horizon.
The galleries were full, the fashion show, highly anticipated, the vendors brought their latest and greatest, the classes, memorable. Again, no pictures were allowed of the galleries, but HGA does put out a DVD with pictures of all pieces accepted.
Lillian teaching at Convergence
You had to look up to view the yardage exhibit!
My vote for the most beautiful booth in the Vendor Hall--Weaving Southwest
Peggy Osterkamp is ready to sell her new book!
Highlights of the trip? I fretted for days about returning the rental car and how much it would cost to get back to the hotel. Why worry?! After I deposited the car and got to the airport terminal, I found two dozen weavers coming in from various parts of the world headed to the same place. Who’da thunk! And the retrospective of Lillian Whipple’s work at Complex Weavers was a lovely event. Seeing sculpture everywhere was a treat that I had not anticipated. I learned a lot about how to photograph textiles, and how not to!, how to design fractals, and how to weave a double twill. And I sold two of my scarves (collaborations with Nancy Roberts) on display at the HGA booth! Stacey Harvey-Brown gave a talk about how she juried the yardage show, most informative. I saw my weaving on the stage of Convergence fashion show-a collaboration with Nancy Roberts and Loretta Warner. Seeing so many old friends, making so many new ones is always a treasure.
Meeting old friends, Stacey Harvey-Brown from England and our own Shiela O'Hara
Meeting old friends, Sallly Breckenridge and Marlene Golden
Dave Hodges standing in a long line, ordering our breakfast, whatta guy!
No doubt, it is an expensive endeavor but worth every penny. HGA has not decided where the next one will be held, though they do affirm there will be a next one. Start saving now!
It's over and all that equipment needs to come back to Northern California. A labor of love by Nancy Roberts