Last month I reviewed DY Begay's transcendant show of weavings at the Museum of the American Indian.  On the same trip to DC, I also saw Subversive, Skilled, Sublime, a survey of modern and contemporary fiber works at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution.  The Renwick show is   up only through January 5, 2025, so it's last call if you want to see it in person!   The introductory wall text for the exhibit makes the point, still apparently obligatory even after a flurry of major fiber art exhibits over the past few years, that "fiber has long inspired ..read more

A couple weeks ago Sam and I made a quick trip to Washington DC to see family and to see two special exhibits of fiber art. Despite frustrating weather problems that delayed our arrival almost a full day, I can report that the exhibit of Diné weaver DY Begay’s tapestries at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian was more than worth the trip. It’s on view until July 13, 2025, so you have plenty of time to make a plan to get there. Do it if you possibly can!   The title of this post mentions two good things.  The other good thing is the exhibit Subversive Skilled Subl ..read more

 It was a whole lotta fun premiering my new Adventures in Paperweaving class at Turquoise Raven Art Gallery in Cortez, CO.   The class was in conjunction with a focused exhibition of my own work in the gallery; scroll to the bottom for images of that. Ten brave non-weavers and one tapestry weaver signed up to learn how to turn paper with painted or photographed imagery and patterns into skinny slices and then into a new woven surface.   I threw fistfuls of weaving terminology and drafts at them but they plunged in and got well down the road.  Here are some images ..read more

There's been some lively discussion in the tapestry world recently around the newest exhibit sponsored by the American Tapestry Alliance, Beyond:  Tapestry Expanded.  It's on view through December 8, 2024 at the Peeler Art Center at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.  Since many of us will likely not find ourselves in Greencastle this fall, ordering the catalog for the show is the best bet for seeing the selected work.  (Allow a few weeks for ATA's dedicated volunteers to respond to all the orders coming in.)  In this post I want to share some of what I found i ..read more

My experiments in paper weaving continue.  The more I work in this medium, the more excited I am about the possibilities for interaction between formal woven structures and painted or photographed imagery.  They can reinforce each other, or disrupt each other, or both.  My imagery right now is inspired by the songbirds I observe, both their bright colors and their songs.  How do you convey birdsong visually?  Dawn Chorus 1.  weaving 7.5" x 11.75"; overall 12" x 15".  watercolor.  (c) Molly Elkind 2024 Collage-ers gotta collage.  I'm really ..read more

I am having more dang fun with this paper weaving!  You know how sometimes when you sit down to weave, you get a little ways in and then your brain starts pinging with "what ifs"?  That's what's happening with the paper weaving. I've got scads of little notes-to-self about ideas for projects.  It's early days, and everything is still up for grabs, so I'm not going to say much more, just share some pics of a few favorite samples so far.  If you have a favorite, let me know in the comments! Papers are mostly 140lb/300gsm watercolor paper.  Inkjet photos are printed on va ..read more

 After several months of babying my shoulder so it could heal from tendinitis due to overuse (tap tap tap) . . . I am back at the loom!   I am still figuring out how much studio manual labor is too much (usually I don't know till the next day) but I am learning, slowly.  I don't want my shoulder to become "globally angry" again, in the words of my physical therapist.  Take breaks every 25 minutes, weavers! I have completed this piece.   Molly Elkind, Golden Rain.  The piece is placed in a shadowbox with a hinged glass cover, left open here to avoid refl ..read more

I am pleased that I can finally share with you photos of a piece that feels like it took forever to do!  Mayday Mayday Mayday, (c) Molly Elkind 2024.  27" x 16.6" x .5".  Cotton, wool, silk, paper, synthetic, plastic  Mayday Mayday Mayday, details.  (c) Molly Elkind 2024.  27" x 16.6" x .5".  Cotton, wool, silk, paper, synthetic, plastic This piece has a long and winding origin story.  In hopes that you, like me, enjoying hearing about other artists' process stories for their work, I'm going to share with you how this one evolved. I ..read more

Heads-up: Wordy post ahead with not much eye candy. If I know anything about tapestry weavers, it's that when we're not weaving, many of us are reading!  If you're looking for your next good book to curl up with, maybe something here will help.   Lately I've been having to cut down on my weaving time, alas, because my shoulder is complaining. I know better than to weave for 2 hours without a break, but I get into the zone and then my body reminds me later, in a most unpleasant tone of voice.  Rebecca Mezoff reminds me that above all, I need to stop and take a break every 25 ..read more

If you've followed this blog for long you know I love to look back and to look forward as we approach the end of a calendar year.  I truly believe the best information about our personal and studio goals for the next year are to be found in reflecting on what we've done, not done, succeeded at--and failed at--in the recent past.   This year I decided to take a twist on my usual approach, where I look at the extremely . . . um, optimistic goals I set back at the beginning of the year and note ruefully how many of them remain unaccomplished.   This time I thought I'd be super ..read more