Yesterday's Textiles and Tea featured Karen Hampton, about whom I've written before, a wonderful woman, former anthropologist,
Dr Hampton examined the (lack of written) history of black weavers in the American South, in order to retrieve the stories and add her own. Now, in retirement, she's a full-time weaver studying and expressing the history of weaving and her family.
She works in cotton and indigo, and other natural dyes, even visited a plantation in the course of her studies, which a lot of black weavers won't because of the history. But she believes you should look history in the face to conquer its hold on you.
She honors her ancestors from Florida, black and white and treasures what photos she finds recording them. She uses photo transfer images superimposed on her weaving, and echoes the repetition of Andy Warhol and other modern artists working in prints. And she uses symbols to record the brutal history of her family's endurance.
Her work ranges from large to huge, and she says it will be bigger yet.
Definitely a weaver to study and honor.
Then, several food related visits from Gary. His houseguest wanted to bake a batch of lava cakes before she left.
This involved one visit to get three eggs. Then another to borrow the muffin pan. Then, later, another with a sample cake, pan to follow later.
Finally last evening, a shared dish of littleneck clams and lemon juice. He'd cooked them, and ran in with them still steaming. He'd earlier come for ice cubes but borrowed my Misfits ice blocks instead. The clams explained why the sudden need for ice.
Never a dull moment!
Happy day everyone, warping today, for skirt panel three.
The air quality not being great, smoke from Nova Scotia fires this time, I may give the outdoor discussion group a miss. But a local trip to change my jigsaw puzzle might be on.
I'm glad the current word puzzle is being suitably annoying!
