Weaving the North at the North Suburban Center for the Arts

The North Suburban Center for the Arts in Fridley, Minnesota, is hosting Weaving the North in collaboration with the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota. I recently visited, and these are some of the works displayed. The breadth of styles shown is exciting, and the work is beautiful.

Lisa Torvik, *Horda 3rd Gen*, woven linen, cotton, Best in Show

Shannon Twohy, *If You Could Buy My Reasoning*, weft is hand-batiked cloth

Karen Mallin, *Northwoods Landscape in Fall*

Sarah Peterson, *Cedar Bark Basket Pair*

Macey LeVahn, *Arancia* (top) and *Soleil* (bottom)

Lucia Bongiovanni, *Lightness*, felted wool and cotton thread

Frances Iverson, *Northern Lake*, vintage textiles interfaced and cut, interspersed with natural materials

Jacob Moore, *2002 – A Year in Color*, each square covers one day in 2022, with wool yarn colors based on the temperatures of the day – blue colors for cooler temperatures, and green colors for warmer.

The pin loom is the tool that is used to make the above piece. The modern version is the Zoom Loom, made by Schacht Spindle Company. These are examples of its predecessor; this version is a Weave-It. Probably the oldest one pictured is the one in the brown box; likely Bakelite. The small one is wood, and the one displayed in the open box is plastic. Read more about this little loom on eLoomaNation, including lots of instructions for different weaves.

Chiaki O’Brien, *My Up North*, cotton, wool roving, mohair – one birch bark tree is paper yarn, and the other is strips of fabric

Chiaki O’Brien is the local SAORI instructor who taught the weaving class I took at a local public library, and from whom I purchased my SAORI loom. Prior to seeing this exhibition, I had been contemplating a multi-panel weaving incorporating land and sky and trees, for display on a large stone fireplace. I love that one of my thoughts for execution has elements like these. From teacher to student!

Martje Oostra, *Dutch Flag*, Saori weaving, indigo & madder dye

Wynne Mattila, *Fire and Ice*, using an alternating 3-shuttle technique for color blending with an off-white warp

Amy Shebeck, *Veil*, cotton, linen, optical effects created through irregular threading and treadling layered over a consistent warp color pattern, and using multiple methods to extract and apply natural dyes

Jan Mostrom, *Northland*, Norwegian wool yarn with reindeer leather

Cathie Mayr, *Night in a Swedish Mining Town*

Marilyn Moore, *Summer*, rya weaving in wool

Robbie LaFleur, *Burn 2020*, flat-weave tapestry in Norwegian wool and silk, Honorable Mention

Julie Nester, *Weak Sun in Winter*, rag rug

Weaving the North is on view until April 23. From the exhibition website, “the goal of this exhibition is to educate community members on different weaving techniques and connect visitors to the history of weaving.” In my opinion, it meets that goal. Go and enjoy!

Dulcey Heller

Weaving the North at the North Suburban Center for the Arts

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Weaving the North at the North Suburban Center for the Arts

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