[Ansteorra-textiles] Re: Ansteorra-textiles digest, Vol 1 #21 - 2 msgs

[Robert and Beth Ellis]

Hi Eibhlin -


>
> I can only respond as a new weaver.  I understand well
> the benefits of good documentation, but I do not know
> much about display methods.
>
> The mention of the dress on a dress form makes sense,
> but what sort of display would one use to display
> inkle weaving or weaving from a rigid heddle loom?

Think about avoiding laying the work flat on a table.  For instance, a person can create a 3-D effect by using
props covered with a piece of cloth, with a handwoven belt undulating around and over the humps created by the
props.   For some reason, getting away from two dimensions really seems to help enhance the visual appeal of
any kind of artwork.  There are lots of other ways to create an interesting display, of course.  Next time you
visit a museum, check out how they arrange their artifact displays to get some ideas of what works (and what
doesn't).

> I
> have not entered a competition yet, but thought
> documentation was the most important aspect.
> If you spin the yarn, dye it with natural dye, and
> weave it, and can document how closely to period the
> methods are, isn't that enough?

Oh gosh - that would be a great start!  And if you do all that, and your weaving is nice and consistant, your
piece will be very competitive with many of the entries I've seen (and judged) over the last several years.

There are several ways to view displays.  For instance, a good display highlights the piece of artwork, and by
doing so helps other people notice all the work that went into the creation of the piece.  Good displays can
also be viewed as the setting for a jewel (the jewel being your piece of artwork).  And then there is the idea
of respect.  I feel that we artists really owe it to ourselves and to the pieces upon which we've worked so
hard, to display our art with a certain level of respect (i.e. we therefore show respect to ourselves and our
art).  I don't think enough of us do that, for whatever reason.  I now think that just tossing an entry on the
table and expecting it to speak for itself is sort of like abandoning it (and I'll admit that there was a time
when that is exactly how I entered my stuff in competitions...).

Eibhlin, I hope these comments help.

Corrinne