Imagine my excitement when I saw a recent post on facebook that some large scale lace I admired from images on the internet is coming to the US! — Not only to the US, but within driving distance for me!
These were the images that piqued my interest in large scale lace installations in the environment.
This is a large crocheted piece based on a traditional Dutch head bonnet. Delicate lace made on a huge scale to interact in the environment. Hanging over a canal, in Amsterdam, it reflects on the water beneath, whether ruffled by wind or calm and still. It casts shadows day and night on its surroundings. When I saw this online I dearly wished I could see it in situ. There is an excellent description of how this piece was made and assembled.
It has two sister pieces called the Urchins, and these will be part of the exhibition at the Hunterdon Museum in Clinton, NJ, that opens in late September. These two urchins will hang over the Toshiko Takaezu Terrace at the museum, which overlooks the waterfall on the South Branch of the Raritan River. It will be their first trip to the US. They will only be on view during the first two weeks of this exhibition. Inside the museum will be many other pieces of lace, including bobbin lace and needle lace, done on large scale. I can’t wait to see them!
So, the big decision is….. do I go for the opening? The pluses of that would be getting to hear two lectures on the lace exhibit — one by the curator Devon Thein, and another by the creators of the Urchins, Jin Choi and Thomas Shine. Afterward, at dusk, the Urchins will be lit. Those are big pluses. The downside? Well, I never fully enjoy the artwork at an opening. It’s crowded, I can’t fully see the pieces on display, it’s noisy….it’s a party. The likelihood of me getting to this exhibit twice is pretty slim. I have to choose. What would you do?
My friend Clare is letting me use her taka dai once again, so I have put on a warp for a 2/2 twill design out of Rodrick Owen’s book. I dressed the taka on Thursday and will spend some time at her house tomorrow weaving. I almost live there now….not sure what her partner thinks of always finding me in their sunroom. Here’s a look at the first braid in progress. I’ll take photos tomorrow of my twill attempt.
With luck, my next post will have photos of the finished mounting of the little Portuguese Man of War tapestry and maybe a new flat braid from the taka dai. Oh yeah, and the last of those lace blankets I’ve knitted for my three tiny grandchildren. Don’t you want to see them? (the grandchildren, that is, not the blanket)
This is just pulls my heartstrings! Rhett is holding Emme’s hand in his sleep. I wonder if he did this in utero as well.
And here is big sister Tori with little Rhett. I just love being their YaYa. I hope I get to see them in September. They are growing up so quickly!
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