Reusing Materials: Weaving Workshop

68467 Three Creeks Rd,Sisters OR 97759

09 August, 2022

Description

Come join other creative people for three days of weaving, at the foot of the Three Sisters mountains, at stunning Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters. August 9th and 10th will be spent learning the ancient art of pine needle basket weaving, taught by one of the preeminent pine needle weavers in the region, Charlene Virts. On Friday, August 12th (Note: there is no class on the 11th) you will learn the art of maritime rope weaving with Greg Neitzel, a former commercial fisherman and US Marine whose work is frequently exhibited in galleries in Cannon Beach. There is room for eight people in this workshop. About the Workshops: 1) Pine Needle Basket Weaving Workshop (August 9th and 10th) Students will learn the basics of coiled basketry using pine needles - starting with the selection, cleaning, sorting and dyeing of the needles. Each student will start a basket using a simple wooden center; learn 4 coiling stitches, and how to add beads. During the class Charlene will also share her collection of coiled baskets from around the world. 2) Maritime Weaving Mats Workshop (August 12th) Students will learn how to weave mats using ropes previously used by fishing boats. All the repurposed line is from the commercial fishing fleet of crabbers and long liners fishing in the Pacific Ocean and serves as the connection between the incredible bounty of our oceans and the hardworking hands that harvest it each year. The line is imbued with great fish karma. Workshop requirements: -Be able to stand and move around for several hours; -Have neatly trimmed fingernails; -Have the ability to hammer a nail straight without hitting your thumb; -Have spatial intelligence the ability to concentrate (lots of chatting makes it hard to create); and a certain amount of obsessive/compulsive DNA; -Be ready to take pride in one’s craft Learn About the Artists: In the words of Charlene Wirts- "Seeing my mother and grandmother spend their time creating wonderful handmade items left its mark on me. I have been fascinated with fiber-based handwork since I was a child, both traditional and contemporary. In my 35 years of fiber arts, I have made my home in a variety of locations in the West – the high desert of Northeastern Nevada, California’s Sonoma Valley wine country and its central valley, and Central Oregon. I have always been captivated by the feel and tradition of functional craft and artwork rooted in each of these regions. From saddle blankets in Nevada’s cowboy country to wearable art in California’s Sonoma Valley, most of my work has been focused on weaving. But when I moved to Central Oregon, I began exploring the history of pine needle baskets and creating my own. Each of my coiled baskets is unique, made of Ponderosa Pine needles collected near my home where I have found a few special trees that have beautiful long needles. Many of my basket centers are of sagebrush and juniper branches also collected in Central Oregon. Other accents (beads, wire, stones) I have collected over the years knowing they would come in handy someday." In the words of Greg Neitzel- "In the era of wooden boats and iron men “chafing mats” were woven out of repurposed fishing line and placed on the wooden deck in high traffic areas to reduce wear and tear on the wooden deck. I learned how to craft them when I worked on the Barracuda, fishing out of Astoria. Oregon in 1973. I conduct workshops around the area and welcome Eager Beaver Weavers to my studio in Svensen, Oregon."