A workshop with Fiona Rutherford

Today I attended a workshop led by Fiona Rutherford organised through the Durham Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers. I find it greatly valuable to attend workshops led by a range of experienced weavers since each individual has their own perspective, interests and ways of working. All of it adds flavours and layers to the melting pot out of which my own style is emerging.

Fiona encouraged us to play around with mark making, and to consciously restrict our colour range to just two colours in order to focus on the relationship between them. I was reminded of one of the beauties of weaving: two constrasting colours can be blended successfully together yet still retain their own individuality. In addition, we worked only in simple plain weave, rather than bringing in additional textural techniques. I found the simplicity of the exercise to be very freeing - it has opened me up to a new range of ideas and ways of experimenting.

About the artist
In her Designed and Made profile, adapted, Fiona states: 'In my tapestries, I like to create a sense of immediate energy by using vivid colours and simple imagery that contradict the slow process of their weaving. My images are a careful balance of patterns, symbols and mark-making that suggest the selvedge of a larger unseen design.'