Morning (11AM): “Resilient Ryas: Textural Expression Throughout the Ages”
Afternoon (1PM): “Plaid Llama Sale”
Morning Program: “Resilient Ryas: Textural Expression Throughout the Ages”.
Rya is an ancient technique that has transformed over time from utilitarian warmth to artistic expression. In this presentation, we will follow this evolution, exploring the structural and material makeup of a knotted pile rug in the Swedish tradition and the different types of ryas used. We will also cover the artistic potential of this medium by discussing color blending for painterly effects, yarn choices, density, and how to design for knotting on the loom. This technique is highly versatile, customizable, and produces stunning results with a bit of imagination and a lot of patience.
Afternoon Program: “Plaid Llama Sale”
The Plaid Llama is coming! The Guild’s bi-annual swap meet of all things fiber returns as the afternoon program in April. Your opportunity to clear your stash or add to it. Anyone with anything to sell can reserve space by contacting Judith Warren at drjudith@mac.com
Plaid Llama makes this easy. All vendors handle their own sales however they choose. The guild does not take a commission on sales. There will also be an opportunity to donate items. More info to come!
About Christine:
Christine Novotny weaves vibrant and hearty textiles, exploring the intimacy of labor, materiality, and the relationship of color within different woven processes. Her work explores how colors work together, interact and move, seeking unexpected chromatic kinship in woven form. Integrating bold shapes and atmospheric color blending, she uses a painterly approach to color by bundling yarns and tying knots on her floor loom.
Novotny holds a BFA in Painting from Indiana University and completed a two year residency at North House Folk School, where she explored weaving and honed her craft. She has been awarded grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, as well as an Artist Fellowship from the American Scandinavian Foundation in New York. Her work has been exhibited throughout the Minnesota and beyond, most recently in a solo show in the Artist Studio at American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. She lives and works in Grand Marais, MN.