When I purchased my mini loom I imagined myself taking it on hiking trips and weaving en plein air. The idea of plunking myself down in the middle of the forest or on a beach and creating a tapestry from the surrounding landscape then and there intrigued me. After creating a mini tapestry while travelling, I realize that my concept won't be as easy as I had hoped. Having only a vague idea of what my subject matter will be, other than the landscape, makes it hard to prepare. I would have to carry a back pack dedicated to weaving supplies only. I would have to take every colour of the rainbow and everything in between. Depending on the time of day, and whether it is sunny or cloudy, water can appear to be many different colours. Trees and rocks are not just green or gray. Certainly, I can simplify my approach to colour treatment. But, it still makes it complicated. The nuances of shades and hues are important in portraying subject matter, and I am not wanting to abstract my work to the point of making objects just shapes and colours you don't have a sense of what they represent. Having so much yarn in tow is not a luxury I can take, as I hike with as little as possible to keep the weight manageable.
Awhile ago, I applied for a grant through artsnb to do some en plein air weaving. It was not chosen for funding, but I still wish to pursue the idea sometime. The project entails renting cabins at the provincal parks in New Brunswick, doing day hikes with my mini loom and supplies, so I can weave en plein air in the woods, along a river, or on a beach. With a cabin, I will be able to take supplies with me and have a larger source of colour and texture. There will still be limited colour range compared to working in my studio, but I gladly take on this restriction as part the artistic challenge of working en plein air.
Until the time I can take a summer to visit the provincial parks and do some weaving in nature, I have reconsidered how to proceed with weaving mini tapestries. Instead of taking my mini loom, I will be taking my travel watercolour kit, amass some watercolour sketches while on the trail and then prepare the supplies I need for making the paintings into tapestries for subsequent trips. Therefore, when I take the mini loom to work on I will have a predetermined landscape to weave. Similar to what I did while travelling through Guatemala.
Stay tuned for updates on my journey of mini tapestries woven en plein air while hiking and camping.
