“Offerings”: a tapestry retreat at Casa Tejedoras, El Tuito, Mexico
by Elaine on Feb.28, 2011, under Blog Posts
February 3, 2011: Seven weavers: Christine Rivers, Donna Millen, and myself from Canada; Jackie Wollenberg, Mimi Heft from California; Kissiah Carlson from Texas and Lynn Cosell from West Virginia came together at the home of Jean Pierre Larochette and Yael Lurie in El Tuito, Jalisco, Mexico for our annual french tapestry retreat. This year’s subject was “Offerings”. Jean Pierre described it this way: “Our group has been meeting for many years now, our personal lives converging in our love to the art we practice and the friendship that unites us. Out of these times together, of life shared, grows a sense of gratitude. Out of the all embracing feeling of gratefulness is the desire to acknowledge that which is also most private and dear. Offerings in a secular spirit may not differ that much from the ancient religious practices of donation, sacrifice and gift giving. “Ofrendas” are also gifts to the departed ones, commemorative celebrations of somebody’s life. they symbolize gratitude, nourish generosity and bring forward contemplative inspiration. ” Our task was to invite us to gather thoughts, objects, small relics found in the memory, images of which you would love to weave.
Each morning, Jean Pierre and Yael, gave us wonderful talks about the history of French tapestry weaving, including the traditions, the workshops, the artists, the designs, the cartoon making, etc. This was a very special time for me to summarize and gather the memories from the last 7 years of my time in El Tuito. Jean Pierre mentioned one morning that it takes 7 years of apprenticing in French Tapestry before you became a weaver. I know that this is no longer the practice as there are not many, if any opportunities, to participate in such a program presently. But I felt that I could look at my learning experiences with these great masters of French Tapestry and since it had been an honor to be included in seven retreats, I perhaps, could treat this last retreat as my celebratory graduation. Each year that I came back from a retreat, I would weave alot and practise what I had learned and be prepared to ask more questions at the next time. And so I raise my glass to Jean Pierre and Yael and thank them for this special time with them as my teachers. It literally has changed my life. Who knew that my first time in Mexico, in 2005, that I would choose to build a small casita and plan to attend my winters in the lovely little coastal village of Lo de Marcos. Yes, this experience has changed my life significally…meeting weavers from around the world, learning new ways of doing things, loving the culture of colour, music, and language. Muchas gracias Jean Pierre and Yael!!!
I would like to quote from something that Jean Pierre shared with us: “Weaving is the great classic symbol of the coming together and intermeshing of separate threads to make a new integrity.” Carla Needleman, The Work of Craft.
- Jean Pierre’s “offerings” tapestry
Jean Pierre’s “offerings” tapestry
- Jackie Wollenberg’s tapestry from Sarah Swett’s class based on story telling
Christine Rivers' tapestry and cartoon for the next one
Kissiah Carlson weaving an image of a young boy on a loom brought by a Brazilian weaver from the previous course
Mimi Heft's tapestry
Lynn Cosell weaving on her tapestry
Donna Millen and her delightful piece
"Gift from the Sea" and my shells used for inspiration
tapestry sampler based on the theme of Offerings
