weaving Voices 01.04.2025 issuu - Flipbook - Page 38
A clear similarity that I found on our journey of finding relations
between weaving and singing, is that both voice and weaving
practices have extensive technical, cultural and historical
backgrounds. Both practices can be approached more systematically,
following established systems of information leaning on experience
and discoveries of previous times. Also, they can have an intuitive,
experimental approach. And there’s the possibility of a mixture
or a ‘dance’ in between these approaches or perspectives. The
introduction of the voicework and the weaving applied in the
Weaving Voices training appeared to me as a blend of intuitive and
experimental work based on the knowledge and experience of a
teacher, merged with the input of an individual practitioner or the
group. As we extended and re-enacted our work in various European
environments, sometimes involving the public in it, its repetitive,
experimental and extensive character deepened and revealed its
impact: contributing much to the development of each practitioner
and the group. When I mention ‘the group’ I refer to the members of
Weaving Voices – a selected network with open borders, as various
places brought new members and professionals with whom we would
collaborate, and who also gave new input and shape to the project.
Other than singing, weaving as a craft or artform in contemporary
Europe is not a practice that everyone has encountered. Some
people feel a connection to the craft through memories of older
family members, folklore stories or cultural history (as until about
1970-1980, the textile industry was huge in Europe). In our group,
Teresa Brayshaw shared feelings of ancestral connection to her fellow
countrywomen who engaged in the art of weaving in centuries past.
A resembling meaning can be found in the etymology of the word
heirloom which consists of the word heir: “one who inherits or has
right of inheritance in, the property of another” (c. 1300, from AngloFrench heir);56 and the word loom: “weaving machine, originally
implemented as a tool of any kind” (early 13c. shortening of Old
English geloma).57
56 Heir: Search online etymology dictionary (n.d.) Etymonline. Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=heir [Accessed 21 Jun. 2024].
57 Loom: Search online etymology dictionary (n.d.) Etymonline. Available at: https://www.etymonline.com/
search?q=loom [Accessed 21 Jun. 2024].
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Introducing the basics of weaving to a group
Teaching weaving unfolds as a gradual process. Firstly, a safe and
inviting space needs to be established: physically through light,
tables/chairs, tools, threads, etc.; and mentally, as one must feel
invited and attracted to want to explore and learn. A group may
benefit from a sharing round to listen to each other’s motivation to
delve into weaving. The presence of some tangible weaving samples
(rather than illustrations of it) will motivate students by offering a
glimpse into the possibilities that weaving can be. It also encourages
making a tactile connection with the material. As I strongly believe
in the philosophy of learning by doing, I prefer not to spend much
time talking in the beginning of a workshop. Rather, I introduce
students to a weaving frame or loom and demonstrate how to create
a warp on it and how to weave the first basic lines of a flat binding:
one over, one under. (If by now, you’ve grown very curious, please
use the weave tutorial in this book to try it out yourself!) After that,
each learner embarks on their individual journey. Each person moves
forward at their own speed, naturally generating questions and ideas
along the way. The role of a teacher, in my view, involves guiding
students in their creative ideas, helping them with challenges,
inspiring them to explore new possibilities and supporting the
development of their unique artistic expression. Challenges that
come along can include doubt in expression and finding a unique
artistic language, technique, focus – endurance – and physical issues,
for instance with the hands, sight or with posture and back pain.
Weavers exhibit diverse approaches – some constantly experiment
with self-taught stitches, knots, or found materials, while others
prefer working more figuratively or graphically. Students often
come with a personal interest in weaving or discover it along the
way, evident when they begin to share their individual connections
– be it a picture, a memory, historical fact, story, or tradition from
their cultural heritage. A person with weaving expertise typically
possesses a broader understanding than the average person
regarding the historical and diverse impacts that weaving has
had on society. This extends beyond the evident applications in
interior design, fashion, art, and theatre, encompassing connections
to economy, language and expressions, oppression of women,
migration, trade, anthropology, and more. Sharing such insights
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