Nancy Crampton – April 1-3
Website: https://www.nancycramptondesigns.com/
Nancy Crampton has been teaching since 1983 and was head of the Fiber Department at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts for nine years. She teaches workshops at art centers, weaving conferences and guilds, including Convergence 2018 and 2024, and twice a year at John C. Campbell Folk School in North Carolina.
Her work focuses on rugs and tapestry, and is represented in public and private collections. She has participated in national wholesale and retail shows and is represented by several galleries. She is active in the Weavers Guild of Kalamazoo, Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, Michigan League of Handweavers, Signature Artists’ Cooperative and the American Tapestry Alliance.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
For much of my work, the technique of tapestry has been my main interest, both as wall pieces and used as rugs. It is like magic to weave parallel rows of yarn and make the viewer see curves and shapes.
The idea for a piece can come from a combination of colored yarns, words from a phrase or poem or from the requirements of a commissioned piece. I enjoy the challenges involved in weaving a piece for a particular location. I love the way colors interact with each other. It is fun to find yarns that complement the colors I have in my mind.
I collect yarns in colors I find exciting, colors that often have no proper name. Yarns are not like paint – you can’t mix them together to get a new color. You must either buy them, dye them yourself or place them next to each other so they interact.
IN-PERSON and VIRTUAL LECTURE: April 1, 9:30 am (CT): Hard and Soft, Fifty Years of Tapestry Weaving
From the beginning of my weaving journey, tapestry has been my love. I would enjoy sharing a selection of my work with you. My work has varied from flat pieces hung on the wall to covering a footstool, woven purses influenced by Georgia O’Keefe and constructed designs.
In the past few years, I have added polychrome enameled copper pieces to my designs and have collaborated with my husband to use his hand-forged iron to hang the weavings.
In-Person Workshop: Beginning and Continuing Tapestry Weaving
Tues, April 1: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Wed, April 2: 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Thurs, April 3: 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
In this workshop, students will learn the basic tapestry joins and techniques of shading using different colors of weft threads. You will use copper-pipe frame looms supplied by the teacher, or the students’ own adjustable-tension frame loom (such as Mirrix) to weave a sampler. Several warping styles will be demonstrated and used.
Discussions will include designing, color choices, and various ways of making a cartoon (or plan for the tapestry) and how to transfer the design to the warp threads. Finishing techniques, lining the weaving, and mounting it will be demonstrated
There will be opportunities to use watercolors and colored pencils to help with designing.
No prior weaving experience is necessary. Fee includes warp and weft yarn for sampler, use of the pipe loom, and handouts.