FROME Weavers, Spinners and Dyers have thanked everyone that attended their recent exhibition in the Round Tower at the Black Swan Gallery from the 8th to 19th November.
The exhibition, ‘A Weaver’s Journey’ reflected the broad range of craft experience within the group.
Organisers say, “Thank you to everyone who visited our recent exhibition – it was a real pleasure to meet you all, exchange ideas and hear your own woolley, weaving and textile stories. We were humbled by your purchases, kind comments, and written feedback, especially the sensitive, poetic responses from ‘Words at the Black Swan’.
“Thank you, Black Swan Arts, for hosting the exhibition and presenting us with the opportunity to gather work, articulate ideas, plan for presentation, and not least to celebrate and share our achievements publicly.
“The Round Tower provided an exciting circular space within which to work. The vaulted roof, central skylight and triple aspect windows, flooded the upper story with natural light that shifted in mood and colour with the passing of each hour of the day. The contrasting cold metallic fittings and warm stone walls, suggested a sympathetic theatre for our softly woven cloth, placed as modulated colour moving around the circumference.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that it felt right, as if our handwoven cloth had found a good, albeit temporary home. The original function of the tower was to dry wool. The raw fleece being washed or scoured in the outside yard, to remove dirt and lanolin. A furnace on the ground level warmed the air within the building and the scoured wool was spread onto the slatted floor of the upper story, to be dried before combing, carding, spinning, dyeing and weaving.
“During the exhibition, it was rewarding to demonstrate some of these latter processes for visitors, and great fun to work alongside those who had a go themselves at weaving and spinning, especially those fearless youngsters. We hope that you enjoyed the exhibition as much as we did.”
Frome Weavers, Spinners and Dyers is a charity for the preservation of and education in the craft of weaving, spinning and dyeing. They have a well-equipped workshop space in Baywell House, Tuckers Close, Frome.
The group are affiliated to the association of guilds of weavers, spinners and dyers.
If you would like to learn more or are interested in joining the group, please contact them via their website: www.fromeweavers.org
