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The Weaver
By Rob Kistner | April 17, 2008
Author’s note: My wife Kathy is a nationally recognized contemporary fiber artist. You can see some of her creations below by scrolling down. Included among the skills and crafts she employs in this pursuit, she is a weaver — and a great inspiration for me. I wrote this for her.
The Weaver
•
today I watched a weaver
marveling at her grace
intrigued by her care
fascinated by this dance
first the treadle
then the shuttle
then the beater
then again
in colors of all nature
in textures of the earth
she coaxed and wove each fiber
with an artist’s loving hand
now the treadle
now the shuttle
now the beater
now again
fiber over fiber
her envisioned pattern
expanding ever onward
painting with her loom
and the treadle
and the shuttle
and the beater
and again
the syncopated rhythm
of this weaver’s inner vision
her soul’s pulse
heart’s beat
her metronome of life
go the treadle,
go the shuttle
go the beater
go again
like history unfolding
event upon event
creation slow and steady
progress near unseen
this weaver captures memories
in her tapestry of time
unfurls dreamscapes
in her cloth of wonder
unveils mysteries
in her fabric - there is truth
• • •
rob kistner © 2007
Immediately above is “Fallingwater” another piece from the portfolio of contemporary craft that my wife Kathy and I have created together — she being, by far, the major contributor. At the top, above the poem, is a commissioned piece entitled “Yin Yang”.
We work jointly, she creating the fiber art, and I design and build the mounting elements. Kathy does the “magic”: spinning, dying, weaving, sculpting, braiding, cording, dowel wrapping, etc.
Her studio is a plethora of spinning wheels, dye pots, warpping boards, floor/upright/lap looms, hoards of hanging skeins, drawers of “found objects”, and multiple semi-cluttered assembly tables with pieces in varying stages of complete. Kathy is the fiber wizard. I do the mechanical.
To give you an understanding of what it takes to create a piece from carded fibers through to display ready; Kathy put several hundred hours, first spinning raw material, then on her Navajo upright loom, weaving and hand-stranding the different fiber elements of “Fallingwater”. For mounting of this piece I used maple, red cedar, concrete, aluminum, silk cord, with a nickel chromium art deco medallion. The medallion was a “found object”.
“Fallingwater” is a tribute to the Frank Lloyd Wright architectural masterpiece of the same name. Its dimensions are 84″H x 22″W x 10″D.
There are a few more pieces below. Each with an interesting story, each with a great deal of time and careful attention invested in its creation. The names and basic dimensions are included with the photo of each. Kathy’s calls her studio Fibrations™.
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Topics: Contemporary Craft, Image, Poetry |
May 4th, 2007 at 8:00 am
Rob,
THANK YOU so much for your lovely and thoughtful comments on my blog post. I appreciate you stopping by to visit. I am very much a novice and a little shy at times about wanting to share my prose with such talent and experience participating in Poetry Thursday.
You are correct!!!! I am an artist. Although I consider myself a mixed media artist, most of my pieces have at least 25% or more fabric elements incorporated into the work.
Your wifes art is OUTSTANDING!!!!!
I can see why she is internationally known. Does she teach at the International Quilt Festivals??? I will be teaching several mixed media classes in Houston this year and would LOVE to meet the both of you if you plan to attend.
May 4th, 2007 at 9:16 am
Hi Tracie -
Thanks for visiting Image & Verse.
Thought you might get a kick out of Kathy’s work.
She has never been involved in the International Quilt Festivals, although she knows some contemporary quilters and admires their work.
Kathy and I used to travel the country doing the top juried craft shows. Kathy was also active in the Handweavers Guild of America — but my health forced us to slow down in recent years.
Kath was fortunate, during our years of high activity, to have had her work purchased for some fine personal collections nationwide. Now she sells and does commission pieces by referral.
We are in the process of setting up a website for her Fibrations Studio™, with plans to open an exclusive Fibrations Gallery™ here in Portland sometime in 2008.
Thank you again for visiting. Per your request, I will email you.
–and so it goes–
…Rob
May 24th, 2007 at 3:23 am
These are so beautiful! I am a huge fan of Arts and Crafts and of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work and the tribute to Fallingwater is astonishing!
May 24th, 2007 at 10:19 am
Tara -
My wife Kathy thanks you very much!
Kathy is remarkably creative. Her vision for her fiberart is strikingly unique, and her craftsmanship is impeccable. I am in awe of her work. Pictures do not fully capture the textures, colors, and supple essence of her pieces.
I am very honored to be invited to create her mounts and tops.
I wrote “The Weaver”, the poem hat accompanies this small sampling of her creations, with profound respect and admiration for her.
Kathy is my love and my muse.
June 3rd, 2007 at 9:40 am
Lovely pieces. I particulary liked the “Babylon” one…
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:36 am
Nathalie -
My wife Kathy thanks you!
“Babylon” is currently in a private collection in Sausalito, CA.
July 5th, 2007 at 1:49 am
What stunning pieces your wife has made! I like the rhythm of your poem, it captures the rhythm of the weaving very well I think.
July 5th, 2007 at 2:02 am
Juliet -
Kathy’s work is of remarkable quality, and the pieces are so varied in their concepts and materials used in execution. I am in awe of her talent and vision. Working with her is incredible!
Thank you for your kind words about my poem!
I did try to capture the rhythm of her Toika 16 harness loom when she is “in the groove”, creating a woven element to be incorporated into one of her pieces.
July 5th, 2007 at 2:31 am
That was a treat to the eye. I loved all those pieces. What talent you wife has!
I will come again and again to look over!
Thanks!
Btw, your poem describes her handiwork so well.
July 5th, 2007 at 2:49 am
i’m thanking you and thanking your wife for helping me start my day exploring beautiful poems and beautiful art. does your wife sell online anywhere?
July 5th, 2007 at 3:33 am
Thats a beatiful poem about someone with a beautiful talent of her own. Your wife’s weavings are gorgeous
July 5th, 2007 at 4:43 am
What a lovely tribute to your wife and her work as an artist and weaver. I enjoyed this poem immensely, and I was so eager to see her work at the end - Beautiful! Such original designs. I am blown away.
July 5th, 2007 at 5:19 am
Rob,
A beautiful poem to your wife. Your love shines through the words. Her work is stunning and I am always in awe of those who create art from raw materials. She is very talented and I wish you both good luck and success in her ventures
July 5th, 2007 at 5:58 am
Your post interested me greatly. I studied the Arts and Crafts movement quite thoroughly at Art School while completing my Bachelors in Interior Design. Your wife is certainly extremely talented and the poem is a beautiful exaltation.
July 5th, 2007 at 8:33 am
what a lovely tribute to your wife (and a happy birthday to your daughter - does she think those fire works every year are for her? !) The fiber art is amazing
July 5th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Beutiful pairings, all the way around.
July 5th, 2007 at 9:50 am
You and your wife are blessed to have each found soulmates who bring the relationship inspiration and a shared artistic vision. Your poem was lovely and touching, and I really enjoyed her art. Wow. Thanks for sharing this.
July 5th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Hi Rob! Your poem is really beautiful and I love the refrain with the treadle, shuttle and beater and how you changed just one word in it each time — it’s powerful and musical. Every line in your poem is really cool, and the line “in her fabric - there is truth” shines with spirit. What an incredible tribute! And I love your wife’s artwork — each piece is vibrant and ALIVE. I really enjoyed reading about the process of how you and she work together, too. Wonderful team!
July 5th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Gautami -
Thank you!
Please do come back and check them out.
July 5th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Anni -
Thank you for the compliments!
You are most welcome, glad you enjoyed…
We are exploring the possibility of selling online, though we are not doing so right now. I will let you know if we do.
July 5th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Rav’N -
Thank you! You are most kind…
July 5th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Strauss -
Thank you very much!
You are most gracious…
July 5th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Brian -
Thank you most sincerely!
We both appreciate your kind words…
July 5th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Beaman -
Thank you my friend!
Kathy has a double Bachelors: Textile Design and Visual Merchandising.
In addition to creating her fiber art, she also does the visual merchandising for Stickley Furniture here in the Pacific Northwest.
She has been a consulting space planner and interior designer for residential and commercial interiors as well — for many years.
July 5th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Ascender -
Thank you fro you kind words!
I’m not certain if she feels the celebration is for her — but those fireworks are what prompted the labor that brought her into the world on the 5th of July…
July 5th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Deb -
Thank you very much!
July 5th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
CG -
Thank you!
It took me 39 years (and a false start or two) to find Kathy… and I am so blessed to have been so fortunate…
July 5th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
Clare -
Thank you for the thoughtful response and wonderful kindness!
I am always amazed at Kathy’s work.
July 5th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
Hi Rob,
You captured that persistent, patient, energetic rhythm in your tender tribute to your wife’s glorious talent.That’s fantastic that you work together as a team where you create her mounts.
Special belated Happy BD to your daughter!
July 6th, 2007 at 1:30 am
Gel -
Thank you on behalf of my wife, my daughter, and myself!
You are most kind…
I love working with Kathy!
July 6th, 2007 at 4:24 am
This was a wonderful post! Loved the poem’s refrain and the constant weaving of words. Your wife’s work is amazing - that you both see beauty in the world is apparent.
July 6th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Pauline -
Thank you from my wife and myself!
There is profound beauty in the yin yang of life…
July 6th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
What a wonderful tribute to your wife! A husband who appreciates his wife’s needlework is a rare treat.
July 6th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Dani -
Thank you for your kind words!
There are no needles in weaving, the shuttle is what works the fibers — but I understand and appreciate your sentiment…
July 8th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
Exquisite work! What a pleasure to read and see the site.
July 8th, 2007 at 10:39 pm
Susan -
Thank you so very much, on behalf of my wife and myself!
I am pleased you stopped by for a visit…
…I do hope you will come back.
What a great pleasure to have visited your site, to discover we share a number of passions in common — writing, poetry, digital art, photography, to name a few.
I really like your work. I will visit again.
July 21st, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Hey Rob, Please tell Mrs Rob her weaving and fibre art is totally breathtaking! What a stunning couple you two are! Thank You Both for sharing gorgeousness of thoughts & threads!
July 22nd, 2007 at 1:17 am
Red -
Kathy, my wife, thanks you!
…and I thank you as well.
You are most welcome, we enjoy sharing and celebrating creativity…
April 18th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
The creations in the photos are absolutely mesmerizing. The sounds of the poem with which you start this reflect both the sounds of the weaving process (and are beautiful in themselves) and the rhythmic repetitions of the woven pieces.
Congratulations to both you and Kathy!
April 19th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Poem and images beautifully woven together. I love the images of Bayou and Mardi Gras. They sre almost exotic!
You both compose magically together! Such a precious lifestyle!
Gemma
April 20th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
My husband and I are also artists, our marriage is only five years old, but my dream is that we can unite our skills to making such outstanding art like this! You’re writing, designing and fabricating is stunning. Your wife and you are an inspiration to me! thank you for sharing!
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:14 am
I especially enjoyed this poem. You gave life to a rhythm with yours.
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Your wife’s work is beautiful and your poem is delightful. I love the repetition. I’ll mark this and return to explore.