Description

“Pay attention. Be astonished.” — Mary Oliver

This four-day workshop begins with that simple invitation. On our first morning, we’ll prepare and dye natural and heathered wool yarn using botanical extracts including pomegranate, rhubarb, cutch, and weld. In the afternoon, while our yarns rest and set, we’ll craft a tiny woven sampler to explore foundational tapestry techniques and get comfortable with our looms.

Over the next three days, we’ll design and weave more developed tapestries that reflect experimentation with color, texture, and material. Alongside our naturally dyed yarns, you may choose to incorporate paper, twigs, or found fibers—bringing the surrounding landscape directly into your work. We’ll consider how composition, pattern, and contrast can emerge through both intention and chance, and how tapestry can embody the spirit of place—specifically, this one: the coastal headlands and tidal estuary of Cascade Head and the Salmon River, where forest, river, and sea meet in a constant interplay of light and color. Throughout the workshop, we’ll integrate poetry readings and quiet reflection into our making, letting the rhythm of verse echo the rhythm of the weft and exploring how both words and textiles can shape meaning through repetition and touch.

A materials kit will be provided with everything you need except a few simple items (sketchbook/journal and snips). Each participant will also have access to a Mirrix tapestry loom for use during the workshop.

Beginners and experienced weavers alike are welcome. Truly—don’t be intimidated if textiles are new to you! You’ll leave with a color sampler, a small finished tapestry, and a renewed way of seeing color and material in connection with the living world of Cascade Head.