Saturday, December 24, 2016

Coming in the New Year, 2017. Synopsis and Announcement.



‘Woven Quilts’ by Betty Jane Lau 
4th Presbyterian Church 
Jan 6, 2017 - Feb. 27, 2017.

Life is full of bits and pieces that attach themselves to us like burrs on a dogs back. 

Carried from one basement to another, I finally decided to combine some of my collected fabrics in a way that celebrates the structure of cloth. With this basic “mother’s yeast” of accumulated fabrics, thrift store finds, donated scraps of cloth from a designer in Hawaii, and samples thrown my way; I started to weave. Torn into strips with raw edges, the exposed threads are sewn into place. Using my old heavy Bernina sewing machine, a meandering spiral links one intersection to the next. The quilt grows outwards from the center without a preconceived design. Flip it over and surprise, there’s another surface design. Usually of an opposite character, therefore some have double titles. 


These quilts may be casually crumpled on a sofa or bed, to bring a handmade touch to a modern life. 


                                        Close up photos of both sides to  'African Tulips / Dead Roses'.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Christmas Came Early This Year. Tutuvi scraps from Colleen Kimura



I'm excited to receive these leftovers from Colleen Kimura's Tutuvi fashions in Hawaii. They are very sturdy cotton fabric which sometimes get too heavy as I grow the weaves larger, on the other hand it makes possible sculptural options.


Thanks to a large suitcase I come in at just under 50 lbs at the United Airline counter. Cheap way to schlep them from Hawaii to the midwest.

It is a lot of work to process but well worth it for their intense rich colors. I will wash and dry them to encourage shrinkage. Then tear them into one inch wide strips which are starched and ironed; ready for weaving and sewing.






Thursday, October 6, 2016

#31. 'Mandala' (Silky). 73 x 61 2016.9 Silky robe, aloha prints, Tutuvi fabrics. 1,000.

A synthetic silky robe torn into strips and woven with calm colors, the reverse has a circle of vibrant colors from African, Hawaiian, Tutuvi print, and cotemporary American fabrics.

See 'Syzygy Show' for professional photos                                

       



Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Poem

Widening Circles

 I live my life in widening circles
 that reach out across the world.
 I may not complete this last one
 but I give myself to it.
 I circle around God, around the primordial tower.
 I’ve been circling for thousands of years
 and I still don’t know: am I a falcon,
 a storm, or a great song?
Rilke, The Book of Hours I, 2 
Joanna Macy read this poem while being interviewed by Krista Tippett, On Being. She was profoundly awakened in Germany by Rilke.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

For Valentines Day



Dec 2015 and Jan 2016. How #5 'Hong Kong' tied another knot of friendship. Sold.


For Christmas 2015, I donated a small weaving to Stan Klein at Firecats Projects, Chicago. To be sold in their backroom gift shop.
I thought I would post a little advertising video on facebook. I mentioned it was a quilt just waiting to swaddle a baby. Then I forgot all about it. In Jan 2016, I received photo of what appears to be one of my quilts, warming a baby?! Hmmm? Who's baby? Come to find out my friend Barb in Hawaii saw my facebook video and purchased the quilt. It was sent to friend Gina, in LA for her new granddaughter. 

Old University of Hawaii weavers entangled in another knot of friendship.


Thursday, January 14, 2016