Shoulders of Giants

 

In many ways I consider myself a self-taught weaver.  But if that were the only part of my truth, I'd be ignoring the work done by my ancestors, my mentors, the teachers I learned from along the way.

But in many ways, it is *also* true that I learned a lot on my own.  Does that mean no one else before me didn't also learn the same lessons?  Of course not.  It just means that weaving is vast and it is complex and there are a multitude of things to learn.  And sometimes?  We need to figure things out for ourselves.

But it helps to be able to stand on the shoulders of giants - the ancestors that lived, worked, and figured things out before we came along.

It will likely sound rather egotistical to declare that in many ways I have gone far beyond many of my teachers when it comes to *some* aspects of weaving.

But there are also great gaps in my knowledge, where I know a little bit, but not nearly enough to be considered any kind of 'expert'.  I won't list them - they are far too numerous.

And that's the thing.  Weaving is vast.  Weaving IS complex.  And learning can continue for so long as an individual cares to carry on with their digging, their experimentation, exploration.  Learning.

One of the reasons I want to keep teaching (for now) is to take people who have the basic elements, who have taken the time to begin to learn the language of the craft, and want to fine tune what they are doing.  To grasp the principles and better understand the craft.

My personal interests in the creation of textiles continues to be ergonomics and efficiency.  I continue to explore the aspect of wet finishing, particularly fulling.  I have, in fact, arranged to run an experiment during my time at Olds to see if something I have heard has any teeth to it.  I have a 'partner in crime' who jumped at the chance to help with the experiment and it may be fodder for at least a blog post if not something more extensive.  Time will tell.

Mastery of a craft is not something that someone achieves and then they are 'done'.  Mastery is the spring board by which an individual can continue to peel back the layers of complexity and learn more about a craft that is thousands of years in the making and as a 'modern' weaver I can only imagine what my ancestors have done.

Because the archeological record is threadbare*.  Textiles made from organic materials return to dust and eventually the only record we have is the impression of the fibres in things like clay.  Or in tiny sculptures (the Venus goddesses).

So yes, I have a piece of paper that says I'm a 'master' weaver.  Am I done learning yet?  No.  Absolutely not!  It is one thing that keeps me getting out of bed in the morning.  And I love that some of the weavers I know are ready, willing and able to jump into the experimental pool with me.

I also love seeing new weavers fall down the rabbit hole.  I would just like to remind new weavers that while in large part they will need to create their own learning journey, please remember to avail yourselves of the shoulders of the giants that came before us.  Pay attention to what has been done.  It may - or may not - be applicable to your own practice.

Pretty much every experienced weaver I know sees their students surpass them in some way and we applaud.  Because the life so short, the craft so long to learn (paraphrasing Chaucer).

*pun most definitely intended...