Seven Guilds Strong
July 1-29, 2022
Seven Guilds Strong
Opening reception: Friday, July 1, 5:00-9:00 PM
Gallery hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Monday July 18 and Tuesday July 19, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Handweavers Guild of Nashville (TN)
The Handweavers Guild of Nashville, Tennessee received their official 501c(3) designation on February 14, 1977. The Guild was started by famed weaver Sadye Tune Wilson. Sadye, along with Doris Kennedy, was the driving force behind the “Of Coverlets” book which documented the coverlet weavers of Tennessee from the 17th and 18th century. Some of the guild members at the time assisted with the research of this book.
With weaving remaining their focus, this Guild remains active today with over 50 members who practice all forms of Fiber Arts. The Guild has both professional textile artists and hobbyist among their members. You can contact us at: info@handweaverstn.org
Memphis Guild of Handloom Weavers (TN)
The Memphis Guild of Handloom Weavers was founded in 1947 with the purpose of furthering the appreciation of handloom weaving. Viola Joyce Quigley (1900-1983), who initiated the weaving department at the Memphis Academy of Art in 1946, organized the original 13 charter members. These members were weaving students in her class who met in the old drawing room of the Fontaine House – an annex of the Art Academy, later known as the Memphis College of Art.
Over the years, the membership of the Guild has fluctuated from the 13 original members in 1947 to over 55 members in the mid 1960’s and early 1970’s. The guild has met in spaces ranging from members’ homes to the Cordova Winery, and at times has occupied a dedicated studio space beginning with a year in the Guild House in 1964 and a studio at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Midtown from 2000 to 2016. The guild met in a temporary location in 2016 and transitioned to online meeting in early 2019 in response to pandemic lockdowns.
Since its founding, the Memphis Guild has hosted a variety of exhibitions and workshops. In 1951, the Guild presented its first large exhibit to the public, a presentation of handwoven fabrics at The Brooks Memorial Art Gallery. Similar exhibits continued at The Brooks in the 1960’s and traveling exhibits of members’ works were also available. From 1979 to 1990, the Guild held 5 major juried exhibits, called “The Path of the Weaver”, featuring works by regional fiber artists. These were first held at The Brooks Museum, and later at the Memphis College of Art. In December 2017, the guild revised “The Path of the Weaver” with a month-long exhibition of current work at the Germantown Performing Arts Center.
Monthly meetings August through May offer a variety of programs, many featuring hands-on learning activities. Weaving equipment and an extensive library are available to Guild members. In 2011, the Guild upgraded equipment with several new looms. Members participate as demonstrating craftsmen at the Pink Palace Crafts Fair every fall, where our handwoven items are displayed and offered for sale. Members are invited to present programs and workshops of their own, and we offer introductory classes to the public.
The Guild supports growth of members’ weaving skills through workshops by well-known weavers. Guest instructors have included Peter Collingwood, Hal Painter, Jim Brown, Edna Blackburn, Noel Bennett, Heather Winslow, Madelyn van der Hoogt, Sharon Alderman, Doramay Keasbey, Leslie Voiers, Elaine Bradley, Johanna Erickson, Jason Collingwood, Rosalie Nielson, Daryl Lancaster, Kathrin Weber, Martina Celerin, Lisa Hill, and Dianne Totten. Expert weavers among our own members also present workshops.
The focus of the Memphis Guild of Handloom Weavers continues to be sharing, learning, and education. Current members are continuing down “The Path of the Weaver” begun by Joyce Quigley and her 13 students 75 years ago. The Guild always welcomes new members, and anyone interested in fiber is invited to join us.
http://mghw.org/
Overmountain Weavers Guild (Kingsport, TN)
The Overmountain Weavers Guild was founded in October 1972 and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The first meeting of the guild was held in the home of Persis Grayson, first president of the Handweavers Guild of America and Chairman of its Board of Directors in 1975. Persis passed away in 2006 at age 90, leaving to the Overmountain Weavers Guild her extensive fiber art library of more than 500 books, the core of our guild library today.
The first president and founder of the Overmountain Weavers was Claudia Lee, who modeled the guild after the Handweavers Guild of Connecticut. Here is her story of the founding of the guild, as written in a letter on May 7, 2019:
“I guess it was about 47 years ago. I was living in Kingsport with my then husband, painter Jack Lee and our baby. The Kingsport Art Center was hosting an exhibit of fiber art by Persis Grayson and she was giving a gallery talk. This was the first time we met. We talked after the evening ended and she invited me to her home a few days later and helped me warp an 8″ 4 harness loom and sent me home to play with it until it was all woven. That was the start.
Many months later Jack was accepted into a graduate program in Hartford, Connecticut. Persis gave me the names of two friends. One was Garnett Johnson. She had just started publishing the magazine, Shuttle Spindle and Dyepot. After graduate school, we returned to Kingsport and I got together with Persis and explained my plan for starting a guild based on the Connecticut chapter. Naturally, she was very supportive and offered her home for our first meeting. I went to the Fall Festival at Exchange Place and got permission to post a sign that said something like ‘Weaving Group Forming.’ Lilias Adams [one of the earliest members] named the newsletter Mingled Yarns from Shakespeare’s line, ‘The web of our lives is like mingled yarns, both good and bad together.’ Other than Persis, we were all absolute beginners. Little by little we saved our dues and invited others to come and do workshops. We started our newsletter and attracted more members.”
From its seven founding members, the Overmountain Weavers Guild is now sixty-plus members strong. The guild meets formally every third Wednesday at the Exchange Place Living History Farm, which was founded by another Overmountain Weavers Guild founding member, Suzanne Burow. The guild has been restoring rocker beater looms gifted to Exchange Place, teaching beginning classes during the month of August, and weaving reproductions of antique drafts that came with the first loom bought for Exchange Place.
Like the original founders of the group, Overmountain Weavers Guild members are dedicated to enriching our communities by preserving our textile heritage with a vision toward promoting the future of fiber arts for the generations that will follow. These pieces exhibited here reflect the talent and diversity of our group.
Scenic Valley Handweavers: In All Shapes and Sizes (Birchwood, TN)
Scenic Valley Handweavers of Southeast Tennessee was formally established in January of 2013 with the defined mission to educate, share and stimulate interest in and appreciation of handweaving. Today, SVH looks more like a regional guild drawing membership from various parts of Tennessee and Georgia. Our members are diverse in focus, skill set and experience level resulting in interesting and wide ranging monthly programs with a relaxed welcoming atmosphere. We have a comprehensive lending library, hold annual guild challenges and host workshops taught by industry recognized instructors. We find inspiration through regular show and share and provide inspiration through community demonstrations and other activities. SVH meetings are held each month at the Birchwood Community Center in Birchwood, Tennessee. Guests with an interest in handweaving are welcome.
The intent of our exhibit is to create passion for the fibers arts and to successfully demonstrate the broad range and diversity of this artistry. Additionally, to acknowledge those fiber artists whose contributions have generously and inspirationally paved the way for new and growing skillsets alike.
We present these ideas in our work by displaying a wide range of projects varying in structure, complexity, purpose and artistic style. We hope one takeaway is that there is something for everyone in all shapes and sizes – as titled. Inspiration has been cited in recognition of and appreciation for the many fiber art resources available today.
https://scenicvalleyhandweavers.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ScenicValleyHandweavers
Tennessee Valley Handspinners (Knoxville, TN)
The beginnings of our guild can be traced to the Arrowmont school in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in the 1960s and 70s, where pre-industrial arts and crafts were taught. According to our charter member Dale Liles, the inspiration for a regional revival of handspinning came from a teacher at Arrowmont, Persis Grayson. Persis taught her students how to spin, but she also taught much more: the history of fiber tools, the qualities of different fibers, the possibilities for fiber beyond spinning yarn—such as felting and dyeing. Some of her students raised silkworms and built wheels; many were weavers. Faculty and students from the University of Tennessee became involved, and students came from as far as New Zealand. They learned from each other as well as from Persis in a non-competitive and enjoyable atmosphere. The beginning class became an intermediate class, then an advanced one.
Several local students including Dale Liles wanted to continue as a group beyond Arrowmont. One early member, a local librarian, recruited other librarians, and soon the word spread and Tennessee Valley Handspinners Guild was formed in the late 1970s. It was formally organized as a non-profit in 1981. One couple brought wheels to share; others donated fiber for teaching. Several members took workshops at Shakertown, KY. Activities included dye days, participation in an opera, the creation of several samplers for display at group demonstrations, and Roc Day celebrations.
Over the years, the group has met in various places, and enrollment has risen and fallen. Today, TVH is a thriving, active organization with more than 60 paid members of all ages and experience, including several professional fiber artists. Members demonstrate at the regional agricultural fair, a spring arts festival, several venues for traditional Appalachian crafts, and historic houses. Our monthly meetings, which draw people from as far as 100 miles away, are filled with inspiration, mutual support, and energy. We should all be thankful to our patron saint, the “grandmother of local spinners,” Persis Grayson.
https://tnvalleyhandspinners.org
https://www.facebook.com/tnvalleyhandspinners
Tuesday Weavers (Norris, TN)
In 1970, Grace Foster and Sara Star received a “War on Poverty” grant from the Anderson County Community Action Committee to start the Community Craft Center. The motto for the CCC was “For our souls and pocketbooks.” It became a place to teach and sell traditional Appalachian handicrafts.
Over the years, the name was changed to the Appalachian Arts Craft Center. It was expanded to include a pottery studio, weaving studio, teaching space and gift shop. Ellen Cain was the first head of the Weaving Department until her death. Carol Pritcher took up the reins and has headed the department for over 20 years. The weavers gather every Tuesday to teach new weavers and share their love of the weaving craft.
When we were asked to be part of the exhibition at the Emporium Center in July 2022, it became our new Challenge. We would weave an item using blues and greens (and we could have one additional color.) The Blues and Greens reflect this amazing area that we call home.
Our exhibit showcases the diversity of our weavers’ experience levels as well as the diversity and use of fibers and structures. They also reflect the beauty and history of this place we call home.
https://tuesdayweavers.blogspot.com/
Wilderness Weavers’ Guild (Knoxville, TN)
Joining the legacy of artisans and textile makers in Southern Appalachia, the Wilderness Weavers’ Guild (founded in 1981 by Dana Smith, owner of the fiber shop Joyous Song in Gatlinburg, Tennessee) began as a small craft association dedicated to handweaving and related fiber arts. It’s original purpose: “the guild is an organization established to stimulate and furnish inspiration, information, education and mutual assistance in growth and development of handweaving, dyeing, felting and other fiber crafts.”
Initially, membership was limited to Gatlinburg area residents but later expanded to include residents of East Tennessee. Early instructional demonstrations and workshops were led by experienced and accomplished weavers and spinners from the region such as Mary Frances Davidson, an educator and renowned authority on natural dying. Soon a scholarship program was set up for anyone interested in furthering their weaving knowledge and capabilities. Scholarships were available for classes, including those at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Early WWG meetings were held in Arrowmont’s library or weaving room. In return for the privilege of having their meetings at the school, members of the guild helped maintain the looms and made sure that all weaving equipment was in good order for the students enrolled in weaving classes.Today, the guild is focused on preserving the art and craft of hand weaving and associated fiber arts, providing education for those interested in weaving and building awareness of hand weaving as a vibrant art that is accessible, inclusive, and creative. In July 2022, the Wilderness Weavers Guild will partner with other fiber guilds at the Emporium Center in Knoxville, Tennessee to showcase the many talents of handweavers throughout the region. Wilderness Weavers’ Guild has been a member of Handweavers Guild of America since its inception. Each year WWG holds workshops, demonstrations, and presentations. Members of WWG are well represented in juried local, regional, and national competitions as well as non-juried exhibits and events.
1915 the first loom appeared for a weaving program at the Pi Beta Phi Settlement School, was begun by the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity to help women living in the southern Appalachian Mountains earn an income.
1932 monthly weaving meetings where organized under the name of Gatlinburg Weavers Guild.
1945, Pi Beta Phi (in cooperation with the University of Tennessee) held summer workshops in Gatlinburg using equipment brought from the University of Tennessee campus. Eventually the program grew into what is now Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, one of the premier craft institutions in this country.