OF THE LOOM - Lesli's Site

COLLECTION: Mekeka Designs, Natural Fiber Woven Catalog

COLLECTION: Water Hyacinth, Woven Catalog

Through the Global Mamas/USAID project Fibers of Change, I designed a collection of over 20 woven structures in collaboration with local kente weaver, Justice Galley. These wovens will be used in future product designs. They were designed using traditional kente warping and threading techniques manipulated to accommodate this new fiber. They were woven on both a portable kente loom (traditional) and a foot treadle kente loom co-designed by Galley and myself. The water hyacinth is locally sourced in the Volta River region of Ghana.

COLLECTION: Mekeka Designs, Woven Scarf Collection

LOOM: Bond Heal Loss

Bond Heal Loss asks a person to use the intimate process of weaving warp into weft to explore their personal ideas associated with the terms bond, heal, loss. A small white shelf held a variety of media and a set of instructions that asked the viewer to become the maker. Three circular looms were designed and installed at two venues, K Space Contemporary in Corpus Christi, Texas and the Fort Worth Community Arts Center in Fort Worth, Texas.

LOOM: Experimental Looms (Workshop)

LOOM: Foot treadle loom, Ghana

The Mother Load, USA and Scotland

The Mother Load project ran from 2012 through 2017. This project networked with a diverse group of over 100 professional artists who are mothers, from over 10 countries. Began as a collaboration with Natalie Macellaio in 2012, this project grew to create a platform for a growing community of artists/mothers. Exhibitions held at the Dallas Museum of Art in Dallas, Texas (2014-2015) and the Hannah MacClure Centre in Dundee, Scotland (2016).

Weaving Stories, Kuwait

Through a collective effort led by the Al Sadu House, a museum and cultural center under the leadership of Sheikha Altaf Al-Sabah, this initiative hosted an exhibition, workshop series, and outreach program focused on increasing the awareness and knowledge of textile arts and their cultural role. This project ran from January 2015 until November 2016, commencing with an exhibition at Al Shaheed Park, November 7-13, 2016 Funding and project support provided by the Kuwait Ministry of Art, Letters, and Culture, Fulbright Specialist Program, and US Embassy, Kuwait.

Woven Records, USA

LOOM: Under Tension (Workshop Series)

This workshop series focuses on using our bodies as intrinsic tools in the process of weaving. Held at different locations and in different variations, this workshop uses the basic principles of backstop weaving to create body tensioned experimental looms. The key to this series is that each loom works because more than one person is a part of the loom. They use the tension created by their body to draw the warp tight to allow the for the process of weaving. Hosted by The Warehouse (Dallas, TX), Nasher Sculpture Center (Dallas, TX), Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs (Dallas, TX)

Material Evolution: Ugandan Bark Cloth, USA and Uganda

LOOM: TBD, Sculptural Engagement

TBD, referencing the common phrase “to be determined,” is an experimental sculpture that explores the physical nature of participation. At each venue, viewers are asked to help create the work. Cotton, concrete, naturally dyed fibers, powder coated aluminum, pine. Dimensions vary on installation, 2013-2014. Installation locations: Prescott Art Gallery (Prescott, AZ), ArtSpace (Dallas, TX), Build a Better Block (Oak Cliff, TX)

LOOM: Weaving Stories, Kuwait

Co-designed with Emad Allaho of eWoodWorking and created in his Kuwait City based studio. This interactive loom was a centerpiece the Weaving Stories exhibition, a curated project with Al Sadu Society, Al Shaheed Park, November 7-13, 2016. It is based on the traditional Bedouin ground loom and features a 5 meter circular warp. Laser cut designs on wood veneer were used with permission from sadu weaver Laila Yasser.