March / April 2018 Newsletter
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Creativity is the way I share my soul with the world.
Brene Brown
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Dear Readers
A couple months ago we had our tall Canary Island pine tree laced. This has to be done in the winter months so the sap won’t run and leave the tree susceptible to the bore beetles which are decimating pine trees in the western U.S. Most of the cut branches ended up being transported to the local recyclers, but I rescued as many as I could. The disadvantage to trimming trees and harvesting the needles in winter is the risk of rain which will quickly turn the needles black, mottled and moldy. Well, we’re in the middle of a serious drought so it appeared this harvest would be safe. I laid out the pine needles on old window screens, patio furniture, nursery plant trays, anything that would allow aeration. Every few days I would rotate the needles so they would all receive sun exposure to help dry the needles and also start turning them brown. Then word arrived of a storm headed our way. I yanked all the needles from the branches to expedite drying and to make them easier to transport, laid them all facing the same way, placed them on newspapers and began the laborious process of carefully carrying them into the house, then taking them back outside when the sun returned, then bringing them back in when more drizzle or rain was expected, then back outside for some sun. This was getting pretty tiresome. I had about 150,000 pine needles and it took many, many trips of carefully carrying the thin, delicate needles so they wouldn’t get tangled.
We heat our home with our fireplace and I knew the warmth would help the drying process, so I finally decided to lay them in front of our hearth. By the time I was done there was no room to walk around our living room, just a narrow pathway to get to the furniture. Our living room looked like a forest floor! One afternoon I lit a fire and right before dark my husband and I noticed dark smoke wafting by our front window. This made no sense! We went outside and were horrified to see very thick dark brown and black smoke billowing from our chimney. I called the fire department and explained what was happening and they dispatched a small truck. I was relieved there wasn’t a huge response, then I started to hear more sirens. More and more trucks arrived. Before I knew it, an army of handsome firefighters had arrived. They quickly inspected the outside of our house and chimney while others dashed inside. They looked curiously at the forest inside our house which they were trampling with their surprisingly enormous boots. I quickly tried to move all the pine needles out of their way. Meanwhile we had closed the glass door and throttle to the fire, in essence choking off its oxygen source. They confirmed we had had a chimney fire and used a tool to detect heat in our walls to see if the fire had spread to the drywall. Fortunately it had not and the fire died out. I showed some of them a basket to explain the presence of plant materials covering our floor. I’m sure they hadn’t encountered that before! They found it only slightly interesting. One of the firefighters told my husband we should cut down our tree, that it is a fire hazard, and my husband told him he needs to tell ME that! We only have 2 trees left that provide pine needles and I’m like a mother bear protecting her cubs. NO ONE is cutting down that tree!!! Anyway, it turns out my husband (who is our chimney sweep) forgot to clean it after last winter. So let this be a cautionary tale to anyone who hasn’t cleaned their chimney lately! By the way, is it a requirement to be good looking to be hired as a fire fighter?
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I’ll be teaching a 2-day workshop in the Julian Mountains in Southern California at the
http://ilanlaelfoundation.org/
on April 21 & 22, 2018. The Foundation is located on the property of famed environmental artist James Hubbell.
A young boy once said that James Hubbell builds houses that trees aren’t embarrassed to stand next to. This is the artist’s favorite comment.
A bit of background information ...... In 1958 James and Anne Hubbell purchased a parcel of land in the mountains, and by 1961 the land accommodated the first of many structures, each working with the natural shape and materials of the land. Often constructed entirely by hand, and always with a community of friends, each building was like an apprenticeship for the artist. A study in different methods of design, construction, and materials, always learning and improving on the previous creation. Buildings were to fit into the landscape, using existing trees and rocks as precious objects to build around. No bulldozers were used and footings were hand-dug. Trees, wildflowers and brush were kept and appreciated for their beauty without irrigation. The property now currently serves as home for the artist, studio for craftspeople, and the Ilan Lael Foundation. You can learn more about this remarkable artist here
http://ilanlaelfoundation.org/work/
In this glorious setting, my students will learn how to start a basket around a polished stone, how to line up stitches on both sides, how to shape sides and taper down the final coil. Students will also learn more advanced techniques as time permits. All materials provided which includes Irish waxed linen thread and flexible Canary Island pine needles. This class is appropriate for beginners or experienced coilers. See
http://ilanlaelfoundation.org/
for registration information.
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Here's some amazing and playful hand-knitted garments
created to blend in with the environment. Here's
the site to see more images
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Came across a couple quotes from craft artists I feel are relevant to all us crafters:
Craftsman Kevin Riddle who is carrying on the traditions of the Apalachian crafts says he “finds people unaccustomed to handwork don’t always understand some basics, such as how long the process can take. People will call me up and say:
“Oh, I want some of this authentic handmade stuff, but I want it overnight. Can you ship tomorrow?”
Kevin's response
“Uh no, you JUST gave me the specifications today. I’ll have to go out and find the tree first!”
Woodworker Nancy Hiller says “there’s something wonderfully surprising about being able to take an idea out of your brain and turn it into reality.”
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For those of you who like to plan ahead, I will be returning to teach a 3-day pine needle basketry workshop at the Pacific Northwest Art School in beautiful Coupeville, Washington from November 1-3, 2019. Both new and experienced basketweavers welcome, I individualize my instruction to each student's skill level. More info to follow in future newsletters.
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Pine needle basketweaver Vicky Nickelson has recently published a booklet titled “Nature’s Touch – Basketry by Hand.” Some of you may have seen her lovely work posted on The Art Of Coiling Pine Needle Baskets Facebook page. She is a passionate basketweaver and wrote the booklet to share her knowledge and enthusiasm for this artform. Some of the items she covers include gathering and preparing pine needles, weaving Teneriffes and how to attach a basket to the wrapped ring, stitches, adding thread, plus gourd projects with coiling. I finally understand how to do faggoting thanks to her clear close-up photographs. Her booklet is available on Amazon which you can access through her website
https://pinebasket.wixsite.com/pinecreations
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Please note my NEW mailing address and phone number at the bottom of this newsletter.
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In addition to teaching at art schools, I also offer small home studio workshops (Encinitas, California) most months throughout the year. My upcoming dates are March 17, April 14, May 12, June 2, July 14 and August 11. In these 1-day workshops both beginners and experienced coilers are welcome. It’s a mix of skill levels and I individualize my instruction to each student. Cost $60. To enroll contact me at
info@nadinespier.com
or (760) 533-1000. Materials optional $38. More info on my website
www.nadinespier.com
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If you have a local county fair I encourage you to submit your work to share with the public. It’s wonderful to see the public’s reaction to basketry. For most, they are astounded that people still weave baskets. Let’s educate them! For my San Diego County readers, it’s getting time to think about what you may want to enter in our annual county fair. Baskets, embroidery, quilting, gourds, jam, whatever you make! The fair will June 1 – July 4, 2018. Click here for more info and online entry forms
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Upcoming fun events in southern California.....
Carlsbad Flower Fields
March 1 – May 13
The stunning Flower Fields has a lot of great events planned for Spring. Some of them include live music, LOTS of workshops include my beginning basketry classes, Mother’s Day Celebration, Fashion with Fido (that sounds fun!!!), arts and crafts shows, and A LOT more. See the website for detailed information
http://www.theflowerfields.com/
LA QUINTA
35th La Quinta Arts Festival
March 1-4, 2018
10am – 5 pm
This is a great art show in a beautiful setting.
The following event isn't until mid May, but wanted to let my readers know about it.......
W
eaving & Fiber Festival (WeFF)
Sunday, May 20, 2018
10 am – 4 pm
Members’ weaving exhibit & sale, demonstrations of fiber crafts, gift boutiques, fashion show, silent auction, raffle, diverse range of vendors offering tools, supplies, and books for weaving, spinning, and other fiber arts as well as finished hand-crafted items.
Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3341 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, CA
Sponsored by The Southern California Handweavers’ Guild, a non-profit group of weavers and fiber artists who “weave today to preserve the past and create the future”.
Wishing everyone a beautiful and bountiful Spring.
Happy weaving,
Nadine
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Nadine Spier
Contemporary Pine Needle Basketweaver
Basket Weaving Classes and Basket Art for Purchase
1084 N El Camino Real Box B184, Encinitas CA 92024 (760) 533-1000
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