Saturday, July 4, 2009

First Exhibition

This weekend has been the unveiling of my very fledgling project. I hung the 16 works on a 1.2m x1.2m board - so the hooks are ready-made for each tapestry and I only need one hook to hang the whole thing.
Of course, knowing next to nothing about physics, I attached the wire tightly across the board near the top - only to find the whole thing crashing to the (concrete) floor when the (very thick) wire snapped. When we asked a framer about it, he said it was a matter of physics that a tight wire across the top of a picture placed too much strain on it. Apparently there is a formula for how far down the frame you attach the wire and the degree of tension across the back of the picture.
So instead I stood the board on a table against the wall. I may have to trim off the damaged bit along the bottom of the board after the exhibition. At least none of the works were damaged.
I showed all 16 designs - 11 canvases and 5 cartoons (not yet transferred to canvas because the shop ran out of them and is ordering more). I had started painting the background of four canvases, so it was a real mixture which looked odd because of the dark lines on the cartoons and pale lines on the canvases. I found myself explaining it to visitors.
Another thing I have decided to do is change the woven name to 'Golden Sun Moth'. Too many people were asking about 'Synemon plana' and I now feel that using its Latin name will negate the strength of its common name, which I think is great.
But the main thing is, the project has had its first 'airing'.
Now I need to paint up each canvas ready to weave the first tapestry.