Weaving the River captures the Mississippi River and the nuanced relationships between the native residents -- and us, within the complex ecosystem we share.
My family spends part of every season exploring the river and its banks--on foot, skiis, snow shoes, or by boat. Bald eagles, deer, squirrels, and rabbits are frequent companions. We carry bags to pick up after our dog, only to stuff them with abandoned trash from Minneapolis, St. Paul and points North. This winter, when the river was exceptionally low, and there was no snow, we walked along the shore every weekend.
The roots became the frame along with other items we gathered. I fortified it with reused lumber and screws. The warp is atypically made from thin, driftwood, scavenged wire, and fishing line. While attractive, the rigidity of the warp made it difficult to weave. I wove it with Amazon bags and unwound strands of fragile, vintage sewing thread, purchased at a nearby estate sale.
Weaving the River is on display in the galleries at the Textile Center of Minnesota in Minneapolis.