Inspired by the serene colors of Claude Monet's painting c. 1915-1926, Water-Lily Pond is a pointed twill that has been woven with a dense warp (30 EPI). The warp is 95% Egyptian cotton/5% organic cotton. For the weft, I chose a variety of colors and fibers, including cotton, Egyptian cotton, superwash merino wool, cottolin and hemp. The wrap that was entered in the Fall 2014 Competition of Weavers was made with a purple Egyptian cotton weft. You will see it in the photographs below as v.7.
The theme of the weaving competition was "Work of Art". In thinking back on works of art that have inspired me in the past, a memory surfaced of being 18 and sitting on a bench at the Smithsonian Institution, totally mesmerized by one of Monet's waterlily paintings. I remember it as a pure fascination with his use of color and texture. In recalling this memory, I realized that this painting embodies the characteristics that I strive to create in my weaving. I poured through the series of works and this one in particular pulled me in. When I learned that it is permanently housed in an incredible museum in Japan designed by Tadao Ando, my choice was made!