I’m approaching my senior year at the SCAD pursuing a degree in fiber arts. I’m drawn to the loom and plan on making a weaving portfolio. I was thinking about even selling an old love of mine -the drum set- to pursue buying a 4-harness loom. If i could get a job this summer maybe I could eventually afford one so I don’t have to sell my drum set. Tricky situation. Now I’m going to verbalize what makes me drawn to the loom.

As traditional and archaic the weaving loom may be to the majority, I find it liberating in my life of everything bought or given to me. I realized I had a lack of understanding the construction of things around me. Understanding the finer details and connectivity of it all. Yes, weaving is systematic, calculated, and repetitive. I get looks of concern and wonderment of why I would choose to “live in the past” when we have machines, computers, robots—— why such labor over the making of cloth. You live in the first world after all… Weaving is more than therapeutic for me. It’s a way of thinking and perceiving the world around me. A way of understanding culture, people, ideas, and consciousness. A good friend of mine, Andy, told me about seeing the world through the area of focus you study at college. And that he majors in art history to see the world through the eyes of art and it it’s influence on science, math, anthropology, psychology, ect. This thought had never occurred to me. 

Some things that Professors, Andy, friends of mine like Cali & Corey, and many others have taught me in a condensed version of my constantly filtering mind… Art reveals and transforms. Forums of free thought are essential. Fight for to expand your consciousness(without drugs). Take yourself responsible for the world problems. Weekly vegan potlucks are delicious. Change boring conversations into interesting ones. Express multiple viewpoints in the pursue of understanding. ect. ect.

I came to art school not really knowing what to except. I’m saddened that the campus doesn’t push conceptual meaning, controversial issues, world politics, and the push I receive is mainly business and job placement. Don’t challenge the system, obey. I was curious where my education came from before the institution adopted to the practice of fiber as more than craft. My education is mostly here because of the Arts & Crafts movement and Bauhaus, that combined crafts with fine art. I still researching on important people of this movement including: Anni Albers, William Morris, ect.

Well, I guess this is all for now. Tell me what you have limited yourself to, expanded yourself to… thanks. :D