May 17, 1946 – June 21, 2016
TAPS members remember Joanne’s fun loving nature, her delicious contributions to potlucks, her always excellent book recommendations, her family stories and of course, her witty portraits of women that incorporated unusual fibers, notions and anything that served her purpose, including plastic chickens, county fair ribbons and a mink pelt.
In Joanne’s words:
I am retired from the corporate world. I believe my career prepared me for my art. Upon retiring I took a class offered by the Portland Art Museum in tapestry weaving. I spent years looking at the faces that I now weave. And, while all of my subjects are women, I weave men’s silk ties into each piece. The slow process of weaving allows me to live with each personality for six to nine months. I embellish my work with found treasures that can be anything from Christmas lights to old menus. They reflect the emerging character and transform the tapestry into a reliquary. My goal is to communicate a specific personality type with my art and artifacts. My work is about recognition of personality types and their artifacts. As pattern seeking animals we learn to read people. This ability was probably linked to our survival as a species. If I have succeeded, you will recognize the work as someone you know.
Zora
Stella, 2009, 34″ x 23,” Wool, pine, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers on cotton warp, embellished with antique flowers, trim, earrings, buckles, buttons, necklace, feather, fur collar and “First Annual Picnic” pin.
Peggy, 34″ x 23,” cotton, wool, synthetic, silk, and pine fiber. Embellished with curlers, jewelry, men’s silk ties, antique millinery and chicken feathers. Woven on cotton warp.
Mona
Gwen
Gina
Gert, 2011, 30″ x 23,” wool, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers on cotton warp, embellished with glass beads, buttons, vintage jewelry, millinery, coin purse, eye glasses and a spoon.
Francis, 2008, 33″ x 23,” wool, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers on cotton warp, embellished with sequins, earring, feather, beads and “Billy Graham” pin.
Fay
Dot, 2011, 32″ x 23,” wool, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers on cotton warp, embellished with whistle, pins, athletic letter, flowers, hairnet, Christmas lights and framed pieces of ’47 menu.
Dora
Beth
Constance, 2011, 30″ x 23″ wool, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers on cotton warp, embellished with Crucifix, flowers, trim, earrings and a mink pelt.
Bebe, 2009, 36″ x 23″ wool, raffia, twine, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers on cotton warp, embellished with shells, beads, flower, “American Red Cross” pin and barrettes.
Jewell
Grace
To Joanne, tapestry is The Elegant Art
In the 21st century tapestry weaving survives defying our capitalistic society which stresses profit making and turns art into merchandise. Today’s tapissiers are weaving great works against the current of their own time using techniques that have remained unchanged for 3,500 years.Tapestries with their richness of texture, color and design transcend their temporal and material nature because they become testaments to the sustained effort and rapt attention of their makers.Tapestries are beautiful manifestations of mindfulness. They are elegant choices.
Home Sweet Home, 35″ x 23″ x 2,” wool, silk, cotton, and synthetic fiber on cotton warp, embellished with Japanese vintage bees, jewelry, crochet flowers, an old fly swatter, painted weft and woven (hat) straw.
Root Series – Carrots, 2012, 10″ x 10,” linen, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers on cotton warp, embellished rhinestones and twine.
Root Series – Garlic, 2012, 10″ x 10,” linen, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers
on cotton warp, embellished with twine.
Aunt Lucy’s Layer, 2011, 16″ x 11,” linen, silk, cotton and synthetic fibers
on cotton warp, embellished with “Red” ribbon, feathers, straw and picture.
General Tso’s Chicken $7.95, 2011, 11″ x 11″
UN buttoned
Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button
ta da
ta da
Bookmark: Garden & Library
Biography and Exhibition Record
- Tapestry on Edge, Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle, WA
- American Tapestry Biennial 8, Elder Gallery, Lincoln, Nebraska and the American Textile History Museum, Lowell, Massachusetts
- Warped, Beaten and Hung, The Brick House Gallery, Tacoma, Washington
- NW x SE, Gaston County Museum, Dallas North Carolina and Gig Harbor History Museum, Gig Harbor, Washington
- American Tapestry Biennial 9, The Dairy Barn, Athens, Ohio and Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, Indiana
- TAPS Contained, The Brick House Gallery, Tacoma, Washington
- American Tapestry Biennial 10, Visions Art Museum, San Diego, California, Kent State University Museum, Kent, Ohio, Kaneko, Omaha, Nebraska