Autumn and Rosepath.

Autumn has finally really arrived and it has not stopped raining for a few days now. It is a good excuse to get stuck into weaving. The first piece you see was actually woven a little while back now and was based on a sample I got from the Guild that I was curious to decipher.

A trip to Oberon Forest proved quite fruitful and I was happy to see the familiar pine mushrooms that we have back home. They truly are as their name suggestes, "deliciosus". The familiar amanitas were also there and just the most wonderful and vibrant red. What was not so familiar was the forest itself. The pine trees are of a different species from back home and this forest was very clearly planned. Its clear grid and organized structure also made this forest incredibly disorientating. I almost thought I was lost a couple of times and did not venture far from the road. It was nonetheless such a beautiful place, with ferns and moss covered logs and so, so many mushrooms. And the drive back was equally if not more beautiful, with magic hour views of rolling hills in the Jenolan caves area. Brilliant day.

Back to the weaving, the blue and caramel piece is an example of a crammed and spaced 2/2 twill. It was a fun sample to make as it involved a lot more planning than other weaves I had tried till then and I had to do many calculations. In the end it turned out beautiful.

A fine example of a "full bellied" lorikeet.

And finally, the Rosepath, a traditional weave, based on a pointed twill. The last time I visited the Guild, I was given some instructions for the Rosepath and some samplers. The weekend of the same week I was lucky enough to visit Liz Calnan´s studio in Epping. It was a wonderland of looms of all different sizes, boxes and boxes of fibres and so many beautiful things. Liz is a teacher at the Guild and when I told her I was having troubles figuring out how to draw my own designs or copy samples she was quick to help with some course notes. And there you have it, my rosepath sampler.

Esquilo & Mesa.

Early last year we had the opportunity to host and participate in the making of a music video. The video was for a band from Porto called Mesa for a song from their latest album, and was directed by our very talented friend, Jorge Vaz Gomes. Perhaps you remember an earlier post about his skills as a photographer. The video was shot in Meimão. The property we live in as well as my studio feature both in interior and exterior shots. Even our little chickens and yours truly make an appearance.

And if all of the above was not enough… (I was going to say "the icing on the cake", but it quickly came to mind that Proust would not approve of such clichés)... I was asked to help with the wardrobe, which was an outstanding experience. João and Rita from Mesa both wore Esquilo handmade woven pieces, namely a scarf and a wrap, to accent their carefully selected vintage wardrobe. 

The weather was fantastic, sunny with clear blue skies, but very cold. The cast and crew missed rain and snow by just one week. I truly hope the Esquilo woollens made the difference. It was a terrific, busy weekend, spent with old and new friends. 

The video was released last week. I hope you like it.

In the photos you can see Jorge with David Valadão, who was in charge of the camera, and with Rita Reis on set.