Weavers’ studios from Florence to Shelburne Falls open to the public on Oct. 22 and 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

FLORENCE—The Working Weavers organization will host its fourth Studio Trail tour on Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 23, with 10 weavers from Florence to Shelburne Falls and Conway in between opening their studios to the public for demonstrations and sales.

Studios will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are weavers dedicated to bringing handwoven textiles into the future,” said Paula Veleta, one of two founding members of Working Weavers. “Our mission is to make cloth visible again by producing and selling high-quality textiles as well as by presenting the process and the people who make weaving their livelihood. We picked October for the Studio Trail because it’s fall foliage season—a nice time of year to drive from one end of the Valley to the other.”

The organization’s website at workingweavers.com offers suggested routes for traveling to the various studios and interesting stops along the way, including restaurants, pubs, inns, and local attractions. The information can be easily printed from a PDF on the site, and guests can also RSVP if they choose.

Trail stops, from Shelburne Falls south to Florence, are at these weavers’ studios:

• Peggy Hart and Western Mass Fibershed, 8 Martin Road, Shelburne Falls. A production weaver who mass produces her cloth on mechanical looms, Hart is the founding member of the Western Mass Fibershed and author of “Wool: Unraveling an American Story of Artists and Innovation.” She designs, produces, and markets blankets.
• Emily Gwynn and guest weaver Lisa Bertoldi, 124 North St., Shelburne Falls. Gwynn’s business, Hands to Work Textiles, focuses on fine table linens influenced by both traditional and mid-century Scandinavian design.
• Sue McFarland, 49 Conway St., Shelburne Falls. McFarland’s studio, in the former Lamson Cutlery Factory in Shelburne Falls, features chenille tapestry scarves.
• Lisa Hill and guest weaver Trish Colson-Montgomery, 156 Elmer Road, Conway. Hill, the master weaver behind the business Plain Weave, is a teacher, designer, and writer who works out of her 1840s barn in Conway.
• Scott Norris, 20 Wilder Place, Florence. Norris, of Elam’s Widow, weaves exclusively hand-dyed fine linen for table and kitchen use.
• Chris Hammel, 221 Pine St., Studio #315, Florence. Hammel is a scholar, teacher, and master weaver who directs the Hill Institute and operates her studio, Ekphrasis Defined Designs, where she creates exquisite textiles for use in home or to wear.
• Paula Veleta and her guest, Judi Bajgot, 221 Pine St., Studio #338, Florence. Veleta, of Studio 338 Handwoven, produces woven fabrics in her studio at the Arts & Industry Building in Florence, using the intricately designed textiles to create household adornments such as wall hangings and pillows.

Veleta, of Florence, said one of the Working Weavers mantras is, “Making cloth visible again.”

“It’s something all of us use, but we take it for granted and don’t realize how it’s produced,” she explained. “During the tour, we offer information on the history of woven cloth. It’s connected to human existence and has a very old history. We like to bring it to peoples’ attention again.”

Most of the professionals in the group are handweavers who use traditional wooden looms with no mechanization. “As weavers, we’re really interested in the process. There’s a lot of steps to weaving and designing a fabric,” Veleta said.

She noted that, typically, a weaver will use a computer program to design a particular pattern for the fabric, and then create it on the loom in a painstaking and time-consuming process.

“When it’s all completed, it could be ten yards long. It gets cut off the loom and wet-finished—basically washed and dried—and then it’s made into things like linens, pillows, hand-hemmed kitchen towels, or blankets with finished edges,” she said. “We have to think about all the different aspects of creating cloth.”

In 2016, Veleta and a colleague, Marilyn Webster from Conway, founded Working Weavers, and in 2017, they hosted the first Studio Trail, modeled after pottery tours that are hosted in the Valley.

The Studio Trail was also held in 2018 and 2019, going on hiatus during the height of the pandemic. “We’re excited to be doing it again,” Veleta said, noting most of the original group of weavers will be involved this year.

The tour typically generates about 1,000 visitors.

For more information, or to sign up for the 2022 Studio Tour, contact Veleta at paulaerk@comcast.net or 413-320-0808, or visit the website at www.workingweavers.com/.

The post Working Weavers Organization to Host 2022 Studio Trail appeared first on Beetle Press.

Roughly 40 artists to open their spaces on Dec. 7, 8, and 14

EASTHAMPTON—Artist Janna Ugone of Janna Ugone & Co. will take part in the 28^th annual December Open Studio and Sale at Cottage Street Studios the first two weekends of December and is excited to unveil a new product as well as enhancements to her space.

Open Studios will take place this year on Dec. 7, 8, and 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1 Cottage St.  

During the event, which features deep discounts on handmade products and a festive atmosphere, roughly 40 artist’s spaces will be open.

“Some people wait all year for this event,” said Ugone, noting that her showroom will be transformed into a pop-up shop decorated with an 8-foot-long tree—gnawed upon by a beaver—that’s hanging from the beams overhead, adorned with creative objects.

“We inspire peoples’ creativity. It’s not just a space. It’s not just a store. It’s a creative lab,” Ugone said. 

During the event, Ugone will have over 75 lamps on sale, including limited editions, and she will debut a new item, which she calls a glow lamp, a free-standing, acorn-shaped piece that casts light through a series of decorative cutouts.

The studio’s year-old lamp bar—in which people can try various shades and finials on a lamp base they already own—will also be open, as will the shade room, where roughly 200 different, handmade lamp shades are displayed.

In addition to all styles of lamps and lighting fixtures, Ugone’s own work includes handmade steel accent tables, lazy Susans, clocks and prints; they are sold in over 250 galleries across the country. 

Items that Ugone and her staff curate—such as Alpaca wool scarves, jewelry, and handmade wooden utensils, all made by other well-known artists—will also be available during Open Studios.

Ugone began to develop her line over 30 years ago, after debuting at a prestigious show in New York City. She also sells her products through well-respected catalogs, such as Sundance and Artful Home.

Since the studio is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., customers have the opportunity to have one-on-one consults, during which they can problem-solve lighting issues. 

“Opening on a daily basis has given us more opportunities to work directly with the public to help people resolve lighting issues and be creative for something unique,” Ugone said. 

Customers can walk in and browse through dozens of shades and patterns or bring swatches of fabrics, paint, or tile featured in their homes, photos of their fixtures or interiors, as well as measurements and other information needed to help them make choices.

“The studio’s wooden walls and handmade shades offer a warm, artful glow,” Ugone said.  “When folks come in, they love the creative displays and get ideas for their own homes. There’s always something new. They are looking for something unique and what makes their home feel special. They also love the fact that we collaborate with over 53 local businesses.” 

Ugone has recently opened a lending library of sorts, in which customers can borrow hanging fixtures or sconces to view in their own spaces; Ugone knows it is difficult for people to imagine what might look good at home and said, “Take it home, try it where you want it, choose the pattern and a color that resonates, and now you know for certain.”

Ugone’s showroom, outlet space, lamp bar, and shade room opened last September.

Customers can bring their existing lamp bases and shades, and give them a makeover. “Who doesn’t have a base in the closet or a plain shaded lamp that could use a fun refresh?” Ugone said, noting adaptors are available for unusual shade attachments.

“Customers get involved and have creatively up-cycled lamps—from meaningful keepsakes to items from Target, Pier One, or flea market finds, totally transforming them,” she added. “What inspires us, inspires others”

During the week, Ugone said visitors to the studio can also often get a look at how things are made. “The studio is right here. It’s a great hub of community. You’ll see us painting shades, casting ceramics, our welder delivering custom parts, or meet family businesses we work with who mill stone or turn wood,” she said. “You’ll see other artisans coming and going.” 

Ugone lives in Northampton. She graduated from Mass College of Art, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in ceramics and design. Learn more about her and her work at https://jannaugoneandco.com/.

To learn more about Open Studios, visit http://www.cottagestreetstudios.com/events/category/open-studios/.

The post Janna Ugone & Co. to Take Part in the 28th Annual December Open Studio and Sale at Cottage Street Studios appeared first on Beetle Press.