This January I spent a week in Tennessee, after being invited to join the Tactility Forum at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts. Thirteen North American artists working across the spectrum of fiber and related materials met in the Smoky Mountains to make work, talk shop, and eat wintry soups. I was incredibly happy to be part of this group and to see so much great work develop around me in our shared workspace.
I arrived without a specific plan, and began a search for materials, which in Gatlinburg could lead one astray. The local yarn shop/bait and tackle shop (The Smoky Mountain Spinnery) fortunately had an interesting selection–the giant cone of rug cotton, which I bought, and the rabbit fur fishing lures, which I wish I had. Here's a sample of some of the new developments:
