Kate Barber
I knew I had found my calling when I took my first weaving class many years ago. I was practically giddy when I learned to take yarn from a cone and turn it into cloth. Something about the process – everything that happened between the cone and the cloth – was magical and really spoke to me. After 16 years -- 5 of those spent at the Silk Weaving Studio -- weaving continues to challenge me in ways that are richly rewarding.
In 2009, I began exploring weaving in combination with devoré, a surface design technique which "devours" cellulose fiber. These scarves are woven with two types of fiber: cellulose (linen) and protein (silk or wool). After they are woven, I screenprint patterns onto them with a mild acid. Where the acid prints, the cellulose fiber is dissolved, leaving the protein fiber intact. The scarves are fulled either gently for a soft "flat" piece, or more vigorously for a felted piece with more texture.
Visit www.katebarber.ca for more.
