Visions From The Loom: featuring The Saunderstown Weaving School
September 12 – October 10, 2020
Exhibition Design by Judy Schaefer and Manon Pelletier
Hera Gallery is proud to present Visions From The Loom, a fall exhibition featuring The Saunderstown Weaving School, which was founded and is taught by master weaver, Norma Smayda. The show will be held at Hera Gallery at 10 High Street in Wakefield, RI, from September 12 – October 10, 2020. The public is invited to attend during our open Gallery hours, Wed- Fri (1-5pm) and Saturday (1-4pm), however we will not be holding an opening reception to comply with social distancing. In lieu of events, our exhibition will be featured throughout the month on our website in a virtual show that will also include images and videos from within the weaving school, and a recorded artist talk with the weavers.
Located in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, the school provides an environment for learning and expressing creativity through weaving, where the loom becomes a catalyst for the weaver’s vision. Students leave their worries behind to become fully immersed in the weaving process. Instruction includes designing the projects, warping the loom and weaving the final piece. Fibers and colors are added to the weaver’s mix in creating unique textiles. With a strong emphasis on traditional weaves, the school houses over 40 looms, and an extensive weaving library for students. While the weaver usually works in solitude, the school imparts a supportive and social environment for all students.
Hera Gallery and the Saunderstown Weaving School have had a close partnership over the years, both founded by women in 1974, and operating continuously since then. Hera Gallery has hosted three previous exhibits of the weaving school, including the schools 40th anniversary exhibition in 2014. They share common goals of fostering creativity and a sense of artistic accomplishment. Talents are recognized, ideas are shared, and artists offer each other encouragement that stretch them to the next level of technical and artistic skills. For more information, visit their website below.
