Award-winning handwoven pieces from “Shear Delight: Weaving in the Year of the Sheep,” the Hawaii Handweavers Hui 2015 biennial exhibition, will be on display through Oct. 18 at the Kahilu Theatre Gallery in Waimea.
Award-winning handwoven pieces from “Shear Delight: Weaving in the Year of the Sheep,” the Hawaii Handweavers Hui 2015 biennial exhibition, will be on display through Oct. 18 at the Kahilu Theatre Gallery in Waimea.
For the first time, the handwoven pieces from the exhibition at the Honolulu Museum of Art School Gallery in Honolulu, which ran Aug. 25 to Sept. 13, will be brought to the Big Island for display. These pieces represent the fine craftsmanship, artistry and skill of handweavers and spinners from throughout Hawaii.
The public is invited to Kahilu Theatre to view the exhibition, live demonstrations of handweaving and spinning and sale of items at two events: an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and the theater’s opening night concert “Rough Riders” starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Among the award-winning pieces are four made by Big Island residents Jill Cohen of Mountain View, Deb Repasky of Kona, Susan Mori and Joan Namkoong, both of Waimea.
The show’s theme, “Shear Delight: Weaving in the Year of the Sheep,” celebrates the Chinese astrological year and the fiber that many handweavers and spinners use for their craft. The use of wool was encouraged but not a requirement.
The show’s juror was Deborah Jarchow, a nationally known fiber artist and weaving teacher. Visual impact, innovation, technique, design, fiber, pattern, color and craftsmanship were among the juror’s considerations in selecting the pieces for the exhibition and awards.
In addition to the exhibition of award-winning pieces, the Big Island Chapter of the Hawaii Handweavers Hui will display the tools of their craft in the theater’s gallery. A variety of looms, spinning wheels and spindles will be displayed as well as an educational slide show demonstrating how wool is turned into cloth.
Members of the Big Island Chapter will also offer a variety of handwoven items, including rugs, towels, scarves, shawls, table runners and art pieces, for sale to the public. A portion of the proceeds from the sale will go to Kahilu Theatre.
The Kahilu Theatre Gallery is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday and during performances at the theater. For more information, visit www.kahilutheatre.org.
The Hawaii Handweavers Hui is a nonprofit founded in 1953 to promote handweaving and fiber crafts in Hawaii, encouraging weavers, spinners, dyers, fiber artists and educators who share a passion for fiber.
The Big Island chapter of the Hawaii Handweavers Hui organized in 2010. Its members meet throughout the year in various locations on the Big Island to share their knowledge and learn from other practitioners. For more information about the Hawaii Handweavers Hui visit www.hawaiihandweavers.org.