“Disrupting the Dust,” a collection of weavings and sculpture by Wendy Weiss opens First Friday, August 2, at WallSpace-LNK, 1624 S. 17th St., Lincoln. The Professor Emerita taught textile design at the University of Nebraska from 1986-2014 and directed the Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery. New work as well as large weavings and sculptures she made while a professor will be on display. The exhibition opens at 12 noon, with a reception featuring the artist from 5-8 p.m.
Viewers will encounter works that incorporate traditional, natural dyeing techniques into pieces that address historical and contemporary issues, as well as a large sculpture one can enter, with evocative screen printed images. As a Fulbright scholar in India, Weiss studied ikat, a method of dyeing threads bound with resists prior to setting up the loom to weave. This method requires careful planning to create specific patterns or imagery. Weiss’s woven-in words encourage viewers to expand their understanding of what weavings convey.
Throughout the exhibit’s run, gallery visitors are invited to create their own weavings on portable laser-cut looms Weiss made at Nebraska Innovation Studio. This impromptu “walk-in weaving” instruction is available Fridays-Sundays 12-5 p.m., August 2-31. On Saturdays August 24 and 31, special guests from ECHO Collective will assist visitors from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Would-be weavers are welcome to bring their own thread and linear material to use in their personal take-home weaving, but materials will be available on site, free of charge. Yarn donations of wool and cotton threads will be accepted at the gallery during open hours in August. What is not used will be contributed to ECHO’s weaving program: https://echocollectivene.org/textile-weaving-project
“Disrupting the Dust” is available free of charge with support from the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Regular gallery hours: Friday-Sunday, 12- 5p.m. August 2-31, and til 8 on First Friday. or by appointment (402-810-4890). More information on Facebook or Instagram.
