Better to watch this on a bigger screen. Not optimized for phones đ
Weaving as Metaphor –
Homage to the life and art
of Sheila Hicks and Ruth Asawa
Sheila Hicks (born 1934)
“Weaver of Worlds”
Academic Roots: Mentored by Josef Albers at Yale; deeply influenced by his color theory and pre-Columbian textile history.
Global Nomad: Lived and worked in Mexico, Chile, and South Africa, documenting indigenous weaving techniques that redefined her “global” style.
Scaling Up: Transformed weaving from a domestic craft into massive, architectural installations (often called “Minimes” or “Enlightenment” piles).
Tactile Philosophy: Known for using raw materialsâwool, silk, linen, and even found objectsâto create “soft sculptures” that invite touch.
Parisian Legacy: Established her primary studio in Paris (1964), where she continues to push the boundaries of textile art as a structural medium.
Ruth Asawa (1926â2013)
“Alchemist of Wire”
Internment & Identity – 1942: Developed her early artistic voice while detained in Japanese-American internment camps during WWII.
Black Mountain College – 1946: Studied under Josef Albers; learned to see “the line” as a structural force rather than just a drawing tool.
The Mexican Influence – 1947: Discovered traditional wire basket-weaving techniques in Toluca, Mexico, which became her signature medium.
Defining Style: Created “loop-within-a-loop” wire sculptures that play with transparency, shadows, and interior/exterior space.
Arts Activism: Founded the San Francisco School of the Arts; advocated for the necessity of arts in public education.
âLife is but a Weavingâ
(The Tapestry Poem)
My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.
Oftâ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Not âtil the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the weaverâs skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned
He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.
Corrie ten Boom
1892-1983
“Textile is a language. It is a way of communicating. It is a way of being.” â Sheila Hicks
Sheila Hicks treats fiber as a foundational building blockânot a decoration,
but a primary structural element as essential as a brick or a wooden beam.
“Art is not a series of masterpieces. Art is a way of living.” â Ruth Asawa
She often worked late at night while her six children slept,
turning “domestic” time into a space for radical geometry.
 
“We are Crying for-Softness” â Sheila Hicks
“I am a person who likes to solve problems…
the problem of how to occupy a space without suffocating it.”
“I realized that I could make things that were not solid,
but that were transparent and that had a certain kind of rhythm.”
â Ruth Asawa
Once upon a time – it seems half a lifetime away – as a young guy teaching preschool, i introduced a hour a day of simple basket weaving and other ancient weaving methods to the little ones.
Obviously it was a mess for a while, until those little hands got used to the material and the rhythm of the movements.
When that was established, the children just loved it.
It became the most peaceful and relaxed hour of the day!
Watching those videos of Sheila and Ruth brought up many such long forgotten memories and i am happy and grateful!
