Amazingly, we found the folded paper cartoon for Transparent Tapestry. Once again, I found myself absolutely enthralled as we spent an entire day enjoying a rare treasure trove of photo albums and a newly discovered school portfolio filled with weaving notes, designs, pattern drafts and even the actual cartoons from several of Elsie’s pieces. When the light source is behind the transparency you can see the shapes formed by the areas of open warp.Įarlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet with Joye’s daughter Heidi, a granddaughter of Elsie Siroky, so I could get better photos of her work. I suspected there had to be a connection somewhere because the piece was so reminiscent of the transparent portieres designed by Frida Hansen. I immediately felt like I was transported back to Norway, discovering Frida Hansen’s work for the very first time. Within a few feet of her front door, I found myself face to face with the captivating, full color version of Transparent Tapestry. Miraculously, I eventually found a family member who gave me the name of Elsie Siroky’s daughter, Joye, who was kind enough to invite me to her home to view and photograph more examples of her mother’s work. Then, I found myself scouring the white pages and calling random phone numbers listed under the last name of Siroky. She was one of our early members, joining the guild in 1927 while studying weaving with Miss Lillian Glaser at Washington University. The piece called to me, even in black and white. Siroky, which had been featured in a guild exhibition in 1939. Several years ago, I saw an article in our archives with a black and white photo of a piece titled Transparent Tapestry by Mrs. Transparent Tapestry was interesting, even in a small black-and-white photo. ![]() The guild has an extensive archive, but we continue to research the artists from our guild and our history as the second oldest weaving guild in the nation. The guild was founded in March of 1926 as an extension of the weaving classes at the School of Fine Art at Washington University in St. ![]() Louis, which recently celebrated its 95th anniversary. These days, much of my life is focused on involvement in my local guild, the Weavers’ Guild of St. ![]() While that initial quest was unsuccessful, I did discover a fascination for Norwegian weavers, namely Frida Hansen, Hannah Ryggen and Unn Sønju! Now, after forty-plus years and three more trips, I finally found my grandfather’s birthplace on a farm in Ølen, and have visited dozens of museums and galleries to satisfy my interest in the history of weaving and in my favorite weavers from Norway. My first trip to Norway was in the 1970s, when my sister and I were searching for clues about his birthplace. This story begins with my connections to Norway, where my grandfather was born. It’s wonderful when life takes us in directions that connect the past with the present I always try to watch for those links because I know they are not accidental.
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