| Emilie Pritchard, rugweaver, beadweaver |
| I am a designer and weaver of heirloom quality wool rugs. Weaving has been my passion for over 20 years. In that time I have studied with some of the country's finest rug weavers. I have exhibited in shows and competitions all around the East, and have won many awards. More recently I have expanded my work into a new medium--beadweaving. Like the rugs my beaded structures are explorations of geometric shapes. Here too, I'm beginning to be recognized and to appear in more prestigious venues. My studio is in Panama City, Florida, where it shares space with the sailboat business my husband and I own. Stop by any weekday, and see me and my work. |
| Artist's Statement |
| Because I am a rugweaver, I straddle the worlds of art and craft, and both traditions are important to me. As a designer, my first love is color, and it is the starting point for all my rugs. Some designs are enhanced by controlled, subtle shifts in color, while others seem to call for a more spontaneous, grab-another-color approach. But always, color and color relationships are central. I use geometric designs to play upon and bring out these color relationships. As a craftsman, I strive to create a functional, long wearing rug. It is important to me to know that my rugs will outlast me. This goal governs my choice of materials. The weft, which is the visible part of the rug, is wool. Wool has been the fiber of choice for rug weavers for thousands of years, because it dyes beautifully, and wears so well in use. I hand dye all my yarns, both to insure maximum color control and to achieve a subtle abrash, or color variation, which is unavailable in commercially dyed yarns. I also use specialized techniques like weft ikat, gradation dying and others where appropriate. The warp, which is stretched on the loom, is natural linen, which I import from Belgium. It is not visible in most of the rugs, but it gives them the firmness and stability that are so important for a long-lasting rug. While weaving, I work with 2 colors of wool at a time, in a technique called shaft switching, which lets me place each color where I want it in each woven row. This gives me a freedom of design approaching that achieved in tapestry weaving, while at the same time producing a much heavier, sturdier product. My designs are geometric, sometimes wholly modern, sometimes drawing on ancient and tribal sources, but executed so as to have a contemporary feel. I am inspired by the many traditions of weaving, but always with a view to producing something fresh and original. It is that goal that keeps me at my loom, creating, experimenting, sometimes failing, but always learning, and finding great satisfaction along the way. |
Contact Info:
2113 E. 3rd St.
Panama City, FL 32401
Panama City, FL 32401
Mail:
Email:
Telephone:
850-763-1028
| My rugs |
| My beadwork |
| What I'm striving for in my beadwork is a sort of clean, uncluttered feel. Like the rugs, the pieces emphasize geometric shapes. What I love here, though, is the ability to expand that geometry into 3 dimensions. I find I draw as much inspiration from engineered or architectural works like those of Santiago Calatrava or Ken Snelson as I do from traditional jewelry. The pieces are made from beads, sometimes glass, and sometimes stone or metal, joined with monofilament nylon line or thread. My great joy is in creating something unique and memorable, whether it be a piece of jewelry, a vessel or sculptural piece, out of such simple elements. |
| *************** A quick announcement-- I've started a blog, discussing some of the design ideas and geometric aspects behind my work, and where some of my ideas come from. I know very little about blogs actually, so I'm probably doing lots of things wrong, but I'm enjoying it anyway. You can take a look at EPOriginals.blogspot.com **************** |
