B l a c k   o n   B l a c k

Marilyn Rea Menzies

Tapestry Weaving & Digital Works

April 7 - May 3

When deciding to weave these 12 small tapestries I was quite fascinated by the contrast between the plain tapestry weave structures that formed the word ‘black’ in each work and the textural effects created by the use of different yarns and techniques forming the background.  These tapestries are the most minimal that I have ever woven, and were created for the exhibition by the Professional Weavers, ‘Black/White – A Journey Through Contrast’ that travelled around New Zealand in 2004.

I work in a number of different mediums with the main passion being tapestry weaving, though I have continued to develop my drawing skills and also enjoy photography and most recently digital design. I use my computer a lot now for designing tapestry.

I choose to work in the medium of tapestry weaving from this background of drawing and painting because I find it an absorbing art form. The process of making is no different now to what it was generations ago and the design possibilities are endless. The content and structure of the work are so interdependent that one cannot exist without the other and there is  something quite satisfying in creating a whole piece from nothing.