Spring is here

All of the art and craft schools graduation shows are starting these upcoming weeks. Every year the exhibitions are a sure sign of the arrival of spring. Here are some of this years highlights;

Photo: www.konstfack.se

Konstfack Spring exhibition May 16th - 26th

Photo: www.hvskola.se

HV Skola Gradutation Exhibition May 22nd - August 31st

Photo: www.saterglantan.se

Sätergläntan Spring Exhibition May 25th - 26th

The story of Alice Lund Textilier

Even though hand weaving is our most important task at the studio, we also do a lot of other things. On of those things are guided tours. Different kinds of group and associations come and learn more about hand weaving, textile art and Alice Lund Textilier - past and present. Usually I show some pictures and talk a bit about the history, present and future of the studio and then we have a look around of what's going on in the looms. A good way of showing what life is like at a handweaving studio today.

Prepared for a guided tour at Alice Lund Textilier
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

On to the next

The large loom only got a couple of days of rest this time. Now a carpet is in the making. It is another Alice Lund classic called "Lund-mattan" and it will be an impressive size of 2,95m x 3,50m when finished. It is a replica of an older carpet that unfortunatly has been destroyed.

Alice Lund carpet "Lundmattan", in the loom 2013
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

 The wool yarns have been specially made and dyed by Wålstedts for this commission, and they turned out beautifully. Especially the speckled white/black yarn is ​​uniquely composed to fit this carpet.

Alice Lund carpet "Lundmattan", in the loom 2013
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

Alice Lund carpet "Lundmattan", in the loom 2013
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

Gems from the modern auction

Here are some favorites from this week's auction at Bukowskis in Stockholm. The lighting wasn't the best but I managed to get some photos. The auction starts tomorrow and it will be very interesting to see the final prices on some of these textile jewels. In general you get a lot for your money when buying textile art and carpets.

Of course I was very excited to see the two Olle Nyman-tapestries.

Olle Nyman "Flora", woven at Alice Lund Textilier, at Bukowskis
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

Olle Nyman "Blå Trädet", woven at Alice Lund Textilier, at Bukowskis
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

Another favorite was a monumental carpet by Märta Måås Fjetterström, almost 35 kvm in size...

Märta Måås-Fjetterström "Blå Heden", at Bukowskis
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

 ... and two carpets by one of my favorite textile artists Barbro Nilsson, also for ABMMF.

Barbro Nilsson "Strutar gul", ABMMF at Bukowskis
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

Barbro Nilsson "Strutar gul", ABMMF at Bukowskis
Photo: www.bukowskis.com

Barbro Nilsson, "Nejlikan Gråsvart", ABMMF at Bukowskis
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

Hammer and nails

Sometimes even weavers have to handle a hammer...

Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

Olle Nyman at the spring auctions

The catalogue for Bukowskis modern auction just got out. And I am happy to see that two great tapestries by Olle Nyman is for sale, and both are made at Alice Lund Textilier in the 1980´s. The studio had a long collaboration with Olle Nyman and many of the tapestries can still be seen at institutions and corporations around Sweden, for example at Riksbanken (the Swedish National bank) and Carolina Rediviva (library in Uppsala) which you can read more about here.

At the moment we are actually just getting starting with weaving a replica of an Olle Nyman tapestry called "Efter Regattan". So pictures of the making of a tapestry like this will surely be posted on the blog later on.

The tapestry "Blå Trädet" ("The Blue Tree") by Olle Nyman 1988, is woven at Alice Lund Textilier by weavers Mia Korsgren and Åsa Björs. The asking price is 20 000 - 30 000SEK. 

Tapestry "Blå Trädet" by Olle Nyman, woven at Alice Lund Textilier
Photo: www.bukowskis.com

The tapestry "Flora" by Olle Nyman 1985, is woven at Alice Lund Textilier by Margareta Wallin and Åsa Björs. The asking price is 30 000 - 40 000SEK.

Tapestry "Flora" by Olle Nyman, woven at Alice Lund Textilier
Photo: www.bukowskis.com

This is what a signature can look like on a tapestry made at Alice Lund Textilier.

Tapestry "Flora" by Olle Nyman, woven at Alice Lund Textilier
Photo: www.bukowskis.com

In the back it also has a note of information about the tapestry and it's making.

Tapestry "Flora" by Olle Nyman, woven at Alice Lund Textilier
Photo: www.bukowskis.com

Busy as a bee

A lot of things going on at the moment, which is a lot of fun of course but doesn't give much time for writing on the blog. So here are some snapshots of what's going on...

Ebba has been weaving a carpet in rosepath...

Ebba has been weaving a carpet in rosepath
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

... that is now finished and is waiting to be delivered.

The carpet is finished and waiting for delivery, at Alice Lund Textilier
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

The carpet is finished and waiting for delivery, at Alice Lund Textilier
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

 Ebba and Malin are weaving on a pall in the big loom.

Ebba and Malin are weaving on a pall in the big loom, at ALT
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

And I am, amongst other things, trying to finish my current research project about Sofia Widén...

I am trying to finish my research project about Sofia Widén
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB

... and on occasion I have a few minutes in the loom to work on my carpet.

Rosepath carpet in the making, at Alice Lund Textilier
Photo: Alice Lund Textilier AB