Nikki Crain: Studio Tour Ten Artist

“I am a weaver, who first sat down at a loom in 1983, and have been on a learning odyssey ever since. My favorite pastime is designing new pieces and playing with colors, sometimes dyeing my own yarns. I make cloth that industry can’t produce. I prefer to work with natural fibers such as cotton, wool, silk and rayon.  Why shouldn’t functional household items also be beautiful and bring pleasure to the user?

Math plays a big part in weaving and I like to take it to a higher level by using the Fibonacci sequence in many of my designs.”

Website: handweavingbynikki.com

Nikki is the featured artist for STUDIO TOUR TEN.

Stocking Stuffer Boutique, Saturday Dec 4, in Three Rivers

Join six great artists for the fabulous and fun Stocking Stuffer Boutique, at the home of Three Rivers artist Karen Kimball, from 11-5 pm . Free gift wrap and loads of holiday cheer. For more information, call 559-786-8623.

Harvest of Handwovens Show and Sale

The 31st Annual event by Handweavers of the Valley
will be on October 23 from 10-3 pm at the Exeter Veterans Memorial Building.

Local handweavers will be showing wearable art, handwoven garments, dish towels, afghans, holiday gifts, yarn, rugs, gourds, scarves, placemats and basket weaving. There will be demonstrations of weaving, spinning, felting and basketmaking. Three Rivers artist and weaver, Nikki Crain is president of the organization, which is part of the Association of Southern California Handweavers. The local guild has monthly meetings on the second Saturday of each month.

Meeting the Studio Tour Artists: Nikki Crain

Nikki Crain
handweaving, soy candle making

blog handweavingbynikki.wordpress.com

“The why of how I got started weaving is still mystery to me.  On the way to and from my home, I saw the sign for the “Loom Room” on South Fork as I went past the Seaborns’ Ranch in the early 80s and told my husband, “That’s for me.” At that time, I didn’t even know what weaving entailed, only that I desperately wanted to learn. Being surrounded by the beauty of Three Rivers makes me want to create beauty. Also, the contacts I have made here (former members of the Loom Room) have helped me immeasurably. Just driving past the Loom Room seemed to plant the seed in me.

A friend showed me how to weave on a loom with a very simple demonstration. Only one formal lesson in weaving, 25 years ago, after working on my own for a year.  Otherwise, friends helped me informally and I “picked the brains” of other weavers, experimented and read and continue to read a lot. I have attended many workshops and conferences studying many aspects of weaving.

It is a great mystery to me as to why I love weaving so much.  My husband asks if it isn’t extremely boring doing something so repetitive.  That has never bothered me.  I love to watch the woven piece grow under my shuttle or across one of my many looms. I like to line up the threads and make order out of the chaos that seems apparent at the beginning of a weaving project.  I have no idea why I was so drawn to it.  It seems to be a part of my DNA. Was there a weaver in my past?  A distant ancestor? I really don’t know.”

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How to get Studio Tour tickets…earlybird price until March 5.

Studio Tour Weekend Approaching…

Every other year, the many artists, who live and work in Three Rivers, open their private studios to the public. The ninth Three Rivers Artists’ Studio Tour will be held on March 19-20-21, expanding to three days this year, giving visitors more time to leisurely visit each studio.  Studio Tour 9 celebrates the singular creative expressions of twenty-one artists, solidifying its Tour de Force status as an exceptional creative achievement for Tulare County, from its inception eighteen years ago.

Art-making is essentially a solitary experience for most of these artists, the work culminating from each one’s personal narrative of how art-making evolves, living in the foothills. By welcoming visitors into their studio workspace, the artists invite interesting conversations about the making of art.  The Studio Tour becomes a multi-voice dialogue about creativity, living with art, the inspiration of the natural world, and how to meet the challenge of earning a livelihood from art.  Lives have been changed by this Studio Tour.  Many visitors have gone home and made a creative space for their own inspired, innate artistic nature to emerge. The artists are rewarded by the respectful appreciation and enthusiasm that is offered in return.

Tickets on sale for earlybird price of $15/ per adult until March 5, $20 at the door. More ticket info HERE.

Nikki Crain featured at the Art Co-Op

Three Rivers weaver, Nikki Crain, is the featured artist for the month of January at the Art Co-Op.
A reception will be given for her on January 2 from 2-6 pm.

“Weaving is my delight! I enjoy using beautiful natural fibers and yarns to make practical items to wear or use. Each handwoven piece is one-of-a-kind or limited edition. I create cloth that can’t be duplicated in a factory.  Playing with dyes reminds me of opening a new box of crayons in kindergarten. What fun awaits! I also love candles and want the healthiest ones possible so I pour natural vegetable soy candles.”