Four abstract views of Saturday — morning coffee on the back porch, paddling in the river, a hike in the woods, returning to the back porch for star gazing. Contemporary raanu handwoven with salvaged home textile fabrics on undyed cotton rug warp.
When my aunt delivered Grandpa's loom, she also brought me a number of smaller treasures including two vintage, raanu that she acquired while visiting Finland. They were likely factory-manufactured in the 60's or 70's and made for hanging on the wall, like a tapestry.
Before their decorative use in modern interior design (with the colors of the era), Finnish raanu were traditionally woven with naturally dyed woollen yarns and used as blankets for beds, sleighs or boats. The designs were minimalist and inspired by Nordic scenery.
Although my rug weaving material of choice is tattered home textiles, my work is heavily influenced by my experiences in nature, so I was drawn to weave my own raanu scrap-estry.
Because of their commercial popularity, raanu like these are a fairly common find in Finnish thrift stores.
Four abstract views of Saturday — morning coffee on the back porch, paddling in the river, a hike in the woods, returning to the back porch for star gazing.
25 ½” wide x 39 ½” long (excluding fringe) - Handwoven with salvaged home textile fabrics on undyed cotton rug warp.
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