Pat Burns-Wendland
I started my fibre career as a handspinner and in 1983 received the designation of Master Spinner through the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners. Weaving was a natural progression for me. The next big step was to create my own garments from my handwoven cloth, thus the necessity to hone my sewing and designing skills. I graduated from Seneca College in 2000 from the Dressmaking Certificate Program and I have not looked back.
As of late, I have been stepping out of my comfort zone and experimenting with non-traditional work while keeping the integrity of the woven cloth. The cloth always dictates what I will create. My fabric is my canvas; the dyes my paints.
Surface design is a large part of my repertoire and this is most evident in my handwoven kimonos. I only produce one kimono per year as it takes months to design and make the necessary tools, besides weaving the cloth as the background.
Handwoven clothing and accessories are my mainstay. I dye, weave, design and sew each individual piece making my work unique and definitely one of a kind.
Recently my surface design skills have been put to the test with a large collaborative project with sculptor Ken Hall and his Legacy Project. My part in this collaboration was to create three, thirty-three foot banners depicting the poisoning of the rivers and the killing of the salmon which are the mainstay of the Killer Whales' diet.
As of late, I have been stepping out of my comfort zone and experimenting with non-traditional work while keeping the integrity of the woven cloth. The cloth always dictates what I will create. My fabric is my canvas; the dyes my paints.
Surface design is a large part of my repertoire and this is most evident in my handwoven kimonos. I only produce one kimono per year as it takes months to design and make the necessary tools, besides weaving the cloth as the background.
Handwoven clothing and accessories are my mainstay. I dye, weave, design and sew each individual piece making my work unique and definitely one of a kind.
Recently my surface design skills have been put to the test with a large collaborative project with sculptor Ken Hall and his Legacy Project. My part in this collaboration was to create three, thirty-three foot banners depicting the poisoning of the rivers and the killing of the salmon which are the mainstay of the Killer Whales' diet.
