Jaclyn Paltanen
Out My Back Gate: Trees Woven with the Colours of Milne Dam Conservation Park, Markham, Ontario is a group of nine handwoven tree inspired panels of three different native tree species: Staghorn Sumac, Birch, and Black Walnut. Each tree species is woven in a different four harness pattern traditionally used in domestic textiles: Sumac in Huck; Birch in Ruusukas; and Walnut in Overshot. Hand manipulation techniques including weft inlay, clasped weft, and pile techniques were used to create dimension, and variation in the trees. The yarns used are all natural, and are either undyed, or dyed using historical, or locally foraged dye plants, including Woad, Weld, Madder, Walnut, Sumac, Birch, Goldenrod, Rudebekia, and Oak. This project was conceived as a way to bring a little bit of the magic of nature into an interior space while connecting my dye practice to the local landscape, and my weaving practice to history.
