Archie Brennan

December 7, 1931-October 31, 2019

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Exhibit 
Archie Brennan Retrospective
At The Dovecot Studios, Edinburgh, Scotland in coordination with the National Museum of Scotland
April 26 - August 30, 2021

 

Archie Brennan: Tapestry Goes Pop!

 

 

 

The following is from an article written by Ann Byrd Mays (1941-2019) who was a student of Archie and Susan's and member of the Wednesday Group. 

Personal statement from Archie Brennan

Quite simply the practice of woven tapestry has been an obsessive passion my entire adult life. It is my creative language, and I love-hate-delight- and struggle with it each day, all day. In a unique manner it is a vehicle to convey concept, comments, harmony, discord, rhythm, growth and form. Simply put, it is what I do. That tapestry today is widely regarded as a minor art form leaves me unconcerned. This is someone else’s problem. In medieval Europe, pre-Columbian Peru and Coptic Egypt, tapestry was supreme. Five hundred years ago it was already extremely sophisticated- aesthetically, technically and in diversity of purpose. Today its lack of defined purpose – its rarity – gives me opportunity to seek new roles, to extend its historic language and above all to dominate my compulsive drive. 
In 1967, I made a formal decision to step away from the burgeoning and exciting fiber arts movement and to refocus on woven tapestry’s long-established graphic pictorial role. My belief was and still is that tapestry had foundered into an imitative, reproductive process. In spite of a few notable exceptions, the technical virtuosity of the eighteenth – twentieth century became a serious and sorry disadvantage. Tapestry was merely a servant to painters and paintings.

Educational Page

Click the More button to access loom diagrams, mounting, etc on Susan Martin Maffei's website

ARCHIE BRENNAN :            Tapestry as                         Modern Art

Archie Brennan,                                             as told to Brenda Osborn

This memoir, compiled with the assistance of weaver and former Wednesday Group member Brenda Osborn, provides the opportunity to pass his insights and his creative voice to a new generation of weavers. Let his incomparable voice explain why a dedication to weaving is worthwhile.

Available here - Schiffer Books

Brennan-Maffei Tapestry Weaving Videos

DVD versions are no longer available - all of the lessons are streaming and can be downloaded. The video can be watched on your MAC, PC, tablet or smart phone.

Cost - $250 (US Dollars please)

If you would like to pay via credit card using Paypal please click below to send email request and a Paypal invoice will be sent to you. Once the payment processes the link will be sent to you.

“Pandora Box: Black Walnut., 30” x 25” folded