Janis has been weaving for over 40 years but knows she will never run out of techniques to explore. This summer she has been hand painting textile dye onto the threads, called the warp, that run the length of her scarves. The plain color weft threads hold the warp threads together to make the cloth as they run across the width. A shuttle carries this thread which is thrown anywhere from 1500 to 2000 times depending on the length or density of the scarf. This combination creates pattern over-laying the changing colors on the warp. It is always interesting to weave because watching the color and pattern interact changes with every throw of the shuttle.

We are featuring the work of Janis Collins for the month of July. She is currently exploring the Mandela style of art as a new way of relating to the circle symbolizing the perfect harmony of nature in the world. She sees a strong connection between the natural world and the never-ending circle. The possibilities are endless! The images are chosen carefully to make a specific statement about how the elements in each Mandela relate to each other.

Janis works with Prismacolor colored pencils, and sometimes adds pen/ink to the drawings. Visit the gallery to see her new work.