Veronica Pock | Handwoven textiles

Finding beauty in hidden places

The summer solstice is behind us now here in the Northern hemisphere. We are in the middle of a heatwave and the world feels unsettled, a sense of tension. I try to make sense of this feeling of unease whilst working on my loom. As thread follows thread, the rush and clatter of the shuttle traversing the warp and the rhythmical motion soothes me and I endeavour to maintain a sense of calm; the logical construction of the fabric follows the constraints and constructs enforced by the loom and creates order and pattern in a chaotic world. The act of bringing something beautiful into the world gives me a sense of purpose and fulfilment.

Studio view

Continuing with the theme of earth colours and totems, items which can be interpreted as sacred objects or artefacts of meaning, I have been making sketches and mixed media collage works to explore the forms and colours. This process feeds through into my woven pieces.

Painted linen warp: two woven artworks ‘Agate I and II’

Agate (/ˈæɡɪt/ AG-it) is a banded variety of chalcedony, the crystalline variety of quartz, and agate stones are characterized by alternating bands of different coloured chalcedony, sometimes including macroscopic quartz. As a crystal, agate symbolizes strength, protection and courage. It’s often associated with emotional stability, inner calm and self-confidence. The crystal meaning of agate varies depending on its colour and distinct patterns, offering a unique set of attributes for each type. These two woven pieces are inspired by the earthy colours of agate gemstones, and include linen, silk, cotton, wool and raw tussah silk as well as spun paper yarn. The warp threads have been painted in blocks to enhance the graphic nature of the weave.

New small handwoven artworks: ‘Into the flower garden’

I’ve recently completed a series of smaller works. Using paper yarn combined with linen, silk, cotton, metallic thread and recycled sari silks, these pieces are extremely textured with a high level of intricate detail combined in the repeating grid of a honeycomb weave structure.

I was inspired by a recent visit to the RHS Flower Show at Chelsea. The colours and variety of planting are reflected in these pieces as an abstract visual memory. The piece shown below is now available through Art[s] Gallery Simone Jansen.

On the loom

Currently on the loom is a mixed warp of different wools in vibrant blues, greens and pops of violet. The section shown below is the final part of the warp where I can play freely and experiment.

New lambswool scarves

Despite the high summer temperatures, I’m currently working on new collections of lambswool scarves for this year’s autumn/winter season. I’ve recently updated my online store, LiminalWEAVE on Etsy, with several one-of-a-kind lambswool scarves in two sizes, 26x185cm (left) and 36x220cm (right).

Thank you…

…so much for joining me on my creative journey through the seasons. Your support and interest really does make a difference. If you’d like to see more of my work and inspirations, I post regularly on Instagram @veronicapock and my work is available online at LiminalWEAVE on Etsy and Saatchi Art. I also have a mailing list; if you would like to keep up to date with latest events and updates you can join by clicking here.

I’m looking forward to seeing you here again soon for a late summer update.

with warmest wishes, Veronica x