Manitowish River Studio

Located in the heart of Wisconsin's Northwoods, Manitowish River Studio, is the production and display studio of weaver Mary Burns. The Northwoods area provides textural and thematic inspiration for her weaving. Mary blends natural materials such as cotton, wool and linen into framed jacquard weavings, wall coverings, feltings, and hand-dyed and eco-printed scarves that reflect her love of the natural world. Patterns range in color from subtle to vibrant, and the designs range from traditional to contemporary.

The studio houses several looms, each capable of varying weaving widths and techniques. They include an 8' Cranbrook countermarche rug loom and a 42" TC-2 jacquard loom. This is a working studio where the visitor is welcome to watch the weaving in progress.

Many finished pieces are on display in the studio. Portfolios containing prints and drawings of designs are available for viewing.

Designs

mary_burns_Studio Display.HummingbirdUnique to Manitowish River studio is the TC-2 jacquard loom. One of a small group of handweavers in North America to have a jacquard loom, Mary creates intricate designs on this loom in an astonishing array of rich cotton yarns. The jacquard loom allows the weaver complete control over every warp thread on the loom. In this case there are 1320 warp ends that are slightly heavier than sewing thread. This gives the artist the ability to create highly detailed weavings with great depth. The jacquard pieces are usually woven in cotton with the addition of an occasional bit of wool or novelty yarn for texture.

Mary also specializes in shaft-switched blockweave designs in floor and wall pieces. This style of weaving produces double-sided weavings in which the colors reverse positions, creating a positive/negative image on either side of the piece. Intricate pictorial pieces are made possible through this complex design process.

Top quality wool, cotton, linen and silk are used in these creations. These materials, combined with the fiber techniques and designs of Manitowish River Studio, create heirloom quality pieces.

Location

Manitowish River Studio is located in in the crossroads of Manitowish in northern Wisconsin, near the intersection of Hwy 51 and Hwy 47. It is 26 miles north of Woodruff, 4 miles south of Mercer.

Connect With Us

Manitowish River Studio
4245N State Highway 47
Mercer, WI 54547

Tel: 715-476-2828

[email protected]

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