Mary Rawcliffe Colton
Lamplight Mosque, 2005
36 in x 24 in
Mary Rawcliffe Colton
Spring Dance, 2001
42 in x 27 in
Mary Rawcliffe Colton’s Artist Statement
Since tapestry grows slowly, I weave what gives me joy. I like the challenge of building a sound structure as I build an image. My techniques are either small, fine and European or larger, bolder and Southwestern depending upon the imagery. I love color and texture. I want to share images of the high desert where I live and to remind people of the fragility of this environment. I have stories to tell of the places where I’ve traveled and the people I’ve met, as well as of my garden, my cat, and my grandchildren.
Mary Rawcliffe Colton
Once There Was a River, 2005
41 in x 70 in
Mary Rawcliffe Colton’s Artist Biography
A weaver and teacher since the early 1970’s, I retired in 1999 from a decade as Adjunct Assistant Professor in Art Education at the University of New Mexico. In 1998, I received, from the Handweavers Guild of America, a Masters Certificate of Excellence with a specialized study of tapestry. For many years I used the indirect techniques of Ikat (resisting and dyeing the yarns) and clasped-weft (a rug structure) to produce inexact woven images. In retirement I have given myself the time to weave tapestry with its direct methods of creating precise images.