Monday, April 12, 2010

Let the Rivers Clap Their Hands!

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This is the cover of the program used for the Diamond Jubilee for Sister Bianca Haglich, who has served in the order of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary for 60 years.

Sr. Bianca is the driving force of a number of weaving groups, and, for me, most notably, the Wacky Weavers which started about 36 years ago.  We are a group of 10 women, many of whom (but not me!) began weaving as students of Sr. Bianca, during her tenure at Marymount College in Tarrytown, NY.  Our Wacky Weavers’ group gets together once a month, except in summer, to teach each other fiber-related techniques.  Over the years the group has witnessed the births, childhood accomplishments, graduations and marriages of our children; the deaths of loved ones; the births of grandchildren.  In recent years some of our monthly meetings have become celebrations of landmark birthdays since we are all advancing in age!

Sr. Bianca created this image for her diamond jubilee since water has played such an important role in the journey of her life.  She was born on the island of Lussin in the Adriatic (now part of Croatia), sailed across the oceans to arrive in New York as an adolescent, and has lived on the shores of the Hudson River for many years now.

Bianca Haglich Eucharist

In this photo Sr. Bianca is standing before her newly installed, large kuultokudos (transparency weave) for the “Mother House” in Bezier, France. 

Bianca is an amazing weaver! As a young woman with many artistic talents, she studied weaving in Finland,  and now she is fluent in so many facets of weaving I couldn’t possibly list them all.  She has taught many, many people to weave and has a beautiful studio in Tarrytown that includes about 20 Toika looms.

Bianca’s studio used to be on the campus of Marymount College and was called “The Center for Fiber Arts.”  Along with college art students she had a diverse following of adults who came to study.  With the closing of Marymount College (bought by Fordham Univ.) she moved her studio to a large, light-filled space on the grounds of her convent, and the studio is now called “The Weaving Center.”

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Sr. Bianca in the library of her studio where the Wacky Weavers helped her celebrate her 82nd birthday in February!

 

 

 

 

A large segment of Sr. Bianca’s students are Jewish women who come to learn weaving in order to make tallithim(sp?) for their loved ones.  Truly, an ecumenical “Weavers without Borders!”

6 comments:

K Spoering said...

Love this - weaving and the cover. I posted something that must have been from the same Psalm on my spiritual blog recently! http://gracewonder.blogspot.com/

handwovensbylinda.com said...

What a lovely tribute to a lovely individual. Just the photo of the one piece that you included is amazing. Is there a site that you know of where we can see additional work by her? You are SO fortunate to be where you are and able to work with all of the amazing tapestry weavers that you do. Thanks so much for sharing!

OzWeaver said...

Linda,

Yes, I am extremely fortunate to have access to such amazing weavers who are so generous with their knowledge!

Sr. Bianca does not have a website or even an email address! Sometimes this makes me so sad as I begin to feel that her light is shining under a basket. I hope to write something about her, for a more public venue than my little blog (!), so hopefully I will be able to gather some photos. Believe it or not, almost all her photos are film, not digital.

Sr. Bianca was written up in the NYTimes some time ago. I will have to find the specifics and post a link.

Thanks for you comments!

theShizzKnit said...

I would love to learn from Sr. Bianca! Does she still teach? How can one contact her to schedule lessons/classes?

OzWeaver said...

ShizzKnit,

Yes, Sr. Bianca still teaches. She does not have email or a website. The center is open Tuesdays through Saturdays.ba
The Weaving Center
32 Warren Ave
Tarrytown NY 10591
914-332-1948

theShizzKnit said...

Thank you! I recall now that I'd found that contact info online at http://www.getfave.com/8784287-weaving-center-rshm and placed it on my calendar last year to follow up! I called to schedule but got to traveling so much for work that year...is there no computer at the convent? I support and teach the computerized patient record system at a medical center and would happily set up a website and email addy if needed :)