Lowcountry Originals 2022 - Laura Burcin
July 2022 Issue
Photography courtesy of Cassidy Dunn Photography
Laura Burcin
Current Residence: Beaufort
Hometown: Louisville, KY
Career: Aerospace Engineering
Art: Tapestry
Family:
Husband Bill, 4 Sons—Michael, Richard, Kevin and Billy; 1 Daughter—Ali and 2 Grandchildren Wilson and Ryker
How did you discover your talent? How does it speak to you?
I have always loved yarn and creating things with yarn. I started weaving, spinning, dyeing and collecting yarn many years ago as a hobby and a relaxation from my career as an aerospace engineer. When I retired and moved to Beaufort in 2014, I began weaving tapestry.
Tapestry is a form of textile art woven by hand on a loom. It is “weft faced” weaving, meaning that only the weft, or horizontal yarn, should show. The tapestry design, known as a cartoon, is held behind the tapestry to guide the weaver as she weaves. In tapestry, the artist interlaces each colored weft yarn back and forth in its own small pattern area following the cartoon.
My tapestries are expressions of my thoughts and feelings about inequalities in society. I am highly motivated by socio-political issues, and these are the inspiration for most of my cartoons. I have an exhibit in July of eight of my tapestries pertaining to Women’s Equality. My portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is one from this series.
What makes you a Lowcountry Original?
I’m not aware of any other tapestry artists in the Lowcountry. Combining tapestry with political activism is even more rare. I have been using my studio at Atelier Off Bay to expose the public to this ancient art form. I create contemporary tapestry using the same techniques that were used to decorate castles in medieval times. The Lowcountry allows me to have an outdoor dye kitchen where I create tapestry yarns from natural dyes like indigo and madder.
What do you hope people “get” out of your art?
I hope people understand that I am sharing my opinion about a socio-political issue in a way that will encourage dialogue.
What’s the best encouragement you’ve ever received in pursuing your artistic talents?
I was encouraged by the extrinsic motivation of entering my work in international competitions. My portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg has received several awards and was selected for a nationwide tour. This gave me the confidence to continue weaving and developing my skills.
How do you get your “creative juices” flowing?
Current events really get my creative juices flowing. I read quite a bit and talk to people to get their opinions. Then I journal and sketch and the ideas start flowing. I will often talk about my cartoons before I begin with visitors to my studio. Their comments and ideas provide encouragement, as well as refinement of my cartoons.
If you could go anywhere in the world to perform/create your art,
where would it be and why?
I would love to spend several months studying and weaving in France. France is the home of two major tapestry schools from historic times, Gobelin and Aubusson. I would really like to see the Bayeux Tapestry. It was made in the 11th century and is 230-feet long by 20-inches high. The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry woven in the 15th century is in the Cluny Museum in Paris.
In addition to your art, what’s your next best talent?
I would say I have a talent for teaching, as I find ways to instruct all the time. I’m an adjunct professor at USCB in the Computer Science department; I teach tapestry in my studio; I teach a STEM workshop for middle school girls; and I’m teaching my granddaughter to bake.
What’s something unique in your house/studio/collection that more than likely no one else has?
I have a huge dinner fork that I use to beat down the weft every few rows. It cracks people up when they see me using it.
When someone finds out what you do, what question do they always ask you?
People always want to know how I change colors when I’m weaving. I have to tie a half hitch with the yarn on the current warp and push the yarn tail to the backside where it won’t be seen. Then I tie on the new color on the next warp, and again the tail goes to the back. The back of my tapestries has many short pieces of yarn hanging out.
Describe what success looks like for you.
I’m not driven by financial success with my art but more intrinsic motives. My desire for equality drives my thoughts, and my tapestry allows me to express these thoughts. Success to me would be if people were inspired by my tapestry to work towards social equality.
Where can people see your work?
I have an exhibit “Women’s Equity Tapestry Series”, July 1 through July 31 at Atelier Off Bay, 203 West St., Beaufort, SC.
I hope people understand that I am sharing my opinion about a socio-political issue in a way that will encourage dialogue.
What’s the best encouragement you’ve ever received in pursuing your artistic talents?
I was encouraged by the extrinsic motivation of entering my work in international competitions. My portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg has received several awards and was selected for a nationwide tour. This gave me the confidence to continue weaving and developing my skills.
How do you get your “creative juices” flowing?
Current events really get my creative juices flowing. I read quite a bit and talk to people to get their opinions. Then I journal and sketch and the ideas start flowing. I will often talk about my cartoons before I begin with visitors to my studio. Their comments and ideas provide encouragement, as well as refinement of my cartoons.
If you could go anywhere in the world to perform/create your art,
where would it be and why?
I would love to spend several months studying and weaving in France. France is the home of two major tapestry schools from historic times, Gobelin and Aubusson. I would really like to see the Bayeux Tapestry. It was made in the 11th century and is 230-feet long by 20-inches high. The Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry woven in the 15th century is in the Cluny Museum in Paris.
In addition to your art, what’s your next best talent?
I would say I have a talent for teaching, as I find ways to instruct all the time. I’m an adjunct professor at USCB in the Computer Science department; I teach tapestry in my studio; I teach a STEM workshop for middle school girls; and I’m teaching my granddaughter to bake.
What’s something unique in your house/studio/collection
that more than likely no one else has?
I have a huge dinner fork that I use to beat down the weft every few rows. It cracks people up when they see me using it.
When someone finds out what you do, what question do they always ask you?
People always want to know how I change colors when I’m weaving. I have to tie a half hitch with the yarn on the current warp and push the yarn tail to the backside where it won’t be seen. Then I tie on the new color on the next warp, and again the tail goes to the back. The back of my tapestries has many short pieces of yarn hanging out.
Describe what success looks like for you.
I’m not driven by financial success with my art but more intrinsic motives. My desire for equality drives my thoughts, and my tapestry allows me to express these thoughts. Success to me would be if people were inspired by my tapestry to work towards social equality.
Where can people see your work?
I have an exhibit “Women’s Equity Tapestry Series”, July 1 through July 31 at Atelier Off Bay, 203 West St., Beaufort, SC.