RECAP:
Exquisite Warps
June 7 - July 20, 2025
Chicago, IL
This summer, LMRM partnered with Meagan Smith to pilot our first painted warp workshop!
Exquisite Warps was a four part immersive workshop, covering the start-to-finish process of 1) winding 2) dye-painting 3) installing, and 4) designing files for a painted silk warp on a TC2 loom. This multi-part workshop was designed to be modular - attendees could sign up for individual sections of the process or the full workshop bundle. This workshop series will provided a group setting to exchange ideas and techniques as part of the learning process.
The amount of work from winding long warps to painting to rinsing to beaming the dyed warp onto the loom totals almost 100 hrs of skilled labor. These processes were taught through a series of technical demonstrations and dedicated time to practice. Collaboration was a key component of all of the workshop sections, as students learned on a single shared warp that was featured as LMRM’s next rental cycle.
All sections of the warp were collaboratively painted, all problems were solved together, and skills were built through community.
Check out our recap below!
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Meagan Smith (she/they) is an interdisciplinary fiber artist, she is specifically interested in the hybridization of craft, design, and technology. As a main component of her process, all of her warps are hand-painted with dyes prior to being woven on the loom. The resulting atmospheric color fields are optically blended through the weaving process. Influenced by her experience as a competitive swimmer, dynamic underwater movement and waves inspire her undulating weave patterns and lines. Following the infinite eb and flow of weaving that also resonates with swimming, Smith creates works that are focused on perception and heightened sensory experiences.
Smith received her BFA from The University of Akron in Painting (2015) and MFA in Textiles at Kent State University (2021). Smith attended artist residencies in Japan, Norway, and Iceland. This next year she has upcoming shows at SOIL, Eastern Washington University, Northern Kentucky University, and Kirkland Art Center (NY).
IG: @meaganleggin
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LMRM’s first student intern! Abel Reyes joined us as a rising senior at the Maryland Institute College of Art. They are a recipient of MICA’s GOYA Opportunity Award, which provides fine art students up to $14,000 in grant funding to support a national or international summer internship experience that might otherwise be unattainable. Abel spent their 8 week internship in the studio with us for June and July, supporting our Exquisite Warps workshops with Meagan.
IG: @abel___reyes
June 7
June 8
11 am - 2 pm
Section 1: Warping on a Warping Mill
led by Meagan Smith, assisted by Abel Reyes
In the first section of this multi-part workshop, Meagan led workshop attendees through essential techniques for winding material on a warping mill. We explored different materials and what makes a strong warp, differences in epi, and how to use a slot-hole paddle to wind multiple warp ends at once on a mill. Students practiced preparing 2 bundles of 20 yards of silk for warp painting!
This is an important aspect for preparing bundles ready for warp painting, so Meagan also met with each attendee one-on-one to guide them through how to project plan for yardage length and where to find materials and suppliers.
June 14
June 15
11 am - 3 pm
Section 2: Warp Painting for TC2 Weaving
led by Meagan Smith, assisted by Abel Reyes
During Section 2 of Exquisite Warps, we had a very intense dye-painting marathon! Meagan demonstrated the art of mixing MX chemical dyes and different application processes to achieve a variety of beautiful effects on the silk warp. Attendees worked collaboratively across the warp in sections, responding to each other's marks and colors.
Meagan also led attendees through really important tips on how to rinse the material out to maintain vibrancy, fiber strength, and how to minimize tangles in the wash out process. They also emphasized various safety measures to be taken using these dyes while painting and during the rinsing process.
June 28
June 29
11 am - 2 pm
Section 3: Dressing a TC2 loom with a Trapeze System
led by Meagan Smith, assisted by Abel Reyes
In section 3, students gained hands-on experience with dressing the TC2 loom with a trapeze system. Meagan led the attendees through organizing the warp on the raddle, and then worked as a team to establish even tension and consistency across the warp as it was wound onto the back beam.
Together, the class addressed snapped threads, tangles created from the dye wash out process, and kept 20 yards of 3,520 total threads organized in the process.
July 19
July 20
11 am - 2 pm
Section 4: TC2 File Design for Painted Warps
led by Meagan Smith, assisted by Abel Reyes
In the final installment of Exquisite Warps, Meagan introduced the basics of building weave-ready Photoshop files for the TC2 loom. This workshop explored pattern building through weaving drafts, translating images into weaving files, and experimenting with weft color blending while sampling on the painted silk warp.
As an exercise in design literacy, workshop attendees worked on creating their own individual sampler file using tools presented from Saturday’s workshop. Attendees were invited to design their own file and drop it in a shared folder by Sunday morning for Meagan and Abel to combine into a composite file.
Abel spearheaded 10 minute weaving slots, where each individual wove a portion of the composite file of everyone’s samples. Many attendees with no prior experience went on to rent their own independent weaving sessions to expand on the ideas explored in this workshop!
