Michael Oswald

 

I met Michael while set up on top of the South Street Whole Foods 6 years ago. He expressed interest in joining in on a weaving class with me. He had done a workshop out in Washington state and work on a floor loom, but needed to learn more. When our first session was to start I was making classes available at a studio I had spent a decade in at 915 Spring Garden St. It was a place where I hosted interns, open studios and now, classes, as I moved my production up to a larger space in Frankford. The night we were to start class, just an hour before I arrived at my studio I found it locked up and the building closed for 29 fire and electrical violations. Only having met Michael once I had to call him and tell him we couldn’t meet at the location where class was planned. I offered to caravan him and 2 other students to my new production studio space and he agreed. It was one of those weird moments where you just don’t know if you're building or losing the relationship of a new student. We have worked together ever since. He has made a handwoven belt, place mats, a table runner, crocheted blanket, tapestry, the half woven half crocheted infinity scarf, and currently is making a rug on the peg loom. He is an integral part of our textile community and Textile Thursday offerings, which currently meet on Zoom each Thursday from 6-7:30 and hopefully in person at Art Star again come fall with the Zoom element for those looking in from afar.

 

Process & Final Pieces