About the Weavers Guild of Rhode Island

Monthly Meetings

The Weavers’ Guild of Rhode Island meets the first Saturday of each month, September through June, at the North Kingston Free Library, 100 Boone Street, North Kingston, Rhode Island. Meetings begin at 9:30 a.m. Guests are welcome. Bring a bag lunch. Location and directions

Programs

The Guild’s monthly programs include lectures (often by nationally known weavers,) weaving demonstrations, slide shows, videos, local and out of town tours, and other related activities on a wide range of topics of interest to fiber artists. Learn More

Workshops

Throughout the year half-day to three-day workshops are offered by well-known fiber artists. A nominal fee is charged. Learn More

Exhibits

MEMBER EXHIBITS The Guild holds juried and non-juried exhibits of members’ work that are open to the public.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS The Guild also produces special exhibits in cooperation with various organizations and museums.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH Guild members demonstrate weaving, spinning and dyeing techniques at schools, historical sites, museums and community events during the year.

Regional Conference

The Guild is an affiliate of the Handweavers Guild of America (HGA) and also an active, contributing member of the New England Weavers Seminar (NEWS), held biennially on odd numbered years during the summer.

Newsletter Archive

The Guild’s newsletters gave notices of upcoming Guild events as well as other events of special interest; weaving tips and member information.

Member Awards and Recognitions

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WGRI Weaving Awards

SALLY DUBOIS WEAVING AWARD

About Sally DuBois
Sally (Sara) DuBois began weaving in 1977, in a class taught by Norma Smayda at the South County Museum. She has been a Weavers Guild of Rhode Island member ever since.

Trained at the Rhode Island School of Design in industrial design and mechanical drawing (graduating in 1946), she became fascinated by the designing of weaving patterns. When the Guild became custodians of the Bertha Gray Hayes Archives, Sally worked to decode the drafts.

Using Miss Hayes’ name draft code, found in previously unpublished materials, she verified that many of the sample card designs are name drafts. And using subtle clues in the handwritten materials, Sally showed that the designs created by Miss Hayes during her final illness, in Miriam Hospital, are also name drafts, relating to her illness and to her stay at the hospital.

Sally loved to share her insights and to talk about weaving.

She was always excellent company.

Award Process and Recognition
Submissions for the award will be accepted at the May 2022 WGRI meeting. The draft and notes must accompany the runner, which will be provided with an identification number. The written materials should contain no personal information. The WGRI Board will maintain a list of names and assigned numbers.

Two jurors chosen by the WGRI Board will review all submissions and determine a first-place award.

All entries will be displayed and the award winner will be recognized and honored at the WGRI 75th Anniversary Celebration on October 1, 2022.

Approved by WGRI Executive Board April 2020.

Criteria for the Award
WGRI members in good standing are eligible to submit one or more handwoven runners for this award.

The basic motif for the runner must come from Weaving Designs by Bertha Gray Hayes: Miniature Overshot Patterns. The weaver may manipulate or develop the draft, but a basic Hayes’ motif must underlie the design. Any weave structure is acceptable. The runner must have borders.

ANTONIA KORMOS WEAVING AWARD

For excellence in weaving, dyeing and/or color

Award Process and Recognition
Two members may nominate a member of the WGRI for this award, with written letters to the WGRI Board describing how the member reflects the award for “excellence in weaving, dyeing, and/or color.” The WGRI Board will vote on the nomination.

The awardee will be recognized at the WGRI Annual Meeting.

Award Criteria
Displays in-depth knowledge and technique in dyeing and/or the use of color in weaving.

Recognized as an expert in weaving and/or dyeing through juried exhibits in the region and nationally.

Shares expert knowledge in weaving, dyeing, and/or color with members of the WGRI and others in the weaving community.

Officers - L to R Jayne Richmond, Cheryl Mincone, Suzanne Hosier, Donna LaVallee

Leadership

WGRI Current Officers

2023-2024

President Donna LaVallee presidentWGRI@gmail.com

VP Programs Jaimee Roberts VPprogramsWGRI@gmail.com

Treasurer Suzanne Hosier treasurerWGRI@gmail.com

Secretary Cheryl Mincone

2024-2025

President Donna LaVallee presidentWGRI@gmail.com

VP Programs Cheryl Mincone VPprogramsWGRI@gmail.com

Treasurer Suzanne Hosier treasurerWGRI@gmail.com

Secretary open

Past Officers

History

On Oct. 21, 1947, an organizational meeting was held at RISD with Mr. William E. Fales, head of the textile department, presiding. Our first president was Mrs. William Brigham. The first meeting was held on Nov. 28, 1947, in the “Little Museum” at the Brigham’s home in Providence. Mr. and Mrs. Brigham were the speakers. Mr. Brigham produced Villa Looms, a large, Swedish style countermarch loom. Dues were $3. Sixty-nine names were listed on our first member list. The group met at the Faculty Club of Brown University, at Rhode Island School of Design, at the Handicraft Club and the “Little Museum.” Meetings were announced in the Providence Journal society pages. Berta Frey was an early speaker at one of the Guild meetings.

The first bulletin was in April 1948, with a logo designed by Mr. Will Taylor, Director of the Art Department at Brown University. The logo showed a nursing lamb woven into the web on a loom. This was thought to be inappropriate and a second logo was designed by Edna W. Lawrence of RISD, the one we use now, of a lamb on a shuttle.

Annual exhibits of members work started in 1949. Jack Lenor Larson spoke at the guild in 1953. Outreach to the community started in 1958 with the development of a Textile Dye Plant Garden at Old Slater Mill. Looms were refurbished and given to the Butler Health Center that same year.

Meetings took place in various churches, members homes and at Old Slater Mill. In 1978, the Guild began meeting at the North Kingstown Public Library. Peter Collingwood did a workshop for the Guild in 1982.

In the early 1980s, the WGRI “Weaver Rose Weavers” took first place in the Eastern States Exhibition’s Sheep-to-Shawl contest twice!

Major exhibitions entitled “Woven Visions” were staged at the Newport Art Museum in 1993 and 1996. “Weaving Traditions in the Ocean State” was an exhibiiton at the Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket and the Handweavers Guild of America conference in Providence in 2014. A travelling exhibit was created in 2000 called “Harness Loom Weaving in Rhode Island: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” It travelled to 9 sites throughout New England and New York.

In 2009, Weaving Designs by Bertha Gray Hays – Miniature Overshot Patterns was published by four members of the Guild.

During the Covid epidemic in 2021 – 2022, the guild switched to meetings via Zoom.

The Guild has returned to meetings at the North Kingstown Library, with some meetings via Zoom in the winter months. Tours, parties and special events are also part of the programming. Outreach to the community continues with participation at Farm to Fiber events throughout the state. Everyone interested in handweaving is welcome to become a member.

Mission Statement

The purpose of the WGRI shall be to study and promote the arts of handweaving, spinning, dyeing and related activities in the fiber arts and to educate the membership and the general public in the arts of handweaving, spinning, dyeing and in related activities in the fiber arts.