Name: Lenka Suchanek
Birthplace: Western Bohemia
Occupation: Artist/Lacemaker
Atelier: Silver Pin Studio
Current Location: Vancouver Canada
I work in a technique of hand-made bobbin lace. I studied the
traditional lace techniques (in thread) in Europe. Switched to using
wire, to create transparent sculptures, three-dimensional pictures and
jewellery. I specialize in a plaited lace of the Renaissance -
16th&17th century Italian (Venetian, Genoese) and Spanish lace. I
also use techniques of English, Flemish, French and German lace and I
keep studying and adding more. Handmade lace is a quite challenging
medium. It combines an unlimited artistic freedom with a rigorous
craftsmanship (like jewellery making). I am passionate about
preserving and promoting this wonderful technique.
As a follow up on Todd Hawkinsons post about a Loom-A-Line I would
like to offer some explanation.
A textile structure created on a loom IS NOT LACE. Lace is a textile
form created WITHOUT a loom. There are two major groups of hand-made
lace. The first one originated in 14th-15th century, is called a
NEEDLE LACE. Needle lace is constructed with a needle and a
continuous thread using a basic, buttonhole stitch. The other group
developed later (early 16th cent), as a speedier solution to needle
lace. It is called BOBBIN LACE and it is constructed by means of
twisting and crossing multiple threads wound on wooden sticks,
bobbins. The bobbin lace can be classified as an off-loom weaving,
because the actual structure is somehow similar to woven cloth. The
main difference between the two is that in bobbin lace the warp
threads are not confined to a certain order, they move and change
position throughout the fabric.
Out of the two lace techniques, bobbin lace is much more suitable for
work with wire than needle lace, because it doesn’t incorporate any
knots in the process.
For more on bobbin lace, please follow links from my
website http://www.silverpinstudio.com. It is a fascinating subject.
Its been a long time, but about 20 years ago, I took a class with
Arline Fisch at San Diego State University. I think we used 30
gauge wire. If you want to see a website of a woman who has taken
this technique to the purest art form I have ever seen. Check out www.silverpinstudio.com. She also, has a workshop on there that
might help you. I found her on orchid. So you should be able to
contact her. Good luck.