Teaching the art of weaving
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MARSHALL — You can rent most
anything these days.
Limousines. Rug shampooers. Refrigerators, washers and dryers. Even butlers, with white towels on their arms. But had you ever considered renting a loom? Kathy Berlincourt of Marshall has recently opened what she calls the Warped Weaver's Studio, a weaving workshop above the Firehouse Pottery Studio in Marshall. And for a modest price, you can rent a loom and get one-on-one help in learning how to weave. "I want students to come in and touch the materials — to get the feel of fibers," she explained. "But, most important, I just want the art of weaving to continue, and I love teaching people how to do it." Michigan native, Berlincourt, 50, who also teaches weaving for the Battle Creek Community Inclusive Recreation and at the Art Center in Battle Creek, just opened her own studio in November, so she is still finding her business stride. People will probably have more time after Christmas, she figures, but sales of shawls and rugs and table runners will probably go down after the holidays. Berlincourt, who owned her own wholesale jewelry business for 15 years in Florida, has a sensible outlook as she begins a new business venture. "I've changed my priorities," she explained, "and I'm trying to keep it simple." Simple, it may be, but Berlincourt has incorporated many fiber arts into her offerings. You can learn to felt; you can learn the art of tapestry making, and you can learn many different kinds of weaving, from placemats and table runners to large rugs, from simple in-and-out with a shuttle to four-harness weaving and rug twining. And Berlincourt is working on her own projects all the while. She sells her creations at art fairs, alpaca shows, Pioneer Days in Homer and in shops as far away as Utah. She also makes and repairs looms — both in the studio and in her Battle Creek basement. Berlincourt likes to say that she found her studio space by "God-instance," not by coincidence. "I met Deb Robinson, who owns the Firehouse Pottery Studio, at a place where neither of us usually goes, and we hit it off from the start. "Deb has been incredibly helpful to me in setting up my studio," Berlincourt said. "She let me take out a temporary wall and decorate it the way I wanted to, and she has let me work downstairs at Firehouse when she's had special classes or projects." Robinson, in turn, enjoys the friendship and business collaboration with Berlincourt. "Kathy's a casual, easy-going person," she said. "People feel comfortable learning from her, and we see lots of smiling faces come downstairs from her studio." Surprisingly, Berlincourt has almost as many men as women among her students. "Weaving is flat, level, square, and that seems to appeal to guys," she said. Though she is busy with her studio, Berlincourt will continue to teach for the CIR. "Kathy can really adapt any program and build on the strength of all of students. She makes class fun for our students," said Lauren Keck, Director of the CIR Etc. Art Studio, across from the Y Center in Battle Creek. The studio's been a great fit for Marshall's downtown, local art lovers say. "It's exciting to see new artists coming to town and starting businesses like hers," artist Shelley Preston said. "Artists are like shoe stores. If you go to a mall and there is only one shoe store, you won't go back to that mall. "You'd rather go somewhere where there are six shoe stores. The more art there is in our community, the better it is for all of the artists involved." 
 Linda Jo Scott is a freelance writer. Originally published January 2, 2006 |