Gretchen Romey-Tanzer: The Fine Art of Weaving

FEBRUARY 8th – APRIL 23rd

Gretchen Romey-Tanzer: The Fine Art of Weaving

Over fifty handwoven compositions of color and weave effects created by Gretchen Romey-Tanzer are on view from February 8 through April 23, 2023. This expansive collection of the artist’s work inhabits multiple galleries at Highfield Hall, offering visitors a unique and intimate environment in which to view these hand-loomed technically complex works of art. Made over the past three decades, with fifteen made in the past two years alone, Romey-Tanzer’s passion for her craft is evident in all that she weaves. Her oeuvre consists of double woven cotton constructions, and a current foray into traditional Nordic rugmaking techniques, Rya and Ripsi Raanu, which she learned initially as a child when first exploring the loom.

Gretchen directs the Tanzer Weaving Studio and Gallery in Brewster where she teaches students to weave on different types of hand looms. The Highfield Hall installation includes work by four of her students: Rick Bardine, Joanne Shoemaker, Scott Parker, and Linda Flanagan. Fortunately, Romey-Tanzer is passing on the skills needed to master the technical complexity of looms, as well as knowledge of color and materials, all necessary to keep this sublimely beautiful and technical art alive.

“Highfield Hall is recognized for its strong representation of
Fiber Arts in the U.S. I was honored when approached about
having an exhibition of my handwoven art works at the
museum in 2023.”

BIO:
Gretchen Romey-Tanzer started weaving in 1972 with the Northern Adirondack Weaver’s Guild. She has a B.F.A. from the School for American
Craftsmen, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, and an M.F.A. from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Gretchen studied in Finland and Canada where her interest in woven and constructed textile design matured. Her works are in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin. As well as numerous private collections. Romey- Tanzer’s weaving has received recognition and awards from the American Craft Council, the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Locally, her work is at the Tanzer Weaving Studio and Gallery in Brewster, MA.

About Gretchen Romey-Tanzer

Gretchen Romey-Tanzer started weaving in 1972 with the Northern Adirondack Weaver’s Guild.

She has a B.F.A. from the School for American Craftsmen, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, and an M.F.A. from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Gretchen studied in Finland and Canada where her interest in woven and constructed textile design matured.

Her works are in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Racine Art Museum, Racine, Wisconsin. As well as numerous private collections. Romey-Tanzer’s weaving has received recognition and awards from the American Craft Council, the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts, and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

In 2019 she had one-person exhibition at the Cahoon Museum of American Art in Cotuit, Massachusetts. Locally, her work is at the Tanzer Weaving Studio and Gallery in Brewster, MA.