Martha Mood: She Converted Her Love of Nature into Stardust!

She converted her love of nature into stardust! MARTHA MOOD

Premier American craftswoman in the ancient art of cloth and yarn applique - now reproduced in fine art tapestries.

During the last years of her life Martha Mood gained national recognition for her stitcheries. She began making them in 1959, using every kind of textured materials. Surprising patches appeared occasionally in the form of army blanket, lace curtain, ostrich feathers or knit lingerie fabric. Design, color and texture were her only criteria. To complement the basic applique she used all types of yarns, domestic and imported braids, threads and twine.

Many subjects and styles are represented in her work; sometimes they are pictorial, sometimes purely decorative, sometimes abstract or primitive in feeling, but often elegant and rich, as in her carefully researched and executed ecclesiastical banners.

A native of San Francisco, Martha Mood was a graduate of The University of California at Berkeley and attended California School of Arts and Crafts. During her residence in Hawaii sometime later, she became interested in photography and devoted several years to pictorial and portrait photography. She published three photographic travel books.

For many years she called San Antonio home. In the Alamo City she found a most congenial handcrafting climate. For a number of years she engaged in ceramics, both sculpture and architecturally functional pieces. She taught art four years in public and private schools, and conducted sculpture classes at San Antonio Art Instiute and in her own studio.

In stitchery she found a medium for her own personal, creative work. “Stitchery has a unique and distinctive life and character of its own,” she once wrote. “There is nothing else quite like it. The potential of a sewn tapestry or an embroidered applique is as vast as art itself. The myriad qualities of countless fabrics, combined in myriad ways and enriched with thread and yarn, are a delight to contemplate.” In 1967 Martha Mood was named Artist of the Year by the San Antonio Art League. Her stitcheries were exhibited that year in a one-man show at the Witte Museum.

Her tapestries have been acquired by many collectors including former President and Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, former Treasury Secretary and Mrs. John Connally, Ambassador and Mrs. Edward Clark, Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop Rockefeller, Mr. and Mrs. Clint Murchison, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Moorman, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. O'Neil Ford, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Seeligson and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Urschel. They and critics in the art world have commented on Mrs. Mood's imaginative concepts, forthright simplicity, and pains-taking execution of her works, achieving results that, as one critic noted, "one would usually expect to find only in good paintings."

Martha Mood's works have been exhibited in nearly 20 cities from Florida to California. She participated in more than 30 one and two-man shows where she won numerous awards. Her works are represented at Rice University, the San Antonio Country Club, the Margarite B. Parker Memorial Chapel at Trinity University and the U.S.I.A. Building, Washington D.C.

The following tribute to Martha Mood by Amy Freeman Lee is reprinted from the brochure titled "A Sudden Rush of Wings", a poetic and appropriate name for an exhibition of the work of Martha Mood Lehmann, at the University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio, Texas.

A STITCH IN TIME

A few human beings in this world manage to climb to the top of the mountain. We know this not because they tell us that they have been to the summit, for most people who have made the ascent rarely, if ever, talk about it. Nor is it easy for anyone to misrepresent the truth in this particular area of life, because the proof of the experience usually manifests itself not only in one's countenance but also in one's acts. If you looked into Martha Mood's eyes, you could see the reflections of the mountain peaks; if you experienced what she created, you know with certainty that she has scaled some of the highest and sheerest cliffs. One of the distinct advantages of making it to the very top of the mountain is the opportunity it provides to examine an extraordinary view. Obviously, there is far more involved in the peek from the peak than a mere change in one letter of the alphabet, for what is actually involved is a glimpse of what Coleridge called the mighty alphabet of the universe. Like Loren Eiseley, Martha knew that "the very flight of birds is a writing to be read." What she observed from the summit was a monumental portrait of interrelation, of what we refer to in contemporary terms as the art of "putting it all together." She saw with compelling clarity how every extant entity is a part of the whole creation and how every individual unit is inexorably interlocked and, consequently, dependent upon every other unit. The illumination of this truth was so intense that it left an indelible tracery on the very core of Martha's being and became the cosmic map for her life's journey. She held every mineral, vegetable, insect, fish, reptile, bird, animal and man sacred, and she treated them all with understanding, love and compassion. In summary, she was "Schweitzeresque!" Martha descended from the mountain top quite often, for she took seriously the wise suggestion of the ancient Arabic mystics, the Sufis, who aver that while it is necessary for man to withdraw from his daily routine to attempt spiritual purification through meditation, it is equally incumbent upon man to return to his regular life pattern and to apply the fruits of this contemplative period. Long ago, she had found the undiscovered truth, which we generally refer to as a secret, that poets and philosophers, not economists and politicians, really guide the world, for it is the artists' prerogative to indicate subtly the motivating forces and possible alternatives for man. Her own life pattern like that of many creative people was comprised of the usual academic training, the experiences of expert teaching, the accomplishments through numerous exhibitions and prizes, the success of being included in many distinguished private and public collections.What was strikingly different about her life was her consistent ability to convert the inevitable bittersweet aspects of the human condition into precious banes. She knew how to refashion adversity into a polishing stone. Through a lifetime of artistic expression, she joined the rare band of human beings like the Psalmists, Schiller, Beethoven, Eiseley and Chardin, who created, each in his own inimitable way, hymns of praise to the universe. Hers came in a variety of media including photography, ceramics, sculpture and stitchery. It does not matter whether the aesthetic statement came in the form of light fixtures, fountains, sculptured murals or wall decorations, they are all pulsating with life, trembling with tenderness, vibrating with spirit! Artists like Martha Mood have helped lay to rest once and for all the academic question about the innate potential of media as well as the divisive margin between craft and art. What person can be said to be an artist who is not an accomplished craftsman? What craftsman can be said to produce quality work who is not at heart a genuine artist endowed with intuition, imagination and emotion? True Mozartian that she was, Martha was quick to discover "hidden treasures" everywhere and reluctant to discard what to most would appear to be trivial and commonplace, devoid of beauty and value. She did not desire to possess things, for she knew full well that whatever we have we "borrow" for a very little while. To her, the smallest and seemingly most insignificant object was potentially beautiful, so she held it in the palm of her heart long enough to endow it with her own individual artistry and then release it again as though she had found an injured bird, protected it while it recuperated and gave it back its freedom with renewed strength and sheen for all the world to share. Martha, who could reach down and pick up anything from a hunk of clay to a swatch of cloth and make it sing, showed us how utterly ridiculous and futile it is to waste time engaging in superficial controversy. In essence, what she did was to open herself up so as to become a clear vessel through which creativity could pour unhampered. As a result, she mastered the mystical art of converting soil into stardust!

What was strikingly different about her life was her consistent ability to convert the inevitable bittersweet aspects of the human condition into precious banes. She knew how to refashion adversity into a polishing stone. Through a lifetime of artistic expression, she joined the rare band of human beings like the Psalmists, Schiller, Beethoven, Eiseley and Chardin, who created, each in his own inimitable way, hymns of praise to the universe. Hers came in a variety of media including photography, ceramics, sculpture and stitchery. It does not matter whether the aesthetic statement came in the form of light fixtures, fountains, sculptured murals or wall decorations, they are all pulsating with life, trembling with tenderness, vibrating with spirit! Artists like Martha Mood have helped lay to rest once and for all the academic question about the innate potential of media as well as the divisive margin between craft and art. What person can be said to be an artist who is not an accomplished craftsman? What craftsman can be said to produce quality work who is not at heart a genuine artist endowed with intuition, imagination and emotion? True Mozartian that she was, Martha was quick to discover "hidden treasures" everywhere and reluctant to discard what to most would appear to be trivial and commonplace, devoid of beauty and value. She did not desire to possess things, for she knew full well that whatever we have we "borrow" for a very little while. To her, the smallest and seemingly most insignificant object was potentially beautiful, so she held it in the palm of her heart long enough to endow it with her own individual artistry and then release it again as though she had found an injured bird, protected it while it recuperated and gave it back its freedom with renewed strength and sheen for all the world to share. Martha, who could reach down and pick up anything from a hunk of clay to a swatch of cloth and make it sing, showed us how utterly ridiculous and futile it is to waste time engaging in superficial controversy. In essence, what she did was to open herself up so as to become a clear vessel through which creativity could pour unhampered. As a result, she mastered the mystical art of converting soil into stardust!

Martha, the flowers of the earth, the spray of the sea and the winged of the air were all one! Truly, she was one of the very rare souls who did take a stitch in time, a stitch so lovely that is quite possible that she helped to save the proverbial nine planets as well as stitches one of which might even be this very needy earth! Amy Freeman Lee

TAPESTRY WEAVING AN AGE OLD ART

Tapestry weaving, which flourished for centuries in Europe, nearly died out in the 20th century. A fresh start, still using age-old techniques, began in France in the late 1930's. It spread to other parts of Europe and has now become one of the most exciting and expressive art forms.

During the French revolution, many of the antique tapestries were terribly abused or destroyed, some even being used for horse blankets or to line the walls of stables. During the 18th and 19th centuries tapestries lost character. Many became illustrative with most uninteresting designs. Costs became prohibitive with the use of all too many colors, sometimes as many as thousands in one tapestry. The revival and experimenting period began at the beginning of World War II and since that time, with the training of many new weavers, this most interesting art form is flourishing. Aubusson, France and Portalegre, Portugal are now the most famous weaving centers and use the traditional tapestry method of collaboration between the artist designing a cartoon and the weaver executing it.

A weaving designer must first determine the size for the finished tapestry, photograph the cartoon and project a light image on graph paper (which is lined with tiny squares, each being the exact size of one stitch or point), trace the pattern with pencil and paint in the design with watercolors, matching the colors of the original design. He must then pick the colored yarns and record their coded numbers on the graph. The warp, or vertical threads, are of strong cotton. One strand is set up vertically for each point. The waft, or horizontal weaving, is then woven with wool threads. Each weaver normally weaves an area two feet wide using some 161 stitches or points per square inch completing approximately one square yard per month.

In 1962 the First Tapestry Biennial, showing only modern tapestries, was held in Lausanne, Switzerland. Artists from seventeen countries exhibited one tapestry each. Later Biennials in 1965, 1967, 1969, and 1971 found the numbers of countries and artists involved on the increase.

While modern tapestries are little known the world over and relatively few people in this country have ever seen them, interest is growing fast.

In the hills of eastern Portugal, removed from the bustle of modern Europe, lies the town of Portalegre, where for centuries the people have carried on the ancient art of tapestry weaving. Using looms dating from Medieval times, the women of Portalegre, under the capable direction of textile manufacturer Guy Fino, make templates and hand-tie each knot of carefullyselected and color-coded yarn, and produce a work that flawlessly captures the detail, design and color of the original stitchery.

The process involves much careful and tedious work. First, the template artist draws and paints a template which shows the weavers exactly where each stitch is to be and what color it is. Many days go by while the artist carefully color-codes each stitch and selects and matches very closely the great variety of colors found in the original stitchery. Then the template goes to the loom where several women spend weeks hand-tying each knot and forming the finely-crafted tapestries seen at this exhibit.

You may wonder why the weavings are larger than the originals. The answer is found in the number of stitches per square inch that can be woven. In order to capture the great and intricate detail of Martha Mood's stitcheries, the weavers must enlarge the picture to fit that detail into one hundred and sixty-one stitches per square inch. Some of the originals must be enlarged four times in order to show all the threads and stitches and textures. One could not do justice to Martha Mood to leave these out. The craftsmanship and attention to detail, and the love for beauty, go very well together with those same qualities that Martha Mood fulfilled in her magnificent work.

Lester Kierstead Henderson of Monterey, California, a noted photographer and art collector, was a close friend of Martha Mood, whose original stitcheries were part of his personal collection. Visitors to his gallery, and friends who represented some of the nation's most discriminating families, sought in vain to purchase, whatever the price, Mr. Henderson's Martha Mood stitcheries. So great was the pressure put upon the collector that he journeyed to Portugal for the counsel of his friend Guy Fino, international textile tycoon who is also a technical genius. The Martha Mood patterns and colors were ideal for reproduction by the age old art of woven tapestries. Mr. Henderson's collection of Martha Mood originals was sent to the Fino looms for a very limited production. Thus, the now rare cloth and yarn masterpieces became the exquisite weavings which are sought by discerning collectors at prices represented by four and five numerals, up to twenty-five thousand dollars for "Hemisfair," representing the San Antonio, Texas Interna-tional Exhibition in 1968.

Lester Kierstead Henderson is worthy of a book in his own right. He travels via private plane from coast to coast, photographing, scouting fine art for his personal collection, and acquiring and placing art for a distinguished clientele. Mr. Henderson does not act as an agent or salesman for the renowned artists represented in his gallery. The work is selected to meet the high standards of his personal collections. All acquisitions are purchased outright.