MAINE VILLAGE WEAVER

We were not always working as artists but have created this lifestyle for ourselves . We made the decision 30 yrs ago to create and live off of what we make with our hands. Andy was away fishing King Crab in Alaska for 5 years and we had two little boys that wanted to know " where's daddy" . It was hard "yes " but we knew not forever. We sold our piece of land on Orcas Island ,San Juan Islands in Washington state and moved back east to the Maine coast. Now we live in a 200 yr old house on the Pemaquid Pennisula after raising our three children and can look back now and say "yeah " that was a great decision! Our basic theme here is " build it and they will come" . We have stress at times but you know it is different kind of stress. When we decide on our own deadlines is different than deadlines imposed on you. We are free to make decisions for our selves . Long hours you bet , but who working for himself doesn't want to go the extra mi...

Custom made railing for country cottage  Sheep with ram horns  This was made from recycled metal cut from old fuel tanks  Hand forged scrolls and hand rail  Installed by Andrew Leck  Cottage by the Sheepscot river near Wiscasett ,Maine 

Here is Andy this morning working on a piece of recycled copper sheeting . Something is going to be created out of it ??  He works in all weather and conditions . Andy doesn't let the weather stop him  When he was in his late twenties he fished for King crab up in Alaska  Home port was Dutch Harbor where later the TV show " Deadliest Catch " was filmed  He fished there for five years  I went up to Dutch Harbor with our oldest son and pregnant with our middle child  We later flew back to Seattle and bought 30 acres on Orcas Island , Washington  I had our middle son as a home birth on the island  That same son lives there now working as a metal artist  www.zackaryaleck.com 

I found this print from 1911 depicting a young girl at her flax wheel  Raw flax is wound onto her distaff on her spinning wheel  Notice that she is multi tasking cause she is also reading a book at the same time  Smart girl!  Did you know that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was living in Portland Maine in the early 19th century? His family was from Portland ,Maine  Maine was apart of Massachusetts back then up to 1820 

Our daughters loaf of bread from Barn Door Baking Co  in Damariscotta She stared her own business this year and takes orders for pick up only www.barndoorbakingcompany.com My weaving room in the early morning . I keep it unheated  at night so I go out to my weaving room in the morning and turn on the old kerosene Moniter heater to warm it up . I find the sunlight so inviting . Skein winder has hand dyed super fine merino wool on it being used in a project  I am working on .

we have been married 40 years now Andy and I . I turn 60 this month and have got some thoughts to share with you now. I have been quite about the subject but feel renewed after the election. Yes, I feel relieved that conservatism is not dead . When Andy and I got married in 1976 the backtotheland movement impressed us . Now looking back it was also a conservative movement too! Use less ,save more and don't forget the old ways of taking care of yourself . In the future posts I will share my thoughts on weaving as a lifestyle and being married to a metal artist . Raising productive children and being happy and grateful. Happy New Year ! Have a good life !

A windvane that spins into the wind. This is a snowy morning and a Happy New Year the sculpture sitting outside our gallery is set to sail .