Connecting Past to Future with Weaver Jillian Tomlinson

Story by Sophie Dingle

Jillian Tomlinson is very new to the very old art of weaving.

“I was at a women’s gathering in Northern California based on primitive skills and living with the land,” she explains. “I was really drawn to the practice of weaving and I haven’t stopped since.”

Jillian practices a technique called Saori, a method developed by a Japanese woman in the 1950s.

“It wasn’t always clear at first why I loved weaving but as I’ve gotten deeper and deeper into it, I think it’s the ties to our farming system,” she explains. “In using wool, we can work with sheep and alpacas in really productive and positive ways that go back to our Indigenous roots and we can really decide to support people who are doing this work and use less of a footprint. I think we can’t forget to be in a closer relationship with this earth.”

Jillian, who is self-taught, describes the patterns, textures and colors of her threads as what entices her daily. “I hold my weaving on the same level as my job - every day I block out time to be in my studio in hopes to make a beautiful impact with it.”

Catch her first solo exhibit, “Handweaving Elements” in Bliss Hall this month, opening on Friday, Jan. 5.