Nomi Dale Kleinman

I will never forget the beautiful giant cartoon you were working from taped up on the loom; it is wonderful to see everyone's process + way of making. Thank you for sharing with us & so glad you could be here serendipitously with David!
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Weaving on: Collin
Joining us from:  Croton on Hudson, New York

Tell us about yourself and what led you to the residency?
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I am an educator, designer, and fiber artist based in the lower Hudson Valley. I fell in love with weaving as an undergrad at the Rhode Island School of Design, which led me down a path of designing fabrics for the high-end residential textile industry. In 2007 I joined the faculty at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where I am an Associate Professor. I am currently on a sabbatical from FIT with the purpose of undertaking intensive study and practice using the TC-2 to produce a body of work inspired by my Grandparents and Great Grandparents immigration to Canada from Eastern Europe.

Have you had any previous experience with Digital Weaving or Jacquard?

I consider myself an expert in Jacquard Design. I worked for manufacturers for more than 14 years before I started teaching weaving and Jacquard at FIT. In 2021, FIT purchased a narrow width TC2 on which I've had a few opportunities to weave. I have also taken Cathryn’s classes which have opened my mind to a completely new way of seeing digital weaving.

I am so grateful to everyone at Praxis and FIT for making this opportunity possible.

Any goals for the residency you'd like to share?

I have planned two large scale works, which include painted wefts borrowing from Ikat techniques. While I am experienced with industry-standard software, my goal has been to master using Photoshop to develop design and technical files. Coming to Praxis, feels like the culmination of my sabbatical work. One of the biggest challenges I have faced over the past months is shifting my way of thinking about jacquard from a design and manufacturing perspective. While I hope I can complete my works at the residency, the greatest gift will be if I can expand my idea of what digital weaving is.
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More of Nomi can be found on Instagram @nomidale