#388 Wool Machine #388
by William Lum
Title
#388 Wool Machine #388
Artist
William Lum
Medium
Painting - Watercolor
Description
My watercolor painting shows a part of a large wool spinning machine that dates back to the 1940s to 1950s. These machines are no longer built in the USA as China dominates the world in making commercial wool processing machines. Here’s the story behind this machine.
I attended an Art-Ag event sponsored by Yolo Arts in Yolo County, California. Artists were invited to visit the Valley Oak Wool & Fiber Mill in Woodland for plein air painting. The mill’s owner and sole employee, Marcail McWilliams gave us a tour to show us the process that starts with a pile of sheared sheep wool on the floor to the final custom skein ready for the customer. The mill itself is housed in two buildings that sit on a portion of 20 acres and is one of the few mills in Northern California. It has a history that starts from the spinning frame that was built in 1940.
Marcail’s interest in fiber and textiles was sparked when she was seven-years-old by learning to knit with her grandmother. Finding the process frustrating, Marcail didn’t pick up knitting again until she was in high school. While attending college at California College of the Arts, Marcail was introduced to weaving and pursued it through studying abroad in Japan and earning BFA in textile from California College of the Arts in Oakland and San Francisco. Most of her knowledge of milling wool into yarn was learned on the job. Many hot summers and cold winters have been spent in the mill learning the different adjustments required with the seasons. It is Marcail’s dedication that keeps this machine alive plus the skills to process wool and to share this knowledge with others.
This 15” X 22” watercolor painting was done on Fabriano, 140 lb, rough paper.
Uploaded
August 30th, 2019
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