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This Bright Land, 1976
plain weave; wool, copper, steel
617.9 x 232.4 x 24.1 cm
City of Calgary Public Art Collection, Gift of the Calgary Allied Arts Foundation, 1983 990072 A-F, 1983.022
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F. Douglas Motter
1913, Chicago, Illinois, United States–1993, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
It was a twist of fate that saw Douglas Motter take up weaving. Trained as a painter, in 1945, he bought a loom for his wife, Jeanette.
"We started weaving as a hobby, but somewhere along the line things got out of hand." Motter occupied the family loom and eventually founded Motter and Associates in 1961, a weaving company that produced hand-woven goods, custom yardage, and commissioned hangings. His weavings were highly celebrated and were selected for inclusion in the Brussels World Fair of 1958 and Expo 67. Major commissions included tapestries designed for the Legislative Building in Edmonton as well as This Bright Land, commissioned for the entrance to the Calgary Convention Centre. Motter was the first weaving instructor at the Alberta College of Art (1967–1977) and mentor to Carol Little, who likely wove this work.
01.
Douglas Motter weaving, c. 1970. Source: Glenbow Museum.
02.
Douglas Motter dying wool on the banks of the Kananaskis River with Alberta College of Art students, 1971. Source: “Nature’s colors used as dye for raw wool,” June 22, 1971, 57.