When Warp Meets Weft | Artist Deborah Bryant

Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: 2020/10 - October

Handwork is becoming increasingly rare in any type of clothing because the skills required are scarce and the costs prohibitive.  

Only occasionally does someone depart from machinemade ware and  find a way to successfully produce and merchandise a handmade product. 

Local weaver Deborah Bryant has managed, and today some of the finest representations of contemporary hand weaving can be  found in the garments she produces from her cloth.

Growing up in Northern New Jersey, Bryant’s mother schooled her in crochet and knitting. In high school she learned to spin wool on a drop spindle. After that, she attended Warren Wilson College where she took advantage of a semester abroad in England and Scotland to learn about sheep and wool production. Upon returning to the U.S. she completed a degree in Professional Craft – Fiber at Haywood Community College, becoming skilled at weaving and dyeing.

In 1984 she moved to Cashiers to raise a family and establish her business as a weaver.  All work is created by her on one of three handlooms in her “bright mountain studio, tucked into a five-acre paradise off a country road.”

Bryant  draws inspiration from the natural world that surrounds her to create rarefied, gorgeous fabrics that are a vibrant and unique expression of her color palette.  

She says that, “The way that yarn holds onto color, with all the light and shadow and texture, is exciting for me. I feel there is an endless path to combining these colorful threads and weaving them into beautiful functional cloth.”  

The garments she makes give life to her textiles. Every piece is unique; they are one size fits most, washable cotton, and suitable for all ages.  She is best known for her everyday garments – shawls, scarves, ponchos and accessories – created from hand-painted warps. Her work  unites her singular skills at color blending, texture variety and functional design with artisanal craftsmanship. 

Traditionally Bryant’s work has been sold primarily at fine art and craft shows throughout the Southeast.  But as those exhibits have taken a hit during the pandemic, Bryant is seeking other outlets for her work.  She told me that she has participated in the Highlands Village Square Art and Craft Show “since the beginning and through all of its changes and always had a successful result. 

She has been selected to participate in many fine juried Art and Craft Shows including The American Craft Council Shows of Baltimore and Atlanta, Piedmont Craftsmen Show in Winston-Salem, The Southern Highlands Craft Guild Fair in Asheville, and the Naples National Art Show in Naples, Florida.

You can discover her wares at DeborahBryantHandwoven.com.