Aubusson tapestry is the result of close collaboration between an artistic creator and a chain of skilled craftspeople, such as spinners, dyers, cardboard makers, and weavers. Creating a tapestry is not simply a matter of faithfully reproducing a model by enlarging it: it is a true creative process in which a work takes shape in a unique material—thread—thanks to the expert interpretation of numerous artisans.
This training offers participants an in-depth understanding of the essential relationship between the artist and the artisans. It aims to explore the subtle link between the original work and its transposition onto a textile medium, highlighting the skills required for this transformation. Learners will explore the creative dialogue that develops between the creator and the artisans, understand how the latter appropriate and translate the artistic intention through their technical mastery, and discover the richness of a work created by several hands, at the intersection of artistic vision and artisanal skill.
At the end of the training, learners will have acquired the following skills:
Over two and a half days, this training will immerse you in the heart of the Aubusson tapestries creation process through a selection of contemporary projects supported by the Cité internationale de la tapisserie—both completed and still being woven. You will discover the different stages involved in transforming an artist's model into a tapestry: choosing dimensions, defining the weaving gauge, developing the color palette, selecting materials, rendering textures, implementing specific techniques, and more.
This immersion will allow you to understand the exceptional expertise involved at each stage, from design to completion. It highlights the close collaboration between the artist and the artisans—spinners, dyers, cardboard makers, weavers—whose expert interpretation gives birth to a unique textile work. This combined perspective on creation and manufacturing is a valuable contribution to refining the understanding and expertise of auctioneers.
After earning a Certificate of Arts and Techniques in Low-Warp Tapestry and a National Higher Diploma in Visual Expression, Delphine Mangeret founded her colorist-cartoonist workshop for Aubusson tapestry in 2007.
As part of projects initiated by the Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie, such as "Aubusson Weaves Tolkien," "The World of Hayao Miyazaki in Aubusson Tapestry," and "Tribute to George Sand," she collaborates with artists, spinners, dyers, and weavers to interpret artistic tapestry projects.
Her work in preparing a weaving includes developing the aesthetic, choosing the different types of threads, constructing the color range, plotting the design, and establishing a harmonious, creative, and dynamic collaboration between the various trades involved in the creation of these tapestries.
Since 2014, as part of the training center established by the Cité de la Tapisserie and managed by the Greta du Limousin, she has been passing on her skills in color and design to new generations of weavers, contributing to the preservation and development of this traditional expertise.
After three years of training in tapestry weaving at the École Nationale d'Art Décoratif d'Aubusson and two years as a weaver at the Atelier Camille Legoueix in Aubusson, France-Odile founded her studio in 1984, where she weaves experiments based on personal creations, projects in collaboration with artists, as well as creations for clothing and fashion accessories. These diverse experiences allowed her to find her signature style. This work resulted in the creation of several tapestries in which she highlights material and color.
In 2010, she joined forces with Martine Stamm. Together, they combined their experience and expertise to create the SARL Atelier A². They have demonstrated this expertise by creating numerous tapestries by contemporary artists, for the Cité Internationale de la Tapisserie (International Tapestry Centre) as part of its call for creations, as well as for the CNAP (National Council for the Arts and Crafts).
These artistic challenges allow them to explore all the possibilities of their craft and to constantly research, whether in terms of textile design or materials.
In December 2012, the workshop was awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (Living Heritage Company) label. Aware of what they have learned from their master weavers, they feel the need to pass it on. In 2004, they became a training center and, in 2012, a trainer at the Cité de la Tapisserie for professional training in warp tapestry, managed by GRETA.
Price(s) including the cost of training, accommodation and full board, materials and personal protective equipment.
