Textile Artist : Redmond, Oregon
Tara Marsh
We wanted to ask some questions…
Rock wrapping is a centuries old art form rooted in Japanese tradition. Wrapped stones guided visitors to gardens along a recommended route or the correct spiritual path. Native American art also included forms of wrapping stones and adorning them with feathers, agates and beads. Today, there are many variations of rock wrapping using a variety of materials such as leather, fine caning and woven fiber.
About Tara…
Tara Marsh is a multi-skilled artist, writer, and designer who loves to dabble in challenging and hands on crafts. Originally born in California, Tara grew up in Portland, Oregon, and now resides in Redmond, located in Central Oregon. Coming from a family that was deep into creative expression of all sorts, it is no surprise that Tara has found deep satisfaction in the process of textile arts.
What got you into the art of weaving textiles around rocks?
I think I saw a photo pop-up on Facebook of just some small pebbles wrapped with yarn and I thought it was cool looking so I went down that rabbit hole and looked them up on Etsy. Then I reached out to a couple of really good rock Weaver’s on Etsy and one of them sent me a how to video on an infinity knot. I would just study the photographs and figure out the pattern.
What is the story behind finding the rocks?
The mindfulness and peacefulness of these stones start at the source – exploring the river banks. The rocks are handpicked from Central Oregon rivers and creek beds. Each rock is unique in its shape, pattern and color. No two designs can ever be exactly the same. The rocks sourced in Central Oregon are igneous volcanic rock, shaped and rounded from the force of water over thousands of years. Other rocks are handpicked from rivers throughout Western Oregon. These river rocks are sedimentary, are smoother and some with unique speckles or patterns. Our collection also includes black cobblestones from the Central Oregon coast that are wrapped in fine caning.
What are your favorite types of rock to use?
I love the smooth, palm size river rocks. The best rocks I’ve ever found were literally in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn! 😂😂
To find out more about Tara’s business, My Serenity Stones, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557064751581
*Disclaimer: Tara is Tatiana’s baby sister!!!