Spindlicity-an online magazine for handspinners

By Laura Silverman

If you're seeking someone who is an example of excellence, you need look no farther than Gwen Powell. A spinner for some 25 years, she has earned a rare distinction in the world of fiber artists. In 1991, the Handweavers Guild of America awarded Gwen 'Certificate of Excellence Master' for her spinning skills.

Gwen learned to spin from a friend who grew up in Indiana. Her husband worked most weekends, leaving her alone with their two small children, and her first foray into spinning actually occurred on Mother's Day! "Holidays are not a special event in our home," says Gwen. "They're just another day, but they're also a great excuse to get together and have a party."

Her first two fleeces were raw Dorsett and Cheviot. At that time, any fiber - processed or not - was very hard to come by. Even wool was in short supply. Gwen became a regular customer at the "Weaving Depot" in Redondo Beach, CA - now defunct - but also lived for her issues of Spin-Off Magazine. It wasn't the glossy, slick publication that spinners today are familiar with; instead it was a quarterly newsletter from which you ordered your fibers.

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"I prefer to get my fleeces in the grease," Gwen emphatically states. She's not as concerned about the breed of sheep as by the quality of the wool. The sorting process, unrolling a fleece and looking at its consistency, coarseness or fineness (keeping her finished project in mind), how dirty or matted it is, it's fiber length, and its tenderness is an enjoyable pursuit. Gwen loves teaching new spinners how to choose a breed of sheep and then a fleece within the breed. "A well rounded spinner needs to know how to buy a raw fleece," she says, and counsels that a spinners priority should always be focused towards the finished project.

Passionate about spinning right from the start, Gwen joined the South Coast Weavers and Spinners. At the same time, she looked for a guild that was closer to her Torrance home (a suburb of Los Angeles) and, unable to find one, became one of the founding members of the Greater Los Angeles Spinning Guild (GLASG). She remained active in South Coast, though, and met Geneva Sharples there. In 1982, Geneva told Gwen about the Handweaving Guild of America's (HGA) Certificate program and challenged her to pursue a Certificate of Excellence (COE) in Spinning. She didn't accept the challenge, though, until 1987. "Having married young and not having a college degree [at the time], I felt like I had never finished anything. I didn't have the confidence to go after it."

Gwen thought about the COE for years following the challenge and ultimately decided to accept it, believing that a certificate would bring her both credibility and the confidence that she was lacking. She began collecting fleeces, experimenting with them, and then discarding some in favor of others. "I had a lot of false starts," she says. "I figure I spent maybe $500 for fiber because most of it didn't get used. The COE could have been achieved with fiber expenses of less than $100. I got more discrete in my ordering process as I went along."

The most difficult part of the COE, according to Gwen, was the organizational aspect. In 1991, the requirements were in two parts. Level I, the compulsory, focused on technical skills. Level II was design oriented and required a thesis and independent study.

When Gwen was awarded her COE, she submitted both Level's I and II simultaneously. Currently, Level I requires study in three areas - 1.) Design, 2.) Equipment & Fibers, and 3.) Handspinning Techniques. Level II, consistent with Gwen's experience, consists of specialized independent study on a topic chosen by the applicant. A thesis outline is submitted to the reviewers for counsel and support before the candidate proceeds. The emphasis of Level II is to demonstrate that the candidate can research and develop an idea, then bring it to fruition.

As of 2001, first Level I must be submitted to the HGA for review in the fall of an odd-numbered year and the applicant may not submit Level II materials for consideration until they have been awarded a COE for Level I. (Schedules of examinations can be found in the "Update" section of each Shuttle, Spindle, & Dyepot magazine issue.) Having received her COE Master designation in a single submission is something that Gwen is very proud of, and rightfully so. It's extremely rare for anybody to receive it on the first try.

"I cannot emphasize documentation enough when submitting your work for consideration," Gwen says. "It has to be as perfect as if it came from a University." Having spun for pleasure some forty hours a week for several years prior to starting the COE process and additionally having attended workshops and classes taught by major figures in fiber arts, Gwen was confident of her production skills. But she emphasizes that applicant's spinning and samples do not have to be perfect to obtain a COE. "It's not a Certificate of Perfection; it's a Certificate of Excellence." Gwen is emphatic when discussing her organization and submission methods, though, stressing that the judging panel weighs heavily on this aspect.

Currently for COE Level I, each part has separate documentation requirements. Part 1 requires written material with illustrations or photographs and four handspun samples. Part 2 requirements include written work with illustrations or photographs, five handspun skeins, and four completed tables. Part 3 includes thirty-five handspun samples and seven swatches. For the COE in Level II, written material, illustrations or photographs as needed, and samples that culminate in major works are required. Details available in handbook issued by the HGA that includes an application for the COE (called "Certificate of Excellence in Handspinning"). It's advisable that applicants order the most current handbook as requirements may change from judging to judging.

Gwen was not only meticulous in her documentation. She was also careful when packing and shipping her materials for review. Once the boxes arrive at the HGA, each applicant is assigned an identification number to ensure that the judging is anonymous. The materials are typically returned to their owner in about one month.

Not all of Gwen's samples were deemed "excellent" by the judges. "Two samples were rated good and there were a couple rated between good and excellent." Gwen says. "The judges let you know if they don't like something and why."

If an applicant's materials are deemed not up to COE standards and she was not awarded the designation overall, only the materials that need work have to be re-done. All the work needs to be resubmitted for consideration, though. While a few of Gwen's materials were not rated "excellent" by the judges, she is philosophical about it. "The judging is subject to interpretation. That's why there are two reviewers." And, of course, she did earn her COE.

Gwen was surprised that receiving a COE Master designation did not open up many teaching opportunities. She discovered, over time, that most well-known fiber artists and teachers do not have it but are good at marketing their talents. She feels, however, that obtaining that designation had a major impact on her life, crediting it for giving her the confidence to go to college and earn a degree. "It was a great tool for teaching me how to work outside of the box and how to do all sorts of different things including documentation"

Where spinning is concerned, Gwen has posted her COE materials on the internet at www.mresource.com (under Fiber Arts) . "My website is an ultimate payoff for me because it affords me an opportunity to educate people." she says. She receives e-mail almost daily, asking for information and looking for - or professing to receiving - inspiration from the detailed materials available there.

When asked what she learned by achieving her COE, and if she would recommend that others pursue it, Gwen was emphatic in her response. "You really have to want to get a COE for good reasons. It's not easy. I worked as hard on my COE as I did on my Bachelors Degree. It's an opportunity for spinners to learn, to gain confidence, and know that they can accomplish a major goal. You find out a lot of things about yarn. Taking something utilitarian and then making a yarn and finishing it off... its like WOW!" But Gwen added that the COE, in and of itself, doesn't necessarily enhance the spinning experience. " All you really need is to make yarn with integrity that will accomplish what you want of it, and perfection is not what it's about. Enjoying yourself, having your yarn be what you want it to be is what's most important."