About Jo-Anna 

A little more.....

House in 1934 and in 2013

In 1934, my parents had our home "DE SLOEP" built in the Wilhelminalaan in Bergen (Netherlands).
The house is for rent. www.ferienwohnungenholland.com
info@ferienwohnungenholland.com

I was born there in 1944. After I finished Primary and Secondary schools in Bergen, I went to Haarlem to become a crafts teacher. I didn't teach for long. I decided to focus on spinning and dyeing wool, and weaving tapestries.

"Development" and "Stunted Growth"

The work method is so-called "free weaving". The weaving was done in thick threads with all sorts of effects, such as high pile pieces woven in, inserted crocheted threads, loose points, added embroidery etc.

Around 1990, circumstances forced me to stop weaving for a substantial time. I found it difficult to start again after that.

In 1995, I met Iet Meurer, a classical gobelin weaver in Haarlem. She taught me this technique for almost five years. I started on a project to learn the technique and ended up weaving portraits.

I live in my studio from where I run my fluffy houshold.
Spinning and processing my handspun yarn is something I do every single day because it gives me so much pleasure and satisfaction.

A cat Maja, dachshund Tijme and Polleke and tortoises inhabit "De Sloep".

Maja Polleke ( Brechtje de Nie)