Kennita Tully

Kennita Tully’s Artist Statement

I am inspired by nature and, more specifically, the interconnectedness of life. Living on the edge of the Flint Hills Prairie, I am surrounded by these nurturing connections. Reciprocity is an essential aspect of my work. Trees, plants, and fungi are some of the subjects I draw from. Tapestry gives me the means to express these connections visually.

Immersion Through Time is the first weaving I did on my 6-foot Shannock. My loosely defined “cartoon” existed as only a rounded border and 2 curved lines defining the basic composition. Early drawings included a few rock-like shapes in the foreground. I had no idea how it would begin or where it would end. Ultimately, once finished, I have to admit it looks suspiciously like my surroundings. “Like Rain Falling…” was an experiment borne out of a desire to achieve the richness of pile techniques I had used in early works, but with the flat tapestry surface and color blending. I was inspired by a photograph of a strikingly colorful October day of rain. As usual, after a good rain, the prairie grass was glowing. Continuing in the same vein, I wove Prairie.Jan.01.23.

Kennita Tully’s Biography

Kennita is a tapestry artist, author, and teacher living in Pottawatomie County, KS. She recently returned to tapestry in late 2017 after a break from tapestry to pursue a 30-year career as a knitwear designer. Intrigued by the interconnections of life, she attempts to discover the world around her and return those discoveries to the world through tapestries.