Tamara Jaworska
(1926–)
(–2005)
Tamara Jaworska
1926–2005
Tamara Jaworska (1926–2005) was born in Arkhangelsk, Russia, and immigrated to Canada in 1969. She was a tapestry artist known for her contemporary designs with the Medieval French weaving Gobelin technique.
Jaworska received both her BFA Honours (1950) and MFA (1952) from the State Academy of Fine Arts in Poland.
Jaworska's work has been recognized stylistically as woven painting. She would paint her design in watercolours, pastels, or collage first, then contour with a full-sized black and white line drawing of the pattern. She used the French Gobelin technique to weave, in which threads are drawn through the warp by hand with only a small area of the tapestry is worked at one time. Jaworska’s designs were both realistic and abstract, often derived inspiration from nature and the Canadian landscape.
Jaworska has been exhibited worldwide. Her works are permanently held at the National Pushkin Museum in Moscow, Russia, the Central Museum of Textile Arts in Łódź, Poland, the Scottish Art Institute in Galashiels, Scotland.
In 1993, she was given the Governor General’s commemorative medal and elected a member of the Order of Canada.