Silvia Heyden Obituary

Silvia Heyden

February 28, 1927 - March 2, 2015

Durham

Silvia Heyden, admired far and wide for her unique gift of weaving vibrant tapestries, died peacefully at sunset on Monday, March 2nd at age 88. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends both here and in Switzerland. Her rich legacy of well over a thousand tapestries and her passion for the arts will continue to inspire us all.

Born in Basel, Switzerland on February 28, 1927, Silvia studied in the Bauhaus tradition at the School of Arts in Zürich before coming to Baltimore with her husband, Dr. Siegfried Heyden in 1954. In 1966 she moved to Durham with her daughter Françoise and son Daniel following her husband's new position as professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Here Silvia began to blossom as a tapestry weaver, taking this ancient art form to new heights. Her first major exhibit at the Duke University Art Museum was followed by countless awards, commissions both large and small for public spaces and private homes, local and international exhibits in museums and galleries, as well as numerous workshops and conferences over the course of the next fifty years. Her work is in the permanent collections of numerous East Coast and European museums, colleges and private collections as well as public buildings. Only a year ago she had a memorable exhibit entitled "Together Again" in which her tapestries were paired with the paintings of the late Edith London at the Durham Arts Council.

Silvia drew inspiration from both her daily violin and piano practice and walks along the Eno River as she interpreted the motifs she saw in a 'weaverly' way. Her first book, "The Making of Modern Tapestry," published for her 70th birthday was complemented by a documentary, "A Weaverly Path," showing her approach to weaving. A book she had been working on, entitled "Movement in Tapestry" highlights her recent work and will be published posthumously. Never interested in weaving a preconceived image, for her, every tapestry was a voyage of discovery through improvisation into the unique possibilities of warp and weft.

She is survived by her son, Daniel, her daughter, Françoise, four grandchildren, Paul, Nina, Vincent and Daniel, as well as her two brothers living in Switzerland, Georg and Dieter Stucky.

A celebration of a life well lived will be held at her home in Durham, on Saturday afternoon, March 21st. Please send online memorials to [email protected] (the family will create a blog that will be linked to her documentary webside, www.aweaverly path.com.) Donations in her memory may be made to the Eno River Association.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The News & Observer on Mar. 8, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for Silvia Heyden

16 Entries

March 20, 2015

Notice from Site Administrator:

This guest book will be removed on April 7th, 2015. Please use Silvia's official online memorial guest book, which will remain online indefinitely, and can be found at www.RememberingSilvia.com.

March 16, 2015

Silvia's "Celebration of a Life Well-lived" will take place at her house, 3101 Pleasant Green Road, Durham, NC this Saturday afternoon, March 21st. We are planning to have an open house around 2 to allow people to mingle and see her unfinished piece on the loom, wander through the house to see more tapestries, look at the draft of her new book and "A Weaverly Path" dvd, enjoy some childhood photos and such like. We'll ask people to take a seat by 3 to start the official part of our program with music, then share memories, and end at 4:30 with more music. Please join us (for more info, contact [email protected].)

Lyn Hart

March 16, 2015

For Silvia...
http://www.desertsongstudio.com/2015/03/for-silvia.html

March 15, 2015

What a wonderful life, sharing her giftedness through giving in tapestry and music. Sylvia will live on and continue to grace the world.

From a tapestry weaver in England UK

Peter & Gisela Farer

March 15, 2015

To Silvia,
a weaverly path has ended. Now that you have left your green home so perfectly designed around your loom you are eventually united with your beloved husband Siegfried. Your tapestries will transform into wings which carry you on your road to eternity. You found your patterns in the flow of the Eno. You remain unforgotten in our hearts and thoughts. Always yous Gisela and Peter L.

March 11, 2015

Dear Silvia, I wish Durham wasn t so far away. I would love to sit around your loom, together with my German Tapestryweaverfriends . We would hear your voice telling us about your vivid and strong tapestries and hear your laugh. I thank you so much for whatI learned by you and hope, that I can carry it on in my further weavings.
Anniette from Passau

Joanne Iwamiya

March 10, 2015

Dear Sylvia, you have inspired so many including me, a newbie to tapestry. Thank you for sharing the basics that could also be woven using higher levels of creativity. And for sharing your beloved Eno River to show us that the smallest things in front of our eyes, can inspire us to weave it on canvas.

It was the greatest honor that for some of us, we were able to work with you, both at Mendocino and your home in Durham.

We love you, Sylvia.

Sylvia Hibbard

March 9, 2015

It is with great sadness I say goodbye to you Silvia. It was a memorable day when Lou Proctor brought you into my restaurant in New Bern, and introduced us for the first time. Your kindness made it possible for me to be the proud owner of two of your tapestries. I have the privilege of sleeping under one of them every night as it is hung on the wall above my head. With condolences to your family, I remain ever your friend.

Karen Inwood

March 9, 2015

Silvia, I finally completed a tapestry I had begun when you were teaching in Mendocino. Working on it brought thoughts of you to mind each day,and now I find I completed it on the day you died. Thank you for your wonderful work and the inspiration you so generously shared. Peace to you now, and to your sorrowing family.

March 9, 2015

I met Sylvia at the opening of ITNET2 in DC in 1992. We had breakfast together and found so much to talk about. She was generous, enthusiastic and seemed to be pushing boundaries without losing the intrinsic beauty of the medium. I'm so happy and honoured to have met her, she is a true giantess in our field and someone to look up to always.
Joan Baxter

Nancy Jackson

March 9, 2015

I'm grateful to have been on the tapestry journey with you, Silvia. Thank you for your dedication and for sharing your vision.

Clare Howard

March 8, 2015

I am a long-time friend of Francoise. I am so glad that I was able to meet Silvia at home during a visit to Francoise in Durham, to be able to experience her working and living environment, surrounded by the inspiration of nature. And to share a walk with Silvia and Francoise by the river, the source of so much of her recent personal fulfilment and artistic inspiration. She will be missed by very many people as well as her immediate family.

March 8, 2015

With love and thanksgiving for the life and art of Silvia Heyden, treasured friend, world-class artist, we extend our heartfelt empathy to her children, grandchildren, brothers, family during these sad days!

We join with you as we celebrate a phenomenal woman and her lifetime of gifts to all including her extended family.
Lou Hansley Proctor

Micala Sidore

March 8, 2015

Dear Silvia--Your energy and thinking and work and practice and laughter have all meant a great deal to me. You always and without hesitation have given so much to my life and work. I will miss you enormously.

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