Vibeke Vestby “Computers in Textile Art New Frontiers_, 1990, poster from the Computer Art Department, NYC

Jane Burns charts her global pursuit of the TC2 Jacquard loom, a technology that transforms the tradition of handwoven tapestry through digital image integration.

My art practice has ranged across sculpture, photography and printmaking, but in recent years has focused on weaving and creating handwoven works on the TC2 Jacquard loom—a computer-controlled, manually operated handloom. This practice integrates the disciplines of hand weaving and digital weaving, and utilises an innovative technology that only a few artists in Australia currently use.

My journey into weaving began when I developed designs for large-scale tapestries and researched manufacturers producing these on Industrial Jacquard looms. The highly detailed, large-scale tapestries being made in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Canada were impressive, but the more I looked into having the work made on an industrial loom, the more compelled I was to weave the work myself.  Then I came across the TC2 Jacquard loom and was interested in how this technology allowed for the traditions of hand-woven tapestry with the flexibility to use digital imagery. I could see a way to bring hand weaving into my practice and produce objects that sit between the pictorialism of painting and photography, and the materiality of weaving.

I could see a way to bring hand weaving into my practice and produce objects that sit between the pictorialism of painting and photography, and the materiality of weaving.

I had decided that the TC2 was my “tool” and once the barrier of Australia’s lockdown was removed, I would be able to work with this technology. But I had to travel overseas as this groundbreaking tool was inaccessible to use in Australia. This is still the case as there are just two TC2 in private hands and one at a University, and none are available for hire. So began my journey of chasing the loom!

Weaving has always relied on specialised equipment and processes. As an artist seeking to work in digital handweaving, I faced challenges in accessing the tools to develop a practice in this field.  I wasn’t deterred, and between 2022 and 2025, I studied with master weavers in New Zealand and Finland, undertook a residency at UNSW Art & Design School, and participated in a workshop in France.

In 2024, I spent 5 weeks at Studio Huhmarkangas in Finland to produce 10 large hand-woven works for the series, Movement (Arrest). The work examines the clash between urgent social movements and political resistance, and the title refers both to the act of arrest and to broader efforts to suppress growing citizen movements. This series was recently exhibited at The Lennox, Richmond.

In 2025, I travelled to the historical centre of European tapestry in Aubusson, France, to work at Lainamac, a centre for wool excellence with a TC2 studio. Weaving with wool was new for me, and a fine woollen warp resulted in a lot of breaks in the yarn as well as a different surface texture. Perseverance is necessary in weaving, and each day I repaired breaks and continued to weave the series, Stubborn Tangles. The work shows the body in protest in the act of locking on, to explore collective action, resistance, and our entangled interdependence as a species. A work from the series titled “Stubborn Tangles (Lock On)”, 2025, was recently shown in “Naarm Textile Biennale – Social Fabric”, an exhibition of textile artists from Victoria working across tapestry, embroidery, and stitching.

While I was in Europe, I travelled to Norway to attend the Digital Weaving Innovation through Pixels Conference 2025, the first global gathering and showcase of the TC2 loom since it was released 30 years ago. The loom was initially developed for textile sampling and is now used in art, design, smart textiles, wearable technology, fashion, cultural heritage and preservation, animation, sound, and the evolving intersection of craft and computation. Thus, the conference brought together educational institutions, textile companies, maker spaces, artists, and designers, and included a diverse exhibition of works made on the TC2 loom. There were over 50 works, including those by Lia Cook, Grethe Sorensen, Kristina Austi, Mariane Fairbanks, Lisa Frolund, Christy Matson, and Kristine Five Melvaer.

The conference was held by Digital Weaving Norway, who make the TC2 (Thread Controller 2). They said of the conference, “The Digital Weaving: Innovation Through Pixels Conference was more than an anniversary; it was a living testament to the past, present, and future of digital weaving. From honouring three decades of TC looms to sparking new collaborations across art, design, and technology, the event reaffirmed the loom’s transformative role in shaping textile creation worldwide!”

The quiet revolution of the TC2

The Industrial Revolution included the introduction of the Jacquard loom, but with this technological development, many skilled hand weavers lost their employment. Thirty years ago, the TC2 loom sparked a new revolution—this time in handweaving with a computer-controlled, manually-operated loom that is designed to be operated by the weaver / artist/ designer.  Like Industrial Jacquard looms, each yarn is on its own shaft, and each thread is controlled independently to give the utmost flexibility in weaving. The TC2 brings this technology to the hand weaver, allowing for manual operation of the weft threads, and a simpler interface enabling artists and designers to take a digital file to woven cloth.

In the decade before the first TC1 was sold in 1995, the original vision and development of the loom came from artist-weaver Vibeke Vestby, who was driven to speed up the process from idea to woven fabric and had done extensive research on computer applications in handweaving. In 1984, Vibeke learnt computer programming to explore how the computer could be used to plan weave structures, then set her sights on computer-controlled processes. In 1990, she gave a lecture on digital weaving in California, and in the same year received a grant from the Norwegian Ministry of Education, which prioritised projects involving women and traditional crafts. With this support, the first Thread Controller was presented at the German “Talentenbörse” in Spring 1991, and the TC-1 was prototyped in collaboration with Tronrud Engineering, the Norwegian company that developed the Digital Weaving Norway (DWN) brand. In 2012, the TC2 launched, and fast forward to 2025, Digital Weaving Norway has sold over 300 TC2 looms worldwide, and Vibeke is the Manager of TC Looms at the company.

My journey continues

Looking ahead, I am striving to bring a TC2 into Australia to continue to develop and sustain my arts practice in the field of digital weaving. My plan is to open up access to other artists and, once established, to offer training and workshops to the public and seek opportunities to collaborate with artists, interior designers, and architects. As interesting as it has been chasing the loom around the world, it is time to bring my “tool” home. To follow the journey, sign up to the Loom Loop.

About Jane Burns

Jane Burns is an Australian artist and weaver, based in Naarm/Melbourne on the unceded Country of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree – Sculpture (1992) and a Graduate Certificate – Visual Art (2018) from the Victorian College of the Arts, and a Diploma of Education – Art (2005) from Monash University. Visit www.janeburns.com.au and follow @jane_burns_artist/

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digital | G41 | Jane Burns | Melbourne | weaving