about

Lab O

Recovering and sharing knowledge of historic canvases

Founded by

Helena Loermans



member of CIETA

member of ICOM

Helena Loermans is a former laboratory technician, engaged in histochemical and morphometrical investigation of normal- and pathologic muscle in the mouse, (Nijmegen University, The Netherlands) and is now weaving in her studio in Odemira.

Lab O is a laboratory for the research and reconstruction of canvases of old master paintings.

Its mission is: Recovering and sharing the knowledge of historic canvases.

Loermans studied Jacquard Design in Florence, including textile analysis.

She has a long term experience as a fine production weaver and as a weaving teacher and tutor in various European funded projects for Rural Development, Projects on Reintegration in Society as well as for adults with limited capacities.

Linking craft entrepreneurship
technology science and art-history

Lab O has been self funded and with support of family donors since 2014. Istitutional support came in 2019 for research and a local exhibition. Travel support made two important presentations possible in 2019.

If you consider to supporting the research please donate here

The weaving studio is located in the historic centre of Odemira, close to the Atlantic Ocean,
in Portugal and exists since 2000

Lab O is located in this studio
The project initiated when Marta Pokojowczyk came to Odemira in the ‘Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs’ programme in 2014.



The loom

All textiles are woven on this AVL Compu Dobby loom connected to a Mac Plus device.

The weave drafts are generated on Weavelt, a handwaving design software for Mac Os

my faithful JOIA

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Support:

Logo by

Language consultant

Ralph de Rijke

2019: