Sara Lechner

www.thefabricofmeditation.blogspot.com

I began working with textiles more than 20 years ago when I discovered that this was my way of connecting with the world and contribute bringing more fantasy, inspiration and a smile to it. I live in a world of little people and awesome worlds, all born in my imagination.  My art was shaped by a life full of experiences in two continents, Europe and South America (where I'm living now once more). My childhood was populated with an imagery of strange creatures born from the art of the Jesuit Missions of Argentina.

Artist's statement:  I'd like to inspire people through the spell of  medieval and folk motives, angels and birds. They live with me even when I do more minimalistic contemporary art...

Location:  Buenos Aires, Argentina

Online shop:  SaraLechnerArt

Blog:  thefabricofmeditation

Social Media:  LinkedIn, facebook

Languages spoken:  English, German, French, Spanish

The Magical Textiles of Sara Lechner

Tags:  embroidery, felting, quilting, contemporary, fairies, tyvek, fantasy, flowers, embellisher, faces

Bozena Wojtaszek

http://textilecuisine.blogspot.com/

I'm an art quilter. My quilts are small to medium in size, perfect for interior decoration. I'm always interested in selling and exhibiting my works.  I also have a few collections of bags, ornaments and textile jewelery.  Yes, I'm open for commissions too.


Location:  Lodz, Poland
Online shop:  BozenaWojtaszek
Blog:  Textile Cuisine
Social Media:   Twitter,  Pinterest
Memberships:  QuiltArt
Languages spoken:  Polish, English

"Market", Art Quilt by Bozena Wojtaszek

Tags:  art quilt, applique, medieval, textile, fiber, tree, teapots, landscapes, vegetables, interiors

Lao Hats

www.laohats.com

Heather Daveno of  Lao Hats

I am a self taught, American born textile artist who has been making hats from recycled textiles for over 20 years.  Please visit my shop for both custom made and 'off the rack' handmade hats.

Artist's statement:  Inspired by art forms from a variety of cultures and time periods, my hats are handcrafted from recycled textiles and found objects.  Lao Hats are limited editions, unique, warm and wearable artworks for your head!

Lao, the Chinese word for Old, is a play on words and a reference to the recycled / reclaimed / repurposed nature of my work.

I am in the process of rebranding and I am looking for a new name.  Please see my Facebook page or website for details...

Location:  Seattle, Washington, USA

Membership:  Northwest Art Alliance

Social Media:

   Deviant Art

   Twitter

Languages spoken:   English with smatterings of German and Turkish

Lao Hats:  Recycled and handmade!

Tags:   Heather Daveno, Lao Hats, recycled, handcraft, handmade, wearable art, handmade hats, wool hats, art to wear

Catherine Timm

catherinetimm.com

I draw my inspiration from my great love of nature and my ever growing library of drawings, photographs, and designs.  I use fibres, materials, and colour to build unique collages.  This very creative process allows me to explore the use of textiles, fibres, paint, embellishments and stitching.  The purpose of my art is to create beauty and express my feeling and experiences with colour relationships, shapes, and linear movement.  I also enjoy engaging and sharing my passion with the people who collect my work.  

JoAnne Gauci Gallery in Beachburg, Ontario, Canada, carries my work.

Artist's statement:  I am a passionate fibre/mixed media artist who employs surface design techniques and incorporates unusual hand painted, hand dyed fabrics, paper, found objects, hand and machine quilting to depict landscapes and abstract art.  I share my enthusiasm by teaching techniques to others in workshops and seminars.  I  also take every opportunity to learn new techniques from others and employ them in my designs.

Location:  Westmeath, Ontario, Canada

Social Media:  LinkedIn

Memberships:

   SAQA - Studio Art Quilt Associates

   Ontario Craft Counil

   Canadian Artists Representation

Languages spoken:  English

"Quiet Winter Forest", Art Quilt by Catherine Timm

"Icy Grass on a Winter's Day" Art Quilt by Catherine Timm

SingingScarves

http://www.Etsy.com/shop/singingscarves

I am an Estonian silk artist specialized in creating custom orders.  I love to paint wearable art - scarves and ties with special motifs, personal notes, good wishes.  I also love to create silk paintings, I have painted on silk for over 15 years and am sure that anything could be painted on silk - portraits, landscapes, pets etc.  I also love to sing while painting, therefore I call my scarves singing scarves.

-Maria Jyrimäe

I have two Etsy shops and sell also via my professional website.  My scarves are also available in Estonian galleries and shops.

If you happen to visit Northen Europe, Estonia and Tartu, you are welcome to my silk studio on Narva mnt. 101.

Artist's statement:  Silk is a living material. It can remember good thoughts, personal wishes, and special songs.  My silk creations carry this special energy and most of them are created just for this person. So they are not only one of the kind but truly personal and special.

Location:  Tartu, Estonia

Online shops:

   singingscarves  (Etsy)

   ArtSilkTies  (Etsy)

   singingscarves

Memberships:

   SPIN (Silk Painters International)

   SPIN FaceBook group

  NING SilkPainting Gallery Network

Languages spoken:  Estonian, English, Russian, German, Finnish

Handpainted Silk Scarves by SingingScarves

Tags:  silk painting, silk art, silk scarf, silk tie, singingscarves, ArtSilkTies, made to order

Ganesh Himal Trading

www.ganeshhimaltrading.com

Denise Attwood with husband, Rick,
and son , Cameron, in Nepal.

Since 1984, we have been supplying shops and retail customers in North America with high quality, handcrafted clothing, jewelry, textiles, and paper. We import directly from small cottage industries in Nepal, including development projects working to improve the lives of Tibetan refugees and women. We have worked with many of our producer groups for over 20 years.

Our goal has always been to support work that enhances people’s lives and traditions. We work directly with the producers as a team, expanding each others’ talents and ideas. It is rewarding to work with such skilled artisans who enjoy what they do and to know that they realize a fair return for their work.

We are a member of the Fair Trade Federation, an organization dedicated to promoting respect and fair interaction, at all levels, between producers and consumers. We are also a part of the Green America Business Network with a listing in the National Green Pages. Denise is a past board member of the Fair Trade Resource Network working to educate North American’s about the benefits of fair trade. We are also co-founders, with Sita Gurung, of the Baseri Health Clinic in Baseri, Nepal.   It has been very rewarding to be involved with the growing interest in the support and promotion of fair trade and with enhancing the lives of our producer partners in Nepal.

Please see our website for retail locations that carry our products throughout the US and Canada.

Fair Trade Weaving in Nepal

Mission:  For those of you who are new to Ganesh Himal Trading we would like to give you a brief introduction to who we are and how we practice fair trade. We have worked with producer groups in Nepal since 1984. By assisting in product development, purchasing and importing these artisans’ products our goal has been to create mutually beneficial, long-term partnerships with low income, refugee and fair trade artisan groups in Nepal. The principles of fair trade are central to our philosophy and the way we do business. In 1998, four key international organizations created a widely accepted definition of Fair Trade:

“a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions, and securing the rights of disadvantaged producers and workers-especially in the South” (FINE, 1998)

As we look back over the past 25 years we are thrilled to see that the concepts of “fair trade” do work to bring economic, spiritual and cultural health to all of those involved. We have watched with humility as the producers we work with have done well and then reached out to others in need.

We have watched a country go from peace to civil war and seen the strength and resolve of our friends as they deal with even more adversity and again reach out to those who have been so tragically affected by this war. As we look to the future we hope to provide the producers we work with in Nepal with a more just and stable future, through fair trade and to educate more consumers about the need to support this movement for economic justice.

Finally, we hope to help more fair trade retailers in North America gain access to items that are practical and useful in our every day lives so that more fair trade outlets can become available to North American consumers. It is our retail customers who are the visible presence of fair trade. Without you none of this would be possible! Our dream is to work together with you in partnership toward an economically more just world.


Location:  Spokane, Washington, USA
Online shop:  Ganesh Himal Trading  (Wholesale only)
Blog:  Fair Trade News Blog
Memberships:
   Fair Trade Federation 
   Green America 
   Fair Trade Resource Network 
Languages spoken:  English, some French

Hand Knit Accessories by Ganesh Himal Trading
Fair Trade in Nepal

Tags:  Fair trade, Nepal, kitchen, potholders, placemats, tablerunners, housewares, clothing, felt

Yeiser Art Center

Yeiser's Yearly Fiber Art Show

http://fantasticfibers.theyeiser.org

FANTASTIC FIBERS is an international competitive exhibition that seeks to showcase a wide range of outstanding works related to the fiber medium. In four years Fantastic Fibers has grown to a truly international competition/exhibition.

Fantastic Fibers 2012 is hosted by the Yeiser Art Center, Paducah’s Gateway to the Arts. Located in downtown Paducah, the Yeiser Art Center is a non-profit visual arts organization celebrating more than fifty years of serving the community through exhibitions and education throughout the Tri-State Region.

Last year’s Fantastic Fibers 2011 had over 400 entries submitted by 187 fiber artists from Canada, France, Japan, and Qatar, and from 23 US states. 58 works by 47 fiber artists were chosen for the exhibit.

Paducah is the home of the National Quilt Museum. The American Quilter’s Society Annual Show and Contest will be held in Paducah from April 25 to 28, 2012.
_______________


The competition/exhibition is open to all professional artists 18 years and/or over working in the field of fiber art. Contemporary and innovative works created with fiber as the primary medium are welcome. All work submitted must be original, completed in the last three years and not previously exhibited in a Fantastic Fibers exhibition. There are no size restrictions. A non-refundable entry fee $10 is required for each entry submitted for consideration with a maximum of five entries per artist. Entries must be submitted online by February 4, 2012.

Juror Luanne Rimel is an artist, curator, and currently the Director of Education Programs at Craft Alliance Art Center in St. Louis, Missouri. She holds an MFA in Fibers from Southern Illinois University and has taught numerous workshops and classes around the country. Rimel will award a minimum of $1,750 in cash prizes for this year’s exhibition.

Location:  Paducah, Kentucky, USA
Language spoken:  English

Fantastic Fiber Exhibit at the Yeiser Art Center in 2011

Tags:  Call for entries, exhibitions, art quilt, mixed media, contest, felt, fiber, workshops, 3-d, Paducah

DILETTANTE Soutache Jewellery and Accessories

http://www.etsy.com/shop/DILETTANTEsoutache

I create my jewelry in Cyprus - the island with year round golden sunshine and a tropical climate.
This idyllic island of the Mediteranean is distinctive for its awe-inspiring natural beauty, extraordinary biodiversity, and fusion of traditions and peoples.

My inspiration comes from the heavenly scenery; sands of alabaster, silver, gold and ebony hug the shorelines, lapped by waves of turquoise.  Brightly coloured shoals of fish hide amongst vibrant coral gardens of bubblegum hues, in curvy bays of salt-encrusted limestone, sea-polished granite and rugged volcanic rock - all set against a simply stunning backdrop of bloom - filled, lush forests.  As dusk falls, the crimson-purple skies treat me to some of the most incredibly beautiful sunsets in the whole world.

I hope you will fall in love with my creations in the same way I fell in love with the beautiful Mediterranean.

-Klaudia Szuścik

Location:  Paphos, Cyprus
Online shop:  DILETTANTEsoutache
Languages spoken:  English, Polish

DILETTANTE Soutache Jewellery and Accessories

Tags:  soutache, earrings, soutache earrings, soutache necklace, necklace, soutache accessories, accessories, gemstones, natural gemstones

MemphisWeaver

http://memphisweaver.com

MemphisWeaver is where form meets function. My handwoven clothing and accessories will not only keep you warm and comfortable but will also mark a stylish and contemporary woman. The creative side of you will delight in writing and sketching your innermost thoughts and wildest dreams in my hand bound blank books

Yes, weaving and hand bound books go hand in hand. The rhythmic flow of the shuttle from side to side mimics the rhythmic movement of carrying the threads along the spine of a beautifully constructed book. My weaving began in 1980 when I finished my work in museum studies, and instead of heading to a curator's workbench, I headed to the weaving studio, and I have stayed there ever since! My work in book arts stemmed from a life long love of reading. In 1985 I gave myself a gift of an art retreat with one of the foremost book artists in the world. I saw how inter-related weaving and the book arts were and I have never looked back.

In both weaving and book arts, I constantly look for new materials, new forms, and new ways to express my love of both. My work continues to change and evolve, but in my handcrafted products you will always find something you will love to use for a very long time.


My work can be found at WinterArts, a seasonal gallery of fine handcrafted items by local artists in the Memphis area. The gallery is open twice a year from Thanksgiving through Christmas, and also for two weeks before Mother's Day.  Check the website for locations, as it varies from year to year: Winter Arts Memphis.  My work can also be purchased year round at the gift shop at the Memphis Brooks Museum during museum hours:  Brooks Museum.

-Felicitas  Sloves

Artist's statement:  Drawn by the colors and textures of yarns, I began weaving on a traditional floor loom in 1980.  My early pieces included original design clothing and accessories woven from natural wool fibers.  A move from New Jersey to Memphis in 2000 inspired a new direction in weaving.  Natural cotton and silk, and more recently sustainable fibers such as bamboo and tencel became my fibers of choice.  Not only do the fibers drape beautifully and feel luxurious, they also are easily replenish-able with little need for toxins to promote growth. My belief in stewardship of our Earth extends into  my work with hand bound books as I often incorporate hand made paper from natural products.

The Judaic concept of hiddur mitzvah has always been a part of my artistic life. Literally, the Hebrew phrase can be translated as “to make a good deed beautiful”. The use of textiles with a thought toward repairing the Earth can be viewed as a good deed, and to create beautiful handwoven textiles fulfills the directive issued by hiddur mitzvah.  As an artist, I believe that this concept can be applied to all manners of not only religious worship, but also by extension into one’s personal life.


Location:  Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Online shop:  memphisweaver
Blog:  memphisweaver
Memberships:
   Tennessee Association of Craft Artists
   Memphis Association of Craft Artists
   Handweavers Guild of America
Languages spoken:  English, Dutch

Handwoven Scarf by MemphisWeaver

Handbound Books by MemphisWeaver

Tags:  Handweaving, Clothing, Accessories, Hand bound book, Journal, Sketchbook, Sustainable, Memphis, Tennessee, Scarves

delightworthyn ART/wares

http://www.delightworthyn.com

A customer once described my hats as "flamboyantly historical". This perfectly describes my pieces.  My work is created from thrift store purchases and vintage/antique fabrics and trims.  I hand paint, bead and otherwise mangle these fabrics to create wearable art.

All of my hats have a vintage quality whether neo Victorian, Edwardian or roaring 20's inspired but are also completely modern.  I always keep the "wearable" in wearable art.

Artist's statement:  Fashion is fleeting but style is eternal.


Location:  New Haven, Connecticut, USA
Online shops:  
   delightworthyn
   delightworthyn (Etsy)
   scavengersdaughter (etsy)
Blog:  refashionconfidential
Social media:
   Twitter
   Stumble Upon
   Pinterest
   LinkedIn 
   Google+
Languages spoken:  English

Flamboyantly Historical Wearable Art
by delightworthyn ART/wares

Tags:  hat, hats, upcycled, vintage, refashion, silk, wool, cotton, accessories, millinery, couture, handmade

Morna Crites-Moore * Wicked Waif

http://www.mornacrites-moore.com

There is a soft spot in my soul for old and worn items, especially textiles. I find great pleasure in recycling abandoned articles of clothing into new works of art. I have a special kinship with old woolens, particularly old sweaters, which I turn into felted wool through a fulling process of repeated agitation in hot, soapy water. The resulting wool felt is thick, luxurious, and available in all the  rich colors which seem to find their way to me via thrift stores, yard sales and caring friends.

My household motto, passed down from my grandmother, through my mother, and now from me to my daughter, is waste not, want not.  I find it very difficult to throw anything away because I can imagine a potential use for almost any object. My studio overflows with stuff waiting, ever so patiently, to be used. It can be overwhelming at times to have so much in the way of raw materials. I actually work best when I have a limited amount of materials to work with. Nonetheless, when I handle my many vintage textiles - velvet, silk, lace, wool - often incorporating found objects, metals, jewels, and antique buttons into the creative process, I am quite happily in my element.

The making becomes a meditation and I become lost in the process.

The outcome runs the gamut from small art quilts, to penny rugs, garlands, ornaments, flags, purses, pincushions, scarves, cuffs, small samples of sewn folk art, dolls, and so on. I never know what direction I’ll head for . . . it’s a mystery.

Artist's statement:  I'd like to set dreams free - yours or mine. I'd like to create things which are so meaningful they may just break my heart, or speak to your soul. Through my work, I hope to know us both better ..... to become closer to my core truth, to meet you (and you, and you), to learn about and honor this earth we all share.

I like it when my work speaks as well as when it listens.


Location:  Redding, Connecticut, USA
Online shop:  Wicked Waif Fiber
Blogs:  
   mornacrites-moore
   mornacrites-moore (tumblr)
Social Media:  LinkedIn
Memberships:
   SAQA - Studio Art Quilt Associates 
Languages spoken:  English

FLYING GEESE - recycled wool sweaters 

and vintage buttons, 16” x 16.5”

Tags:  "recycled sweaters" "felted wool" "vintage textiles" "buttons" "flags" "dolls" "little quilts" "penny rugs" "make do" "wicked waif"