Boucherouite Rag Rugs

www.boucherouite.net

Due to his love of Morocco, its culture and way of life, Jean-Yves Sevestre, with the help of the architect Denis Estienne, created Dar Syada : an exceptional place where traditional architecture meets modern design. Since his arrival in Morocco, Jean-Yves has been interested in Boucharouette tapestries, intrigued by the modernism expressed in this tribal art. The fluidity of the colours and the abstract design in these carpets called out to him and very soon he had them hung on the walls, contributing to the notion of “tapestry art”.  Within a few years, he had gathered an impressive collection and started to promote their sale with a Moroccan friend, Chafik Moujahid. 

For a couple of years, there was little interest.  The materials used were often scraps, creating the perception that these carpets seemed destined to remain domestic rugs. Following interest by private collectors, the publication of numerous books describing the fascinating and artistic qualities of Berbere carpets, sales to well-known designers and exhibitions in Europe and the USA, have all contributed, in the last few years, to a growing interest in this style of Berber tapestry.  Jean-Yves and Chafik  continue to scour the length and breadth of the villages found in the Middle and High Atlas mountains in order to buy directly from the Berbere women.  They are still moved and excited by the poetry and creativity expressed in these works.

Location:  Marrakech, Morocco

Online shops:  www.boucherouite.net  and Etsy

Brick and Mortar:  We have a permanent gallery, Darsyada, in Marrakech and an art gallery in Isle Sur La Sorgue in France (Galerie Demesure)

Languages spoken:  French, English, Arabic

Boucherouite Rag Rugs form Morocco

Tags:  Morocco, Carpets, Boucharouette, Tribal art, Berber, Tapestries

Sturee Tribal Village

http://stureetribalvillage.blogspot.com/

Sturee Tribal Village is a retail gallery of ethnic and tribal textiles, carvings, beads, jewelry, carpets and other crafts. As the retail outlet of Afghan Tribal Arts, most of the collection comes from Afghanistan and its neighbors, but other areas of the world, especially Africa, are also represented. Located in the heart of Pendleton's historic downtown Square, it is convenient to other shops and restaurants. The gallery opened in 2008 and has quickly become a sought-after source for handmade crafts from Central Asia.

Afghan Tribal Arts has become known for its extensive collection of hand carved beads made of semi-precious stones found in Afghanistan: lapis lazuli, carnelian, jade, onyx, serpentine, fluorite and much more. Sturee Tribal Village gives testimony to other beautiful traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation. We invite you to come and visit! 

Location:  Pendleton, South Carolina, USA

Online Shop:  Afghan Tribal Arts

Blog:  Sturee Tribal Village

Languages spoken: English, Pashtu, Farsi, Urdu, a bit of Uzbeki 

 Sturee Tribal Village, Pendleton, SC

Sturee Tribal Village in Pendleton, SC (USA)

Tags:  gallery, tribal textiles, cultural textiles, beads, ethnographic, ethnic textiles, Central Asian, African, carpets, vintage

Fabricadabra

  www.fabricadabra.us

Decorative pillow covers made only from natural, non-toxic fabrics. Pillows include ikats, suzanis, kilims, wool, wax prints, batiks, indigo cloth, mudcloth and a smattering or printed organic cottons.

The fabrics are woven only from natural, non-toxic fibers, using mostly ancient techniques and low impact dyes. A story, a person and a culture are behind every fiber. Most decorative pillow cover fabrics are woven on handlooms and the artisans are paid fair wages for their skills.

Decorative pillow inserts are made with kapok fiber filling and organic cotton shells. Kapok fiber is natural, organic, pesticide free, non-allergenic, mold and mildew resistant, lightweight, odorless, silky, sustainable, washable and non-toxic. All inserts are made in the U.S.A.

Mission:  What I am offering is high quality natural and pesticide-free textile products that don't offend one's sense of beauty, function and compassion. My goal is to be a proponent for all that is pure, healthy, beautiful and respectful. This is a humble attempt to share my passions and values.

-Donna Halloran

Location:  Northborough, Massachusetts, USA

Online shop:  www.fabricadabra.us

Blog:  fabricadabrablog

Memberships:  Green America, Kiva

Languages spoken:  English

Ikat Pillow by Fabricadabra

Tags:   ethnic textiles, ethnic pillows, handwoven textiles, pillows, organic cotton pillows

Cultured Expressions, Inc.

www.CulturedExpressions.com

As a lifelong fabricholic, I built a business around my love for African textiles in particular. Cultured Expressions specializes in the creative use of authentic African fabrics for sewing, quilting, decorating and crafts. It started with the publication of my first book, AFRICAN ACCENTS: Fabrics and Crafts to Decorate Your Home. Since then, I've been promoting my work through two more books (GLOBAL EXPRESSIONS and ON THE GO!) and by importing and selling fabrics, embellishments, kits and specialty merchandise to go with the books. Two favorites are our Jacquard Batiks and handcrafted brass adinkra symbols, both from Ghana.


I also offer related travel and tour opportunities, including our Textile and Craft Tour of Ghana (Sept 2010) and our 6th annual Quilter's Retreat, which takes place at a holistic spa in Negril, Jamaica (June 2011). In addition to helping others create their own artwork through workshops and the merchandise, I've also been carving out a bit more time to create custom handbags and commissioned wall hangings. I love what I do and I enjoy sharing it with others.


Friends are invited to my home studio in Rahway, NJ to shop-by-appointment, and a mini shop is always set up for workshops.


Artist's Statement:  Through my books, events and products, I want to offer people a unique avenue for self expression and at the same time, give them an appreciation for, and an understanding of African cultures and creativity.




Location:  Rahway, New Jersey, USA
Online shop:  CULTURED EXPRESSIONS, Inc.
Social Media:  LinkedIn  
Memberships:
   CHA Designer Member
   Newark Museum - Instructor & Member
   Textile Museum - Member
   Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Alumni Assn
Languages spoken:  English, some Spanish, a little Twi (spoken in Ghana)

African textiles available at Cultured Expressions, Inc.

+African Accents On The Go! Designing Accessories with Cultural Style


 

Tags:  Mudcloth, kuba, bogolan, retreat, embellishment, bead, ethnic, global, culture, how-to books

Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc.

Adinkra stamps from Ghana

http://www.culturalcollaborative.org

I have always been interested in cultural connections and have been fortunate to have done a lot of travel.  I landed in Ghana, next to the ocean.

In Ghana I am called Aba, a female born on Thursday.

My guest house/cultural center is in a fishing village in a suburb of Accra.

Many people go to Africa and only have a superficial connection. We want to change that by introducing you to the culture and people on a personal level.  We offer culturally relevant tours, volunteer opportunities, workshops with indigenous artisans, opportunities to write curriculum or perhaps you'd like to learn how to cook African food.


I divide my time between Boston, MA and Ghana. When in Boston, I sell work by Ghanaian artisans from my house.  Because I work with so many artisans, the stock is always changing. My best sellers have to do with adinkra: the adinkra stamps, charts, cloths...  I am also willing to ship, so if there's something you're interested in let me know, or if in Boston, stop by. Email me for more info.

-Ellie Schimelman

Mission: Cross Cultural Collaborative, Inc. is an educational non-profit that invites people to Ghana to promote cultural exchange and education through the arts.

Our vision is to place people from different life experiences in an environment where they can exchange ideas and find universal connections.

Location: Accra, Ghana, West Africa and Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Online shops: Cultural Collaborative, African Craft in Aba's Shop
Blog: Cross Cultural Collaborative
Languages spoken: English

 Handmade paper booklets from Aba House

Tags:  adinkra, kente, traditional african cloth, indigenous textiles, Ghanaian, handmade paper, cultural tours, ocean

Kantara Crafts

www.kantaracrafts.com

Kantara Crafts is a fair trade business specializing in Moroccan rugs and textiles imported directly from women's weaving cooperatives. I began the business in 2008 after working in Morocco for a year and a half on a project that fought against child labor. While living in Morocco, I met several artisans and immediately fell in love with the carpets, which is the only craft performed solely by women. At the same time, I was shocked at how the artisan's lack of mobility and access to the business world kept them subjugated to urban middlemen's pricing whims. I noticed that at the prices offered by these intermediaries the women barely had enough money to pay for their materials, let alone for their time and creativity. At that point, I decided to start Kantara Crafts as a means to directly support the artisans while reinvesting  a portion of the proceeds into education and business development initiatives within these very cooperatives. And the rest is history.

While there is no Kantara storefront, I do private consultations, trunk shows, presentations, and rug parties for those interested in seeing the rugs in person.

-Alia Kate

Mission:  Kantara Crafts is the premiere source for fair trade, handwoven Moroccan carpets in the United States. Kantara Crafts hand selects each carpet from women's weaving cooperatives in Morocco. As a result of its relationship with the artisans, Kantara ensure that its products are of the highest quality and with the most captivating designs.

Meaning “bridge” in Arabic, Kantara seeks to establish local and long-lasting relationships by bridging the gap between women artisans in Morocco and socially-conscious communities in the United States.

Location: New York City, New York, USA

Online store: Kantara Crafts

Blog: Kantara Crafts

Memberships:

   Fair Trade Federation, 

   Moroccan Rug Society,
   Weave a Real Peace,
   New York Guild of Handweavers,
   Textile Art Alliance
Social Media: Facebook Group  (Moroccan Rug Society),
   Youtube, Picasa 
Languages spoken: English, Spanish, French, Arabic

 Moroccan Weaver, Kantara Crafts

Kantara Crafts: Moroccan Rugs on Facebook

Tags: morocco, rugs, fair trade, high end carpets, handwoven, kilims, social responsibility

Fiona Wright

 www.creative-arts-safaris.com

I am an Australian artist living in rural India with my partner Praveen Nayak. Together we run Creative Arts Safaris; hands-on textile and cultural tours. In our home we house the Pukka Studio a place to experience some of India’s rich textile traditions as well as contemporary workshops. We also run a social enterprise, The Stitching Project, which helps to create work in the local area, an impoverished farming community.

Mission:   “Do and in doing, become.” One way to truly experience life is by getting involved. One way to experience another culture is through meeting people and  participating in its traditions; our work involves creating some of these opportunities and sharing them with others.

 Fiona Wright

Location: Pushkar, Rajasthan, India
Websites: Fiona Wright, Creative Arts Safari, Pukka Studio, The Stitching Project
Web store: Our Pukka Place
Brick and mortar: Our Pukka Place, Helloj Rd,  
     Behind Shyama Hospital 
     Pushkar, Rajasthan, India, 305022
Blog: Of Daydreams and Memories
Languages spoken: English, slow French, some Hindi

 

The Stitching Project

 

Creative Arts Safaris on Facebook

Tags: tours, textile workshop teacher, India, teacher, fair trade/ social enterprise, felt, textile artist.

Valerie Hearder

 www.africanthreads.ca 

and

www.valeriehearder.com

 

My love of textiles was formed in the exotic markets of South Africa where I was born.  I've been making quilts for 35 years and cloth as a medium for women's voice has been my abiding passion. 

I have exhibited in the USA, Japan, UK, Europe and South Africa. Landscapes are one of my specialities and I authored 2 books on applique landscapes, "Beyond the Horizon" (C&T) and "Points of View" (Martingale). I've taught quilting extensively including for the International Quilt Festival since 1988.  Some of my highlights were to be included in Nihon Vogue's book, 88 Quilt Leaders of the World and to exhibit in Thirty Distinguished Quiltmakers of the World in Tokyo Dome, Japan, a show curated by Mary Leman and Robert Shaw. 

My life is made rich by the textile community and sharing in it.


Mission:  African Threads, my fair trade company, grew from my passion for the art of the stitch, its story-telling magic and its power to heal women's lives. I grew up in South Africa and I want to make a difference in the lives of women facing the HIV/AIDS pandemic in that country. 15% of the profits from the sale of textiles and beadwork made by women's groups in South Africa is donated to the "Grandmother-to-Grandmother" campaign run by the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Location:  Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada
Online stores:   
   africanthreads  
   africanthreads   (Etsy)
Blog:  Thread Link   
Memberships:  SAQA, Canadian Quilter
Facebook Fan Page
Languages spoken:  English  

African Threads: Textiles in Support of Women in Africa on Facebook

Tags:  economic development, fair-trade, hand embroidery, folk art, beadwork, jewellery, applique, bead dolls, grandmothers, orphans


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