Kit Eastman

http://www.kiteastman.com/

I am a textile artist from St. Paul, Minnesota. I make both functional and art textiles, hand painted in the Japanese tradition of katazome (paste resist stencil dyeing), using a palette of natural pigments and dyes on linen, cotton, silk and sometimes paper. My work celebrates daily meetings with the wild birds, plants, and lake breezes of my local urban surroundings.

My decorative and functional works (i.e. pillows and runners) are created in small batches, and each item is a unique variation of my original design. I also create one-of-a kind katazome works for the wall. In addition, I am open to custom commission work. For example, I can work with homeowners and/or interior designers who want to decorate a home or public space with a unique, nature-inspired art textile.

Katazome techniques can be applied to any natural fiber woven fabric, from sheer silks to heavier weight wools, linens, hemps and cottons. Please contact me if you are interested in learning more about what is possible!

Artist statement:  Natural forms draw me in on daily walks around the small lake near my home. I am captivated by the patterns and cycles I observe in plants, water, birds and seasons. These familiar landscapes, as well as the interior terrain of thought, memory and imagination inspire my work.

Since January of 2009, I have focused exclusively on the materials, tools and techniques of katazome, which inspire me almost as much as my subject matter! The centuries-old technique incorporates elements of both printmaking and painting, and relies on simple non-toxic materials such as rice paste resist, natural pigments and dyes, and soymilk. It is an elegant process with relevance for the contemporary artist who strives to work with a minimum impact on the environment.

As my work enters the stream of daily life, those who use and enjoy it will be reminded of the beauty of nature. In sharing with my audience how the work was made, I hope to inspire appreciation of this inventive, robust, and earth-friendly Japanese textile tradition.

Location:  St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Online shop:  SilverMinnow

Blog:  kiteastman

Memberships:

   Surface Design Association
   Textile Center of Minnesota
   American Crafts Council

Languages spoken:  English

Katazome textile by Kit Eastman

Tags:  natural dye, hand painted, linen, silk, katazome, Japanese, bird, plant, home decor, stencil

Thistle and Rose Handweaving

www.etsy.com/shop/TandRHandweaving

 I am interested in weaving traditional heirloom quality linens for use in the home.  I weave primarily towels, table runners and table linens using traditional weaving patterns and yarns.  I opened my etsy shop in August 2010 and have been selling at a fairly steady rate in that venue.  As a new business I am interested in not only learning the ropes of small business ownership but learning how to promote my traditional craft so that handweaving skills are brought forward for the upcoming generations to learn and enjoy.

Artist's statement:  My weaving life began in 1997 when I decided that time was growing short and I really needed to get down to the business of learning how to weave on a floor loom. Without access to formal weaving programs in my area, I jumped into weaving with one book and a huge desire to weave a rag rug. From the first completed rug to the latest projects on my looms I am always learning something new and exciting. The field of weaving is so rich and varied; there are always new things to try as well as old friends to return to thus making weaving a perfect medium for my creative endeavors.

My studio is called Thistle and Rose Handweaving - an off-hand way of proclaiming my affection for the historical figures Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I. I enjoy the fact that I can in some small way combine two of my interests, renaissance history and weaving. Here at Thistle and Rose Handweaving I delight in weaving both functional and decorative table linens, clothing items and rugs. I try to use primarily natural fibers in all my work along with a dash of inspiration from the nature that surrounds my country home.

Location:  Centerville, Utah, USA
Online shop:  TandRHandweaving
Blog:  tandrhandweaving
Memberships:
   Mary Meigs Atwater Weaving Guild, Salt Lake City, Utah
   Tromp as Writ Weaving Guild, Monmouth, IL
   Mid West Weavers Guild
Languages spoken:  English

Thistle and Rose Handweaving

Tags:  Handwoven, weaving, woven, fiber artist, fiber arts, hand made, traditional crafts, heritage crafts, weaving loom,  home decor

Marjorie Durko Puryear Art

Travel Documents 1-Moments On The Grid. ArtQuilt 30" x 30"

mardurpur.blogspot.com/

I am a fiber artist, formally trained, with both BFA and MFA degrees. I construct textile compositions that are unpretentious stories. Typically small-scale, they are easy-to-live-with pieces, often quirky, and very enjoyable. This work is defined by a passion for collecting cast-offs: delicate handkerchiefs and monogrammed linens; handwritten notes and letters from another era; and odd photos. I identify with the history each item carries and am obsessed with assembling found parts into a new whole, inventing a new message for the appropriated materials.

My work is meticulously conceived and honors fine craftsmanship.

Most pieces are small-scale, single unit/single element compositions, formally framed. Other work is in traditional quilt form – both art quilt and functional.

My work has been exhibited in hundreds of group and solo shows, recently: the ARC Gallery, Chicago IL; Fuller Museum of Craft, Brockton MA; Carnegie Center, New Albany IN; Turchin Center, Boone NC; Prescott College/Sam Hill Gallery, AZ; Craft Alliance Gallery, St Louis MO; Museum of Decorative Arts and Design,  Riga LATVIA; and soon, Selden Gallery, Norfolk VA.

My work is sold through exhibitions and now by direct contact through my blog.

Artist's statement:  The textile art that I create is emotionally linked to everyday humble craft- forms and the tactile, sentimental memories they can embody. I transform the mundane parts of an ordinary life into compositions that evoke intrinsic beauty and a viewer’s curiosity - objects that become new and extraordinary decorative elements.

Location:  USA. Split residences-Massachusetts and Alabama

Blog:  mardurpur 

Memberships:  

   Surface Design Association, MA/RI.
   Weavers Guild of Boston, WGB.
   Handweavers Guild of America, HGA.

Languages spoken:  English

Notes From You Series - Judge Me. detail Framed size 18" x 18" by Marjorie Durko Puryear Art

Tags:  collage, lace, Victorian, letters, memories, writing, small, feminine

The Loaded Trunk

http://theloadedtrunk.com/about/

Every piece selected for The Loaded Trunk embodies my approach to life: rich, artistic tradition, creativity and craftsmanship. I believe that both traditional techniques and new interpretations of old traditions bring immeasurable beauty and warmth into the home.

Working with a global network of artisans and designers, each item sold through The Loaded Trunk is personally selected for its ability to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Each piece is either created specifically for The Loaded Trunk, or purchased from a local market across the globe.

I believe in supporting the local economy throughout my travels, and respectfully pay the artisan’s asking price. Fair trade matters. For these reasons, only limited quantities are available for most items, and exact pieces may not be restocked once they’re sold.

I consider The Loaded Trunk my global dinner party. As a fellow citizen of this world, I encourage you to join me.

-Roni Jaco

Mission:  The Loaded Trunk website launched July 2009 and invites shoppers to explore a multi-cultural world of art objects, textiles, artifacts, jewelry and rare finds for the home.  I love cooking and entertaining, and I think of my home as a place where I can really express what my parents did for my family while I was growing up.

I grew up as an Army brat and wherever we lived, my mother filled our home with the art, crafts and home furnishings that represented local culture. I developed a lifelong appreciation for the feeling you get when you’re in a room that reflects the art and passion of other cultures.

With The Loaded Trunk, I try to share that passion with others, taking them on an adventure they can enjoy without a passport – and helping them define their own personal style in a way not easily done by shopping traditional retail stores. It’s purely an online shopping experience for those unafraid to shop outside the box, so to speak.

I look for uncommonly cool items that can create a warm and uniquely beautiful atmosphere. My own home is an eclectic mix of old and new, vintage and contemporary. I shop globally not on a quest for antiques, but rather in pursuit of skilled artistry and craftsmanship, believing it’s important to keep alive the centuries-old techniques and traditions I see during my travels.

When I visit the countries I buy from, I wander off the well-worn path of tourists so I can truly immerse myself in local culture. My products are for lovers of the quirky and unusual, collectors of rare art and ethnic objects, anyone who looks at the world with a sense of wonder and curiosity.

I collaborate with a network of global artists in the U.S. and abroad to assemble an online catalog of products meant to be both admired and used – whether it’s an exquisite teapot, a piece of jewelry, an exquisite basket that doubles as an end table or a ceremonial object that can hold a candle.  Every item is special in its own way; some are rare finds while others are simply beautiful pieces that inspire me for one reason or another.

I’ve been filling my own treasure trunk my whole life, and I’m excited to open the lid and invite others to come see what the world has to offer.

Location:  Kansas City, Missouri, USA

Online shop: The Loaded Trunk

Blog:  The Loaded Trunk

Languages spoken:  English

The Loaded Trunk: Vintage Hmong fabric used in a fun, contemporary bag.

Tags:  ikat, ralli quilts, ethnic textiles, tribal textiles, umbrella, vintage, asian textiles, rugs, jewelry, home interiors

Threads of Peru

www.threadsofperu.com

Ariana Svenson with a Quechua Weaver

Threads of Peru is a not-for-profit, social enterprise registered in Cusco, Peru. The founding members, Fely Callanaupa Gonzales, Ariana Svenson, Angie Hodder and Adam Collins represent the countries of Peru, Australia, and Canada respectively.

We sell fairly traded, authentic, traditional Andean Textiles. These hand-woven fabrics are made using ancient traditional methods practiced by the indigenous Quechua people of the Peruvian Andes.

Traditional Andean weaving in Peru involves the shearing of organic fiber from herds of free range alpaca and sheep; the washing and dyeing of the fiber using natural dyes (from insects, plants, and minerals of the region) and local plant-based soaps; hand-spinning of the fiber into thread using the drop spindle; and the weaving of cloth using the ancient back-strap and four post looms. Woven items feature superb iconography specific to the mountain communities in the Sacred Valley region of Peru.

Threads of Peru funds and conducts weaving workshops in three rural Andean communities, which develop a better understanding of production for an international market, and broaden the use of traditional methods. We also administer a nutrition program for the Reach Out Children's Fund, as part of our mandate is to collaborate with other organizations to improve the effectiveness of development efforts in the region.

Threads of Peru also offers a 14 day tour of Peru, which offers a panoramic view of the past, present and future of traditional Andean textiles. From the museums of Lima and the islands of Lake Titicaca, to the indigenous communities of the Sacred Valley and the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, this textile-focused tour reveals how important woven threads are to the fabric of Peruvian culture.  Click for Tour Info.

Peru, its people and their traditions are a vast and beautiful part of our world. They are connected to us - as we all are connected - through the common threads of fabric and fibre art. None of us can know it all, and we are happy to be included in this community; to learn and share in its collective strength.

Mission:  Threads of Peru supports Quechua weavers of Peru and their ancient textile traditions. By connecting weavers to an international market for their craft, we help to preserve their ancient culture and provide communities with important economic opportunity.

Threads of Peru offers high quality clothing, accessories and home decor which fit contemporary lives and fashions. Our products are created using traditional methods of hand production, which are environmentally sustainable, and serve to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the descendants of the Inca.


Location:  Peru
Online shops:  Threads of Peru on eBay
Blog: Threads of Peru
Other Social Media:  Twitter, Squidoo
Languages spoken:  English, Spanish

Threads of Peru

Authentic Andean Textiles from Threads of Peru - Angie Hodder on Vimeo.

Tags:  Peruvian textiles, alpaca scarf, wool belt, table runner, shawl, woven handbag, native clothes, indigenous decor, andean art, handicrafts Peru 

Fabric of Life

www.fabricoflife.com.au

My name is Mary Jose and I have been a textile conservator serving museums, galleries and private collectors for the past 25 years.  My passion is the preservation of material culture as expressed through traditional textile practice.

I have pursued this through my work as a conservator but just on 8 years ago I established my business,  Fabric of Life.  I am privileged to be able to travel throughout the world visiting textile artisans to learn about their work and to buy for my business. 

As all textile lovers will know there is always something more to learn about textiles  and more beautiful textiles to discover.  I am hoping to connect with people with similar interests through TAFA and also to source materials for my conservation work.

Mission:  Fabric of Life specialises in handmade contemporary and antique textiles individually selected from around the world.  We are proud to offer original handmade textiles that are finely crafted, distinctive and beautiful for use in interior design, fashion or as gifts.

We follow Fair Trade principles by buying from individual makers or projects that help to promote community development, self-sufficiency and sustainability. Each year we visit villages that still  practice traditional textile arts and select exquisite handmade pieces for Fabric of Life customers directly from the maker.

We are also proud to present a range of Australian Aboriginal textiles and fibre works from communities throughout Australia.

Fabric of Life also provides textile conservation services for the care and preservation  of a wide variety of antique and contemporary textiles.  Professional conservation enables objects of beauty, interest, sentimental value and cultural significance to be enjoyed by present and future generations. Whether you have a unique item yourself, or are responsible for the care of a museum collection, Fabric of Life has the expertise to preserve and care for your special textile piece.

Our expert team can provide advice on the right textile for your home and prepare the perfect display system to suit. The Fabric of Life textile collection is diverse in culture and style. We travel the world, sourcing textiles of the highest quality from artists across Asia, Africa, South America and Central Australia. Most works are new but we also stock vintage textiles for the collector. This is what makes Fabric of Life’s textiles truly unique, a collection you won’t find anywhere else.

Our extensive range is on display in our Melbourne Street store in Adelaide and online at Fabric of Life.

Location:  North Adelaide, South Australia

Online shop:  Fabric of Life

Brick and Mortar:

   Fabric Of Life
   Handmade and Fair Trade Textiles, Gifts and Conservation
   141 Melbourne Street, North Adelaide, South Australia, 5006
   email

Memberships:  

   Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials (AICCM)
   The Asian Arts Society of Australia (TAASA)
   The Fair Trade federation of Australia and New Zealand (FAANZ)

Languages spoken:  English

Fabric of Life in Australia

Dreamkaravan

http://dreamkaravan.blogspot.com

I've always been creative and inspired by our world heritage.  I love beautiful textiles, rich patterns, colors and cultural symbolism.  With them, I feel the connection in space and time between women (and men!)  whose loving skills were transmitted and shared during generations.

Like the ancient silk roads, the internet can offer us the place to share our creative inspiration and bring beauty to the world.

For my lucky charms or "marvel catchers" (as I have named them), I have been inspired by the talismans and magic items that you can find all over the world, particularly in Central Asia, Asia and Africa. 

Artist's statement:  I enjoy offering my lucky charms as an opportunity to express tenderness and gratitude for loved ones. They could be wonderful gifts also for someone going through some challenging time or to accompany your life changes and heart's desires. A secret pocket is enclosed in some of them to hide some personal item or enlightening words written on a piece of paper...

The ideals of my generation were self-realisation and freedom. I feel that now the time has come to rediscover the power of simplicity and care for each other. My items aim to serve as the support of intentions, blessings or are reminders of love and beauty.

Location:  Lyon, Rhône, France

Online shop:  Dreamkaravan

Blog:  dreamkaravan

Other social media:  Twitter, Handmade Spark

Languages spoken:  French, English, Italian

 "Marvel Catchers" or Talismans by Dreamkaravan
In the spirit of the Silk Road

Tags:  handmade,  lucky charm, talisman, fiber, silk, beads, charms, embroidery, creation, pendant, ornament, amulet

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

kimonoboy

http://www.kimonoboy.com

My internet-only shop sells Japanese homespun indigo cotton and hemp folk textiles from the mid 1800's to the mid 1900's with an emphasis on boro futon covers, noragi (peasant & farmer’s clothing) and kaya (hemp) mosquito netting.

Questions about old Japanese cotton or hemp textiles are most welcome and I will respond to them the best I can.

I’ve lived in Japan for 14 years and I am very fortunate to be married to Akiko. We live in Fukuoka (Kyushu, Western Japan)  with our very ornery wire haired fox terrier, Hanako.  Please see my site for the details about our life in Japan.

Jim Austin
Fukuoka-shi, Japan

Mission:  We wish to provide an internet presence where people from anywhere in the world can acquire exceptional early Japanese folk textiles directly from us in Japan.




Location:  Fukuoka-shi, Japan
Online shop:  kimonoboy
Languages spoken:  English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese

 Japanese Vintage Boro Textile from kimonoboy

Tags:    Japanese folk textiles, boro, komebukuro, kaya, hemp mosquito netting,  indigo, kasuri, katazome, sakiori, indigo cotton

Helen Klebesadel

http://www.klebesadel.com/

I am actually a painter and educator who paints and teaches about fiber arts along with all the other arts.  Most  recently I have begun actually designing fabrics myself, using my watercolor paintings as a base.

One series of watercolor paintings I have celebrates the quilts and crochet pieces that were the  under-recognized creative work  of the rural women in my family when I was 'coming up' in Wisconsin.  I especially love crazy quilts, and paint the quilts I wish I owned.

 I have an Etsy store for my paintings and prints (Niceharpy.Etsy.com)  as well as in the ArtfulHome.com virtual gallery, and I currently sell my fabrics on Spoonflower.com.  I'm delighted to have a small and growing following of quilters using my fabrics, which has a nice 'full-circle' feel to it for me.

My work is available at Grace Chosy Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin and I welcome visits by appointment at my studio, Helen Klebesadel Studio, also in Madison, Wisconsin.

Artist's Statement: "My visual concerns run the gamut from careful study to poetic, symbolic and sometimes political representations of nature and human nature.”

Helen Klebesadel is an artist, an educator, and an activist.  Born and raised in rural Wisconsin, her art has become the place where she explores how we learn our deepest values.   Klebesadel is best known for her environmental and women centered watercolors. She is particularly interested in how myths and stories socialize us to have different expectations for some people than from others.  She uses the creative process to re-examine and re-present narratives that resist and contest existing power structures by revealing they exist.  Klebesadel exhibits her work nationally and internationally.

Helen’s watercolors push the traditional boundaries of the medium in scale, content, and technique.   Her paintings range in size from the intimate to the monumental. She creates paintings that are transparent watercolors on paper, starting with detailed drawings and developing the images with layer upon layer of color washes and dry brush technique mixed with occasional areas of wet-into-wet spontaneity.  She paints until the paintings tell her she is done.  Most recently she has begun transforming her images into fabric designs and she is exploring the potential  of a merger of her imagery with fiber based works.

Helen Klebesadel earned her BS, a certificate in Women’s Studies, and a MFA in art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She has taught courses and workshops on creativity, studio art, and the contemporary women’s art movement for two decades.  Klebesadel continues to learn from her art experiences and her students.  Helen taught studio art at Lawrence University for ten years before leaving to become Director of the University of Wisconsin System’s Women’s Studies Consortium in 2000. She contributed a chapter entitled Re-Framing Studio Art Critique and Practice, to the recently published text ‘New Museum Theory and Practice: An Introduction.  Klebesadel’s art and prose have been published in Femspec, Frontiers, Feminist Studies, Interweave, and CALYX.  She is a past national president of the national Women’s Caucus for Art and a current Wisconsin Arts Board member.

"Prairie" Designer Fabric by Helen Klebesadel

Location:  Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Online Shops: 

   Niceharpy  (Etsy)
   klebesadel  (Artful Home)
   helenklebesadel  (Spoonflower)
   hklebesadel  (Zazzle)

Blog: klebesadel

Other Social Media:  Twitter 

Memberships:

   College Art Association
   Women's Caucus for Art
   National Women's Studies Association

Languages spoken: English

Watercolor Quilt Series

Sample Fabric Designs Available on Spoonflower

Tags: watercolor, quilts, spoonflower, feminist, women's studies, rural, crochet, painting, material culture

Folkwear

www.folkwear.com

Since 1976, Folkwear has offered unique sewing patterns based on ethnic costume and vintage fashion. Each multi-size pattern includes full-size pattern pieces ready to trace or cut out; easy-sew and special construction techniques clearly explained and illustrated; historical lore that sets the garment in its own time and place; and instructions for traditional embellishment.

-Kate Matthews

Mission:  We believe that ethnic and historical garments have a lot to offer in the way of inspiration, imagination, and design details, as well as aesthetic and functional beauty. When you combine historic or ethnic styles with modern materials and innovative fabrication, the resulting garments become unique expressions of the maker's vision. Folkwear is proud to contribute one element to each maker's creative process.


Location: Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Online shops: Folkwear patterns can be found at www.folkwear.com. The Dealer Locations page of our web site links to the web sites of Folkwear dealers around the world.
Languages spoken: English

Tags: costume, ethnic dress, historical clothing, central asian, japanese, victorian, edwardian, cultural clothing, peasant dress, fisherman's pants, clothing for men

Tracy Hudson

 

http://einesaite.blogspot.com

"I am a textile collector, researcher and artist who has lived in various parts of Asia and the U.S.  My eyes are always open to details of pattern and texture, my mind always absorbing the influences of my surroundings.

Any opportunity to discuss textile topics with others is a boon to me.  Our work with textiles can encourage the prominence and prosperity of this invaluable heritage in the world.

My own manifestations take the form of handspun yarns and garments created from them, in addition to quilts and dyed fabrics.  My designs are featured on Ravelry.com, and my blog shows a more personal (if sporadic) glimpse of my work ."


Artist statement: I am driven by textile-related dialogue and discovery.

It astounds and thrills me to touch cloth that has been worked by another's hands, in a distant culture or time.

To learn with my own hands, to produce original craft, within this global textile vocabulary – this is my life work.

Meanwhile, to continue the study of traditions, to document the textiles in context, to appreciate their role in the growth and perseverance of peoples – this is an ongoing fascination.

The two move hand-in-hand, the material study and execution; the intellectual reflection and research.

I dream of the time when the true value of textiles is acknowledged, when people and institutions revere this aspect of human culture and promote its study.


Location: Doha, Qatar
Blog: eine saite
Memberships/Sites:
   Textile Society of America
   Spin-Off Magazine
   Ravelry
Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Ladakhi, French, wee bits of several others....

 "Court Jester", an original design made by Tracy Hudson 

with her own handspun yarn.  

Pattern available on Ravelry.

TAGS:  tribal, resist dye, research, spinning, spindle, art, yarn, hands

Something Else Studio

www.somethingelsestudio.com

"I'm living my Dreams :)  As a full time artisan I have the sheer joy of getting up each morning and working in my studio to create wearable art in the form of purses, pockets  and renaissance inspired accessories.  I have many more ideas then I have time to create them, so I look forward to bringing to my festivals new items and new designs each season.  When I set off to college as a returning adult student seventeen years ago I had every intention of becoming an Art & Skills For Living school teacher, but somewhere along the way I ran off and joined a very talented group of gypsies know as renaissance festival artisans!  It is a lot of work to create, promote and manufacture your own designs for my festivals and websites, but it's an adventure I wouldn't trade for anything.  So follow your dreams and BELIEVE in the magic of our own creative soul. 

~ I am a self-supporting artist. With hard working hands & a creative heart I have crafted into reality my dreams with imagination and perseverance. Thank you for supporting my journey ~"

Find me at Sterling Renaissance Festival, Sterling, NY  USA  and The Maryland Renaissance Festival, Crownville, MD  USA.

Artist's statement:  "In 1995 I opened my design studio where my love for art, history and imagination could all take flight. I works out of my home studio creating enchanted accessories for  Renaissance, Faerie & Art Festivals.

With the focus on accessories as wearable art, I design a very unique look that transform the wearer from function to Fancy.  Each One-of-A-Kind creation brings it's own enchanting finishing touch, all handcrafted with extra attention to every detail.

I have been creating for 30 years, gaining experience with medieval design by making costumes for Renaissance Festivals. I have spent time doing quilting, fabric dyeing, crewel, beadwork, and photography, all of which I employed when my son decided on a medieval-themed wedding. Now I use all of my diverse skills to offer you all the services of a medieval guild.

I graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Art with a focus on graphic design and drawing. I love working in mixed media with painting, textiles, murals, photography, and plaster relief paintings on wood, resulting in dimensional artwork. Some of my painting become interactive as viewers open doors or press buttons to interact with the artwork."

-Jannelle Olmstead

Location: Palmyra, New York, USA

Online shops:

   Something Else Studio

   SEStudio on Etsy 

Memberships:

   Arts Cultural Council for Greater Rochester
   American Crafts Council
   Etsy Fantasy Artists Team 

Languages spoken: english & ren speak :)

Wearable Art by Something Else Studio

Tags:  purses, pocket, bag, wearable art, fabric painting, mixed media, fantasy, whimsical, original designs, historical

Miao Baby Carriers

www.miaobabycarriers.com

Miao Baby Carriers is my personal collection of over 5,000 vintage embroidered Chinese baby carriers.  These beautiful creations of the Miao (Hmong), Dong, Zhuang, and other minority cultures are available, at no cost, for study or exhibit.

Read my article, "Collection Seeks Soul Mate" for more pictorial examples of the baby carriers and for history on why I began to collect them.

-Mark Clayton

Location: Long Beach, California, USA

Memberships: 

   Textile Society of America
   American Council for Southern Asian Art
   Ethnic Arts Council of Los Angeles

Languages spoken: English

Miao Baby Carrier, Mark Clayton Collection

Tags: embroidery, antique, ethnic, folk, traditional, tribal, carrier, Guizhou, Yunnan, Zhijin

Nazmiyal Collection

http://nazmiyalantiquerugs.com/

"I have been in business of acquiring and selling antique rugs for twenty-five years. Antique rugs are my passion, and my tastes are eclectic, ranging from early, classical pieces to Art Deco and Modernist rugs. What matters to me primarily is the beauty and quality of a piece. I buy with my eye and with my heart. Living in New York, the Mecca of the rug world, and traveling extensively, I have the opportunity to search constantly for the best pieces that are available. My wide experience and contacts in the antique rug world enable me to buy competitively, acquiring quality pieces for the best value, and to pass this value along to our customers. My goal at Nazmiyal is to give our clients the finest rugs with greatest range of choices at the best value."

-Jason Nazmiyal, Founder

The Nazmiyal Collection is a New York-based antique rug dealer established in 1980. We are one of the largest wholesalers of fine and decorative antique pieces in the US. Our website's advanced search engine allows users to easily and efficiently browse our extensive inventory by size, color, design, and origin. In addition to our optimized search engine, the site contains a plethora of information about antique rugs from weaving history to buying tips.

Our customer base extends from the United States to Hong Kong, Italy, South America, Spain, Scotland, England and many other places. Our rugs range from Persian, Turkish, and Caucasian rugs to Chinese Art Deco, French Aubusson, and English Needlepoint.

Antique Sultanabad Persian Rug 2909, Nazmiyal Collection

Location: New York City, New York, USA
Online Store:  
   website
   Etsy
Brick and mortar presence:
     31 East 32nd St. New York, NY 10016
Blog: Nazmiyal
Languages spoken:  English, Farsi, Hebrew

Tags: antique rugs, antique carpets, antique oriental rugs, antique oriental carpets, antique tapestries, antique Persian rugs, antique Persian carpets, antique textiles, Nazmiyal, antique rug gallery