Galería Octágono

www.GaleriaOctagono.com

I am a textile creator who believes in the power of community involvement.  My gallery (www.galeriaoctagono.com) is a community-based collective atop the northern mountains in Costa Rica, where I work with seven women and their families.  I provide materials, design, and educational opportunities as well as an equitable distribution of proceeds.  All our work is handmade, free-style, and original.  My husband, Rich, and I enjoy practicing alternative tourism as a B&B, and our log cabin is available to travelers wishing a personalized experience in Costa Rica.

Artist's statement:  There is no limit to the versatility of textiles. Learning and experimentation allow me to be aware and keep myself open to change. To be creative I must lose fear of being wrong. To be correct I must make sure that my art has social projection.

-Silvia Piza-Tandlich

Location:  San Rafael de Heredia, Costa Rica

Online shop:  galeria octagono

Blogs:

   metamorfosishabitat
   sdalatin
Social media:  LinkedIn

Memberships:

   SDA (Surface Design Association)   

   (WCCR) Women’s Club of Costa Rica    
   Costa Rica Green Pages 

Languages spoken:  Spanish, English   

Quilt with Argentine theme, by Silvia Piza-Tandlich, 2010, Costa Rica

"Tuki" quilt, by Silvia Piza-Tandlich, 2009, Costa Rica

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 

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

Dijanne Cevaal

http://www.origidij.blogspot.com

I am a full time  textile artist who dyes and prints her own fabric and constructs it into quilted and stitched textile hangings. I also make fabric for sale.

I teach many of the processes I incorporate in my work.

I am an author of instructional books in relation to quilting and design

I am also passionate about travel and am presently a creative guide for Syria for Creative Arts Safaris, also a TAFA member.

Artist's statement:  My quilts are a product of a lifelong engagement with textiles, the mobility of the stitch, the interaction of colour created by dyeing and printing, and the creation of stories. As a small child I built constructions that were stitched and embroidered and this love of embroidery continued through my teenage and adult years. I have  a Masters degree In Visual Art(textiles) from  Charles Sturt University, NSW which has pushed me to examine the textile surface in a more immediate way, not simply as a vehicle for imagery, but a return to the touch and textuality of textiles, its intimacy and its narrative content.

All the fabrics in my work are hand dyed, and I employ simple printing techniques to create original one-off fabrics used in my work. I love simple resist techniques such as folding and tieing, having fallen in love with the indigo cloth of West Africa. I tend to work in fairly simple colour contrasts though the cloth I use is often complex in the colours they contain. Stitching both by machine and hand are important elements, as is the creation of texture. My work is much inspired by the Australian landscape, and in particular the Otways, where I worked and lived with my children.

In the past 10 years I have been curating traveling exhibitions, that have travelled mostly to Europe and the Middle East.  My travels have opened up a whole new world of textiles- the Middle East was a treasure trove of textiles made by hand in time honoured ways- they were stunning and they have offered plenty of inspiration for future work.

Location: itinerant but Australian

Online shops: Origidij Blog, Picture Trail

Blogs: Oridij Blog, Seriously Textile

Memberships: Fiberconnection
Languages spoken: English, Dutch, some French, some German some Italian

"Teapots Variation" by Dijanne Cevaal



Find more photos like this on Fiber Focus

Tags:  Art quilt, stitching, dyeing, printing, teaching, travelling, printing, embroidery

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

Laos Essential Artistry

www.gotlaos.com

Laos Essential Artistry is a husband and wife business. Peter is an educator in Sacramento and Bai is currently a waitress in a several Thai restaurants in Sacramento.

Mission:  Laos is our passion and we are proud to feature some of the finest in Lao silk textiles and handicrafts. All our textiles are hand-woven or hand-embroidered and reflect artisan excellence, coming from weavers, artists, and galleries where we have taken the time to establish personal, professional and principled relationships.

At Laos Essential Artistry we understand that the quality of a textile is dependent on the structure of the weave and not just the visual appearance of its fibers, and we like to think that all the weavers, artisans and galleries that we represent, “the individual yarns and varying patterns,” are woven together cohesively and meaningfully in a way that provide the opportunity for people to develop a better  understanding and appreciation of these incredibly talented weavers and artisans in Laos.

Location: Sacramento, California, USA

Online Store: Got Laos 

Brick and mortar: Our goal is to eventually open a Thai/Lao Restaurant and gallery where we will be able to exhibit our textiles. Currently if anyone wants to look at any of our textiles give us a call and we'll arrange a time for you to see the textiles. Contact information can be found on our  website.

Blog: Laos Essential Artistry

Languages spoken: Lao and English

 

Handwoven Naga scarves from Laos Essential Artistry

Tags:   Laos, Lao textiles, Hmong textiles, Mien textiles, silk texiles, handwoven, handwoven textiles, Lao paintings, natural dyes, embroidery, weaving

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.

Jane Thornley Jewellry & Knitwear Design

www.janethornley.com

As a designer of free-range patterns for fellow knitting explorers, an evocative knitting tour guide, jewelry designer, writer, and host  for the Inspired Knitter's Club and website, I'm a kind of creative fusion in constant brew.

Colour and texture rule for me. Most of the inspiration feeding my imagination comes from the natural world or other places, other cultures. Knitting is an art, as viable as any other, and no matter what the tool or preferred palette, in human hands, magic happens.  Visit my site for the following great services:

The Inspired Knitters Club  Here is a monthly feast for your creative muse, lushly illustrated and rich with detail. Here are the delves into color you've been waiting for, the detailed information on diva yarns, the creative tricks to try, the flights of spirit plus inspired stories of people and cultures across time and space. All that offered on my blog and in my newsletter up until now have only brushed past what you'll find inside the club. Think delve instead of touch, a plunge into the exploration of color and design. Though knit-centric, you'll find the contents of this club of interest to artists who bead, spin, hand-dye, weave—in other words, those who turn straw into gold, the new alchemists. Each issue is formated a little differently, some being project-based, others not. In other words, a magical mystery ride for the creative spirit.



Evocative Knitting Travel  I created tours to lead kindred spirits to some of the worlds most delectable places -- Tuscany, Istanbul, Morocco, Santa Fe and so many other realms. Inspiration is the key. Every location is rich in either cultural or natural beauty, usually both. Each city, town, or landscape inspires the creative muse to dance through your fingertips: the brilliant colors of Morocco and Santa Fe, the history and color feasts of Istanbul, and fasinating Tuscany. All awaits the inspired traveler. Prices and length vary by location.

Knitting Patterns:  I design knitting patterns that are meant to be explored rather than followed. Each follows an almost organic approach using various yarns and colors. I call it 'evocative knitting' as the end result is a unique one-of piece of wearable art to conjures the mood or spirit of a landscape or culture. The Guides are richly illustrated books on the process of exploring the world through knitted art.

 Thousand Branches Kimono by Jane Thornley

Location: Partridge Nest River, Mineville, Nova Scotia, Canada
Online store: Janethornley.com
Brick and mortar presence:   The Hydrostone Market
Blog:  The Knitter's Corner
Languages spoken: English. Read French

Jane Thornley Knitwear Design

Tags: Organic, free-range, evocative, knitting fusion, multi-yarn, free-form, color, texture, nature.

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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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