We are back in one of our favourite places to dye with natural colours - Jane Stafford's weaving studio on Salt Spring Island. All this week Charllotte Kwon and Sophena Kwon have been delivering natural dye instruction to a class of very lucky artisans.






Our 2015 workshop is running on a schedule that closely resembles the one we ran in 2013. Read about that workshop in our three posts: part one, part two and part three.

Maiwa East is like a constantly changing exhibition -  without the glass cases. You are welcome to pick up the objects and hold them in your hands; feel the connection to distant cultures and far-away places. We are still very crowded at Maiwa East, so we are featuring some of the smaller treasures. On the other hand, if you are looking for furniture, we've never had as much as we do now.



The top image is a detail of this piece. A team of oxen from the south of India pull a cart. This is a masterful piece of sculpture consisting of several individually made items fitted together. It's exact provenance has been lost, however, such items could have been made as a plaything for the Raj's children in one of India's princely states.. $1900.00

Perched atop of a 20" Diwali lamp is this dhokra musician. Dhokra figures are cast using the lost wax technique by village craftspeople in Odisha. $1290.00

 

Beverly Gordon

Author of TEXTILES THE WHOLE STORY to teach at Maiwa

At Maiwa we have a copy of Beverly's book on our desk. We dip into it almost every day. Beverly reminds us of the powerful significance of fabric in all aspects of our lives.

Sometimes we are at a loss for words with textiles. We intuitively know they are important but we cannot always say why (with the clarity and force we would like). It is at this point that we turn to Beverly's book. She wanted to title her book: The Fibre of our Lives: Why Textiles Matter — we think that is a great title. She is the spokesperson for textiles that we aspire to be.

Below are links to Beverly's two workshops. They represent a rare opportunity to spend a few days with one of the most insightful and thoughtful minds working with textiles today.

Beverly Gordon retired in 2011 from 30 years as a professor in the Design Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is also affiliated with the Folklore and Material Culture programs. In addition Beverly has worked as a curator and fibre artist. She writes and publishes extensively on textiles.

Adventures with World Textiles 

Register Here

We will not produce textiles in this seminar-like class but will delve into an eclectic study of world textile traditions with the goal of discovering, appreciating, and exposing ourselves to new techniques and ideas. The instructor will provide slide shows and videos on selected textile traditions (examples: Ugandan barkcloth, Cuna Indian molas, Wounaan baskets, Central Asian felt, American Indian quill and beadwork, and African wax and “fancy” prints), and students are encouraged to bring textiles they may have and to share what they know about these and other topics. Together, we can better understand the creativity and commonalities of people’s relationships with textiles, the full range of materials and approaches that textile-making may entail, and issues that threaten or enhance fibre traditions (including world markets). No experience or knowledge base is required—just interest and a sense of curiosity. It is inspiring and energizing to share this exploration with a group of fellow textile enthusiasts, and we will all come out feeling more connected, both to one another and to textile-makers throughout the world. Beverly joins us from the USA.

Cloth and Memory - Exploring Memory Cloths 

Register Here

A “memory cloth” is a piece of handwork that, through the meditative processes of stitching and appliqué, allows us to feel good as well as capture memories or ideas. It may help us preserve and/or release the past, get closer to our own stories (and thus learn about ourselves), keep close to loved ones, and embed new ideas in our consciousness. In this workshop, we will explore the concept of memory cloths by looking at expressions from around the world—e.g., Chilean arpilleras, South African embroideries, Afghan war rugs, American album and memorial quilts, teddy bears made from loved ones’ clothes, and contemporary fibre art. We will use easy, exploratory writing exercises to bring out our ideas, and work on our own cloth in ways that feel comfortable and fun.
No special skills or background are needed—this is a workshop to explore, experiment, and discover. You can stitch, embellish, knit, or otherwise work with fibre and fabric, uncovering images and words that help you express your own voice and experience.  (Embroidery /embellishment instruction will not be provided, but the instructor and the group itself will provide a resource for getting started, feeling confident, solving problems, and stitching something meaningful.) Beverly joins us from the USA.

3 Workshops - Taught by UK knitter ALISON ELLEN

After Alison's 2011 lecture at Maiwa even people who had never knit before were inspired to pick up the needles.

Alison Ellen designs and makes hand-knitted clothing. She is one of the most sought-after knitting instructors in the world and her knowledge of creative knit structures is truly astounding. Since the 1980s, she has lectured and run short courses, leading to the publication of three books on exploring knitting technique and design, with a fourth to be published in 2015.

In 2014 Alison Ellen participated in a group exhibition of Art Inspired by Gardens at Bury Court near Farnham. She is presently working toward a 2016 exhibition with textile artists Deirdre Wood and Ann Richards, both weavers with a similar philosophy in creating controlled shaping.



DIAGONAL KNITTING

Register online

We are willing to bet you've never seen a gallery quite like this - where the paintings are inside the cabinets, waiting to be discovered when the furniture is opened. Many cabinets are painted on the outside, and special pieces are illustrated both inside and outside.

Like this one. An illustrated writer's desk. Remarkably, this piece was not found lurking in the ruins of a Mughal palace, instead is is an old piece, just recently painted, one of many commissions by Maiwa.