Rayna Gillman’s recent blog post (Studio 78) on the difference between the European and American fiber artists is really worth the read. Her observations and analysis are insightful and the post is replete with links to artists in Europe to demonstrate her point.

Last year I spent 3 months in England and had the opportunity to attend some shows and visit many venues exhibiting fiberart. I was gobsmacked as they say across the pond, with the originality and individual expression of the work I saw there….and inspired.

Thanks, Rayna – most interesting post and thought provoking too. Click here to read

TAFA, The Textile and Fiber Art List is a rousing success by any measure. TAFA is the promotional  and networking site for member working artists and textile businesses who represent fiber in all forms. The site was conceived and created by Rachel Biel and launched in early 2010, and now boasts 145 members plus to date.

And how do we measure “success”? There are many websites for artists, seeking members, some glitzy, some selling and more. But really, artists want a site that helps them get broader exposure and recognition. TAFA’s members each have space on the site and provide terrific content, good visuals too of their work that brings readers and potential clients back to see what is new on the site. Members also promote the site  through their own social networking and on their own sites.

"Moments" by Christine Predd

Since the launch of TAFA in  February 2010, its presence on the web has grown. Here’s a few stats…

• Half of the members are active on Facebook.
• Almost half are Etsy sellers
• Our biggest following is on our TAFA fan page on Facebook.  We now have over 850 fans there.
• 97 blogger followers
• 69 subscribers via Feedburner
• 1463 unique visitors in just the last month  (55% new)
• Our three largest mediums are art quilts, surface design (dyers) and weaving so far.

A good start!  Members are quite pleased with the boost that TAFA has given them. Members also tell us that they read new member bios as they are posted, network with each other and are definitely inspired. TAFA will continue to expand its web presence and to capture good publicity.  In fact, the fabulous international magazine, “Hand/Eye” is doing a feature story on TAFA in its September 2nd edition. The TAFA community will benefit greatly from such publicity.

Linda Marcille in her studio.

So what is the membership criteria? The general criteria for membership is having a well developed web presence which showcases a mature body of work or product line. Working artists and textile businesses need to present themselves professionally, showing their intent of making a living with their art or product, unless they have a purely educational focus.  Good photography of work is essential – again a professional look. Cost of membership is $25 per year…..but will be increasing in September to $48.00.  Now is a good time to make application for membership!

Visit the TAFA Membership page for more guidelines on the membership.

TAFA seeks to grow as an international organization representing all media within the fiber art/textile mediums.  One of the most exciting angles that TAFA brings to this community is having contemporary, traditional and cultural textiles/mediums share the same platform.  Normally, these categories have strict boundaries and exclude each other, yet many of us are passionately influenced by all three and inform our choices and designs by the other.  On TAFA a Moroccan rug shares the same importance as an art quilt, a knitted sock or an embroidered doily.  The common denominators of excellence of technique, originality and excellence bring them together.  TAFA does not distinguish between “craft” and “art”, however, it does distinguish between mature and novice.  TAFA members love what they do and are in it for the long run.  As innovators, shakers, teachers, writers, and vessels of the muse, they are deeply committed to their work.  Visit TAFA.  Join us in promoting our members and in helping them make a living at what they do best: keeping traditional textile traditions alive while pushing them into new directions!

Autumn Moon

I am pleased to announce that I’ve posted new and recent work on my website, Bonnie Samuel Designs. My site also has undergone some revision and I’m quite pleased with the site.

During the past ten months, my objective was to immerse myself in learning about various techniques applicable to fiber art as a medium, then sort through and incorporate those that I found most expressive. There are many, many “techniques” popping up in our fiber medium and it is interesting to try some, perhaps with one’s own take on the process. Then analyze that technique as a fit or not as adding to your art expression.

The past months have been intense, but also very revealing in terms of finding my own voice and style. Learning is an ongoing process and it continues for me. More work coming soon to Bonnie Samuel Designs.

When I bred and raised alpacas, I learned about their history. Research tells us that the alpaca has been a domesticated livestock for over 4000 years, producing fiber that was the basis of class struggles in South America, often called the “fiber of the gods,” and even now referred to as “the gold of the Andes.” Alpacas were part of the traditions and cultural development of the herdsmen and women of the Andes, known as “compesinos”  who today still are part of the alpaca industry in Peru. The Compesinos, generation after generation, have raised their herds high in the mountains, with skill and caring, and the alpacas in my pasture were descendents of those alpacas. Awe inspiring to say the least.

Many of us who work with cloth and fiber, were drawn to this medium in part, because of our interest in the role it has played in the history and cultural development of a people. There is a connection to the past, to the earth and to people who created and were sustained by cloth before us.

Like Carlo Petrini’s Slow Food movement in concept, the Slow Cloth Movement is about one’s relationship to your work, life and expression with cloth. In 2007,  Elaine Lipson starting developing the Slow Cloth movement and in ‘08, after much reflection, identified ten principles applicable to any textile-related process. Just recently, Elaine together with two artists of like-mind, Jude Hill and Glennis Dolce, have gone Facebook with a Slow Cloth community page. It has grown remarkably fast, has many interesting discussions and great array of resources too. Join the community and become part of the movement.

HandEye Magazine featured Elaine Lipson’s “Slow Cloth Manifesto” in their February 14th edition in which she outlines the ten principles of the movement-reflective and meaningful to those of us who work with cloth.

Elaine Lipson is a writer, editor, and artist, and the author of  The Organic Foods Sourcebook (Contemporary Books, 2001), The International Market for Green and Sustainable Apparel (Packaged Facts, 2008), and many articles on organic farming, supporting local growers, sustainable apparel and more. Her blog is Red Thread Studio blog at http://lainie.typepad.com

Pachamamas Way Sanctuary in Durango, CO, founded by Raylene McCalman, was recently featured in an excellent article in the Durango Herald. Sadly, animals- livestock and pets too- suffer in bad economic times such as we are now experiencing. McCalman has given refuge to abandoned alpacas and llamas. She recently rescued 12 abandoned and starving llamas in the area and there are more calls coming in.

Read the Durango Herald article and Pachamamas Way blog too at http://pachamamasway.blogspot.com/

Jeanette Campbell, alpaca  breeder in Kansas, has just opened her new blog with a very interesting article about poor Bolivian women and their traditional textiles. A center has been built as a memorial to serve the needs of these traditional craftswomen. It’s a good read….and so nice to read about good things happening for people in the world today. Click here to link to the story.

Jeanette and her husband, Jim, own Alpacas at Willowbrook Farm in Louisburg, KS. Their website has a wealth of good info on fiber and alpacas too.

I’ve been in England staying with a friend who is also a fiber artisan. We’ve had gobs of fun perusing the fabric and quilt shops here, as well as visiting a few galleries, art shows and museums steeped in the rich history of textiles in the Norfolk area. Last month we went to London to the annual Craft Council show, “Origin,” which featured beautiful handwovens, unique felted wearables, and textile art as well.

Here in the UK, there are many, many accomplished fiber artisans. The following website features some of the UK’s and European fiber artisans “across the pond.” By no means, inclusive of all the artists here, but an interesting website, giving a look at some of the talented and their work. Enjoy!

From the website’s description of the group and site; “QUILT ART is a group of 20 professional quilt artists from Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and America.

Founded in 1985, QUILT ART aims to extend the boundaries of quilting as an artistic medium and achieve wider recognition of the quilt as an art form. The group holds regular touring exhibitions in Britain and Europe and has also exhibited in Japan and Canada. A tour of the United States is also planned. To accompany each exhibition, the group publishes a high quality book.

QUILT ART strives to maintain its unique reputation for integrity of expression and quality of craftsmanship. Each member brings a distinctive approach and the work is diverse, dynamic and sometimes challenging. Professional standards are expected, both from the individual artists and as an organisation dealing with administration and liaising with galleries and the press.”

I am pleased to announce the launch of my new website at Bonnie Samuel Designs. My new site features my fiber art work, abstract and representational pieces too. I work in the quilt art format, using fabric, paint and free motion stitchery.

I’ve worked with fiber in various mediums for many years, but find art quilts to be so expressive pulling together my love of design, painting, stitchery and working with textiles.

My most recently created pieces are now on my website with more to be added soon. I enjoy creating geometric abstract as well as representational pieces. I’m working on a fiber art series with the theme about the environmental impact made by humans, see “Burning Sun” and “Earth is the Sum of Its Parts….with Strings Attached.”

The Textile & Fiber Art Exhibition opened July 11th at the Fisher Art Center in Marshalltown, IA and a popular show it is. Several central Iowa artists participated and the show includs art that reflects the diversity and beauty of textile as a medium. This exhibition will be open throughout July.

The Studio Art Quilt Association (SAQA) provided information and materials to visitors and signed up several new members too! SAQA is an international association of fiber artists and provides support, information, and educational resources to its members.

Pictured here are visitors to the exhibition viewing the beautiful and expressive art of Sue Kluber, Grinnell, IA.

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Valerie Hearder, fiber artist and founder of “African Threads” recently visited the groups of African Grandmothers who create the beautiful embroidered pictorial pieces available through “African Threads.” Visit Valerie’s blog for the full story of her meeting with these courageous and talented women of Africa.

Click here to read the story of the African Grandmothers and the supportive project, African Threads.

New, diverse art at the White House. President Obama is changing lots of things, including the art displayed in the White House. Jeanne Williamson reports on her blog about the President and First Lady bringing a more representational art collection to the White House that includes American artists of African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians and women. Jeanne also wonders, too, if there will be any fiber art included in the new collection? Shall we lobby?

Janet Lasher

Learn to embellish with beads in online class. Fiber artist, Janet Lasher, will be teaching online her class, “Textural Beading and Embellishment Workshop” at Joggles.com. In the six weeks, you will begin with the basics of beading embellishments and create a collection of small samplers. The workshop will include all the techniques to finish the final project, which is the awesome and beautiful figure display on Janet’s blog. Introduction to Textural Beading and Embellishment, starts June 10, and costs $60 for six lessons. Visit www.joggles.com for details on the class.

Photographing your work and doing it well is so very important. Sue Smith, who blogs under the name “Ancient Artist,” has a helpful piece to help you take good product shots for use on the web and more. You’ll find some practical advice and in layman’s terms too.