Tactileartscenter's Blog

World Threads III, Preserving Textile Traditions Sale and Exhibit

TACtile Textile Arts Center presents its colorful 3rd annual World Threads III, Preserving Textile Traditions, to benefit the artists, co-operatives, and social enterprises that support preservation of the fiber arts around the world, Saturday, April 28 through Saturday, May 26, 2012. TACtile is pleased to be showing almost all vendors from previous years, plus several new ones. This gallery exhibit is free and open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday, 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. at 1955 S. Quince Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80231. Free Parking.

These festivities are planned throughout the month:

• World Chats: Each Saturday, April 28 through May 19 special presentations by the participating organizations about their textile artisan projects.
• April 27: Members opening reception 5– 7:00 p.m. with a world foods buffet sponsored by the TACtile Board of Directors.
• Periodic demonstrations of artisans using back strap looms.
• May 12: Special Mother’s Day World Tea, 2-5:00 pm
• Private collection Costumes & Textiles on exhibit.

Exhibit and Sale

World Threads III, Preserving Textile Traditions is both an exhibit and marketplace. The exhibit features regional collector costumes, textiles and objects from textile rich regions of the world. The marketplace is a colorful array of fashions, jewelry, crafts, basketry, embroidery, jewelry, gifts and home décor from artists in Africa, South and Central America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.  Sales from the month-long festivities strengthen TACtile and its global partners to sustain textile arts worldwide. The assistance leads to employment of women and youth to provide income, often used to attend school, provide jobs and raise their quality of life in their homelands.

Sixteen regionally based, humanitarian groups will have handcrafted fiber art from around the world for sale to support their work. 

1.      “A Little Something” a Denver refugee women’s craft cooperative
2.      “Maya Cielo” supporting weaving coops in Guatemala
3.      “Outreach Uganda” spotlighting Uganda
4.       “Bridging Hope” supporting Vietnam & Cambodia
5.       “Eternal Threads” supporting Nepal & Madagascar
6.      Cloth Roads reaching 17 countries world-wide
7.      “Tambani” preserves South African folklore by the Venda women
8.      “Dsenyo” empowers Malawi women of Africa. 
9.      “Memsahib Mar” supports nomadic women in India
10.  “Anoothi” helping Rajasthan, India & Vatsalyan street children
11. “Woven Promises” supports Ethiopia and Namibia.
12. “Annie O Boutique” representing Peru
13. “Silks & Stones” helping silk weaving coops in Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.
14. “Entwined Artistry” silk makers in Cambodia
15. “Cultural Cloth” rug hookers in Guatemala
16. “One World Buttons” button makers from Armenia to Zimbabwe 9 countries

 The Need  As modern industrial products seep into rural village life, traditional textile arts become rare treasures made and worn only by the older skilled generation, often underappreciated by the younger. TACtile is dedicated to increasing textile art as a living art form throughout all generations. An important aspect to sustaining these beautiful arts is providing a market for them. Educating artisans to translate their skills to modern demand and educating audiences to find value in their human heritage happens with TACtile’s World Threads event.  TACtile serves as an important channel to both groups.

In addition, younger generations are saved from leaving their families for poor or very dangerous working conditions and slave trades elsewhere. 

Traditional Textiles Breed Quality Contemporary Textiles.  Despite living in extreme poverty, artisans in developing countries create incredibly beautiful hand-woven silk, wool, linen, cotton and decorative textiles. They are made on primitive looms, with surfaces often covered with intricate hand embroidery and beadwork.  Mud and natural dyes transcend through the cloth into fast paced lifestyles of American consumers, adding meaningful value to the wearer. Textile arts are the threads that keep us all connected across the planet.

Baskets, a functional necessity in the developing world, have become an art form using locally available materials, such as bamboo and recycled box straps. Basket making skills are translated to totes, backpacks and table décor.

Beadwork & Embroidery are an integral part of all cultures, used as body adornment or to embellish cloth.  Beads in the show are made from all kinds of materials, including the popular hand rolled magazine paper to form beads in handbags and jewelry. Stitched embroidery motifs serve as humorous storytelling or elegant sophisticated cultural expression.

Local Economy Boost During economic conditions that require thoughtful use of consumer dollars, World Threads III provides products of need that have several layers of higher value. Local people are inspired to be creative themselves. There is a festive quality to buying things you need while also making far away communities happy, with a higher quality of life.

For more information, contact TACtile Textile Arts Center at info@tactilearts.org – 720-524.8886 and visit tactilearts.org

April 15, 2012 at 3:59 pm Carol Naff Leave a comment