MAY/20/2012
We are very grateful to Ethnotek bags for donating 15% of their sales at the Midwest Mountanieering Outdoor Adventure Expo to us. Check about our collaboration in our previos blog entries here.
Cynthia Alberto, founder of Weaving Hand, took the Woven-Guatemala Ethnotek Backpack to the WARP (Weaving a Real Peace) 20th anniversary in Colorado early this May.
MAY/16/2012
Sikkema Jenkins & Co. is currently exhibiting work by Sheila Hicks, an American artist who has become internationally recognized as a pioneer of two- and three-dimensional fiber art. Her work spans more than five decades, and pushes the boundaries between structure, art, architecture, and philosophy through weaving. Visit Sikkema Jenkins Co. before the exhibition ends on June 2nd!
MAY/08/2012
The Weaving Hand Team wants to give a big and warm thank you to our intern Paula Abreu’s mom Maria Elena Pita. She was just visiting from Venezuela and has spent the last two open studios with us sharing her artistic skills and generosity.
Muchas Gracias!
MAY/08/2012
We are very proud to showcase work by artist and industrial designer Jeannie Wu, who is been our intern for the last 5 months. Her piece The Amethyst has been chosen to be exhibited at Pratt Institute’s graduate show in Manhattan. With her work, Jeannie Wu explores the interplay of fashionable ergonomic objects in aiding people towards a healthier lifestyle, a modern approach to textile arts. Impressive work.
The amazing company Ethnotek will be donating 15% of all sales from the Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Adventure Expo this coming 27th of April to Weaving Hand. We are proud to say that with the funds donated by Ethnotek will be used to create scholarships that will allow underprivileged children to receive weaving classes in a welcoming, safe and creative space.
We are also partnering with them to create a limited edition of bags for their Threads Series for which we are setting up our very own Weaving Club organized by our hardworking interns.
APR/25/2012
Weaving Hand’s Earth Day Celebrations on April 19th and 20th events were lovely and beautifully celebrated. The first Earth Day Event was held in Weaving Hand’s front yard and all the recycled weavings looked wonderful as they fluttered in the wind. The AHRC weavers proudly stood in front of their work for photographs. There was plenty of laughter, snacks and happy faces that sunny Thursday morning! On April 19th Weaving Hand was invited to be a participant in P.S 58’s Earth Day Celebration. We taught children how to weave on our Cricket tabletop looms using plastic bags that were cut into strips by the helpful parent volunteers. The growing crowd of eager weavers was a wonderful sight. It made facilitating the weaving demonstration was very easy due to the student’s eager and indisputable interest in weaving. We took this opportunity to proudly advertise our Weaving Hand Summer Day Camp!
Artist Beryl Korot is having a solo show at Bitforms Gallery in Chelsea until May 5th. Her work explores the use of the loom and the textile to create complex programming patterns. Don’t miss this show that combines old traditions and digital technology. For more information check Biforms Gallery.
APR/18/2012
“The Design Initiative for Community Empowerment (DICE) is an initiative by Pratt Institute’s Art and Design Education Department for providing high school students with a supportive and professional environment to explore the field of design.”
Cynthia Alberto was a happy attendant of the festivities as she avidly photographed their work. The room was buzzing with the students, their family and friends as they all viewed all the wonderful eye-catching displays covering the walls. Our very own intern, Melly Cleland, had her fashion designs displayed as well as her weavings, which were created during her first visit at Weaving Hand. Teacher, Maureen Flint and her assistant, Katherine Matos are also very proud of their Fashion Design class and all the students!
APR/10/2012
Choo Choo Train Daycare Visits Weaving Hand
Weaving Hand had the wonderful pleasure of having Carroll Garden’s Choo Choo Train Daycare at our studio! A large rambunctious group of children marched into our studio on March 28, 2012. They wriggled in their seats as Cynthia gave a very animated talk on all the different types of weaving and showed them examples of cultural weavings from around the world. They were great at working together on the floor and tabletop looms. What a talented bunch of mini-weavers! A special thanks to Ela for coordinating this workshop as well as a great thank you to the helpful parents!! http://www.choochootraindaycare.com/
MAR/13/2012
Remember a few weeks ago when we blogged a picture of Robert working on his incredible red shawl? The work is finally over and so much time and dedication has definitely paid off. We are thrilled to be able to showcase this beautiful handmade piece of fabric. Robert is a sweater designer at Ralf Lauren, he loves weaving and has been coming to Weaving Hand since we started in 2007. For all of us interested in weaving but only just starting, he is an example of how much you can accomplish when you are passionate about something. What next Robert?
MAR/13/2012
Every second Saturday of the month we are hosting a Backstrap Weaving workshop here at Weaving hand. This last weekend it was a full house so we had to find a free sport to tie our warp and start weaving. Total beginners are welcome; from how to set our projects to interlocking colors everything it is explained and everyone’s outcome it’s always unique and personal. It was funny to realize how we had chosen colors similar to the ones in our clothing that day. It is always great to share experiences and learn from each others work. The Backstrap Loom is so small and self contained that it is easy to envision yourself weaving at home while watching the last episode of your favorite TV show. I am totally hooked.
MAR/06/2012
Students from DICE program at Pratt Institute were over at Weaving Hand’s workshop on February 28th designing pieces as part of their curriculum. DICE, Design Initiative for Community Empowerment, is an initiative by Pratt Institute’s Art and Design Education Department for providing high school students with a supportive and professional environment to explore the field of design. Maureen Flint who is a new teacher at the program, created a project for the students to make accessories out of weaving materials. Katherine Matos our outreach coordinator was also there giving directions and helping the students. We are working on making this an ongoing collaboration. Check our pictures and the very interesting DICE program.
MAR/06/2012
Weaving Hand has recently started a new collaboration with JSDD’s Wae Center, a non profit organization and alternative learning center in New Jersey. This is an ongoing healing arts weaving workshop that started only 2 weeks ago and that takes place every Wednesday 6-8 pm. We are always looking to create new links that allow us to do exciting new projects together and meet amazing people along the way. Check all the things that are taking place at JSDD’s in their website (link).
FEB/28/2012
WE HAVE A GOAL!!! - Weaving Hand Fundriser.
The year 2012 marked the initial stage of our fundraising work. We created our Grants and Resources Departments, and we received
