Joe Coca, Thrums Books photographer extraordinaire and the author-photographer of our newest book, The Human Thread, shares some personal thoughts about his life as a photographer and the making of his book. Thanks, Joe! Last November, I started a new chapter in my life. I sold my photography studio in Fort Collins, Colorado and moved” […]
09
Aug
Aug
The Mesopotamian Marshes in southern Iraq were once the third largest wetlands in the world, home to thousands of species of plants and animals—also considered a possible site of the historic Garden of Eden. Ancient Mesopotamian Marsh Arabs sustained themselves in these lands for thousands of years. Decades of war and the draining of the […]
02
Aug
Aug
Colorist, artisan activist, and author Keith Recker drops by this week and takes us back to the beginning of his new book True Colors. Thanks, Keith! True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments came into focus two years ago in a conversation with Thrums Books founder Linda Ligon. As I told her about […]
19
Jul
Jul
We came back from the International Folk Art Market (IFAM) in Santa Fe last week bursting with the wonder of it all—the music, the dancing, the color, the artisans and the crowds they had attracted, all embracing the beauty and importance of handmade goods from around the world. World Class Books This year’s market was […]
12
Jul
Jul
As we make our way to the International Folk Art Market this week, enjoy this reprise of a favorite post. Join us next week for the update on our debut at the market and a gallery of photos. A few years ago, I read an article by Augusta Strand, a conservator at Uppsala University in […]
28
Jun
Jun
Weave a Real Peace (WARP) held its annual gathering in Washington D.C. last week. It was terrific. For the uninitiated, WARP is a networking group of crafters, academics, entrepreneurs, and anyone (including book publishers!) who value the importance of textiles in communities around the world. The annual meeting is an important time to connect with old […]
21
Jun
Jun
Author Deborah Chandler (Traditional Weavers of Guatemala and A Textile Traveler’s Guide to Guatemala) was a recent guest at El Museo Latino in Omaha, Nebraska. She shared with us a little bit about the museum, its current exhibition, and her time there. Thanks, Deborah! Thirty years ago, Magdalena Garcia was in graduate school […]
07
Jun
Jun
This week’s blog comes straight from Guatemala! Madeline Kreider Carlson, Creative Director at Multicolores, sent us this beautiful dispatch about the newest creative work and education of the talented Maya rug-hooking artists of Multicolores. We continue to be amazed and inspired by their work and their lives. Thanks, Madeline. Many Colors, Many Stories In February […]
31
May
May
I’m continually impressed with our authors and their ongoing work. I shouldn’t be. I know how extraordinary they are, but when I receive missives from far and wide, apprising me of their activities, I have to marvel a bit. Deborah Chandler writes from her home in Guatemala City to say that on her way to […]
03
May
May
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead I thought of this Margaret Mead chestnut last week when we learned from our friends at Multicolores, the rug-hooking cooperative in Guatemala, that they have been selected as one of […]
