My mother-in-law looked Chinese. This petite, pure Okie born and bred Caucasian lady—I thought of her so often when I was traveling in China recently, because I saw her double everywhere. How could that be? Each of us is unique, face-wise. When I passed through immigration in Beijing, the clever machine that checked my identity […]
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 […]
19
Apr
Apr
Semana Santa, Holy Week, the week before Easter, is a time of amazement and passion in Latin America. I’ve had the good fortune to be in Chiapas, Mexico, for this special time once, and in Guatemala, twice. The memories are vivid and indelible. Nebaj, Quiche, Guatemala It’s early morning before dawn, and a throng of […]
01
Mar
Mar
The other day, I read a terrific review of Deborah Chandler’s new book A Textile Traveler’s Guide to Guatemala in the Hawaii Handweavers’ Hui newsletter. It was more than a review, though, it was a recognition of Deborah’s expertise in Guatemalan textiles and her deep knowledge of Guatemala, its people and places. I have been a long-time […]
01
Feb
Feb
I’ve had the great good fortune to do quite a bit of international travel in the past couple of decades. There’s a shelf in my workroom of notebooks I’ve jotted in on various trips–Peruvian highlands, Amazon Basin, Oaxaca and Chiapas in southern Mexico, Bolivia, Guatemala. Especially Guatemala, much on my mind these days as I […]
18
Jan
Jan
Teach me the language of color, and I will tell you my story. Together, we will tell the world. Rug Money author Mary Anne Wise has been traveling the textile byways in India the last couple of weeks. I’ve loved receiving the occasional missive from her where she reveals a funny moment or details an […]
17
Aug
Aug
I can’t even remember how it happened. It was 2009. Mary Anne Wise, whom I’d never met, said, “Would you like to come to Guatemala with me?” She was going down on a buying trip to purchase textiles for a trunk show to benefit Friendship Bridge, a microlending organization. I may have expressed some interest […]
27
Apr
Apr
Author Mary Anne Wise recently sent me some pictures that did my heart good. She and fellow author Cheryl Conway led a rug-hooking tour in Guatemala last month. On these tours, they partner members of Multicolores, the rug-hooking nonprofit they founded, with North American rug-hooking students. The Guatemalan artists share their techniques and processes with […]
19
Jan
Jan
This is Fatima El Mennouny sitting on her flatwoven picture rug. She lives in a small village at the foot of Morocco’s Anti-Atlas mountains. She’s one artisan featured in Susan Schaefer Davis’s book, Women Artisans of Morocco. A book that is being loaded on a ship in Hong Kong as I write, bound for safe […]
02
Jun
Jun
Tomorrow, Thrums Books’ photographer Joe Coca and I are flying to Guatemala where we’ll wend our way to rainy Panajachel. Yes, we’re working on another book! It’s hard to keep track, isn’t it? Morocco, China, the Navajo Nation, Guatemala. We’re covering all the textile bases. For this month’s featured textile museum it seemed fitting, given […]
