Monday, January 02, 2012

What is a tapestry resource?

What does it mean to be a tapestry resource? Originally I thought of this blog as a place where solid information about tapestry could reside for people to use as a reference. Bibliographies, papers, articles, shows, materials and supplies, and some kind of running commentary about events. Unfortunately, about the time I set up the blog I also became deeply enmeshed in running ATA. Non-profits have much to offer our community and in 2002 we stood at a turning point.

Ten years later, released from all but a few remaining volunteer tasks for ATA, I can take up other challenges that will benefit us. Mostly I am thinking about our efforts to enlarge the world's view of contemporary tapestry and fiber art. I have some specific projects in mind.

Political Lines in Tapestry is a discussion group in the ATA Forums that started in 2009 and will continue in 2012. This small circle of participants sparks many ideas that will affect my focus.

A session titled "Political Strings: Tapestry Seen and Unseen" that I organized at ATA's request will present four speakers at the 2012 TSA Symposium in Washington, D.C. Speakers Linda Rees, Stanley Bulbach, Linda Wallace, and Clara Roman-Odio will examine the puzzle of contemporary textile artists' engagements with the art world and the visibility of works in woven media, particularly tapestry. Their main site is here: http://textilesociety.org/index.htm

We also need to start seeing ourselves as more than tapestry makers. We are also fans, collectors, and people with a deep understanding of the works we have seen appear around us. An open discussion forum called "Fans and Collectors" will provide a place to share enthusiasm, expertise and opinions about what we have accomplished. You can find this new forum here: http://www.americantapestryalliance.org/phpBB2/index.php

And that's just part of what I have in mind for this year.