The foray into fabric continues...I've been to a lecture by Rosalind Johanssen about textiles in East Africa. She has lived for many years in Kenya, Tanzania and other areas teaching Special Needs and Art in schools.
She brought with her an array of traditional and modern fabrics both for clothing and decorative and of course had some for sale! What a surprise I have some now in my cupboard of loveliness!
I could have listened to her for hours telling yarns of her adventures with the Masai, Nubian etc. which she peppered with a wonderful sense of humour. She taught locals how to print and ran groups which then sold textile work to tourists and helped them keep alive some of their traditions which are being eroded away through political unrest and economic instability.
She's back in the UK and, illustrating a great example of transfer of skills, is teaching about Africa in schools here and at textile groups and making her own beautiful prints and quilts. http://www.swahili-textiles.com/
Go JGYG! What a wonderful post! Pleased you got there first cos mine wouldn't have been half as good.
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