South American Textiles on show at the Beetroot Tree

Who would think that I have been in the UK for 6 weeks now and my ‘to do’ list is pretty much as long as it was when I arrived!

After a cold start when I thought I hadn’t brought sufficient jumpers to see me though, I have been loving the hot spell we are in right now – I hope it continues at least into August.

During these weeks I have been travelling around the UK seeing Embroidery groups, and have a few to go yet in my last week and a bit. A big thank you to all of the members who turned up on some hot and steamy summer nights to listen to my stories and to participants on the workshops for your enthusiasm and skills which always make visiting you such a pleasure.

Much of the rest of my time has been spent working with Paul at the Beetroot Tree, planning the next 18 months or so of exhibitions, buying art materials and generally helping out. I am sure that it won’t be long before the programme is announced.

This weekend sees the end of our current exhibition and I am very excited that the timing has been right for me to help hang the next exhibition ‘Tukuru’, a collection of textiles from South America. As you know we like to have an exhibition of textiles from somewhere in the world in each year’s programme. We have shown pieces from all over the Indian sub-continent, Africa, Japan, China and Indonesia, but have never been able to meet anyone who collected South American textiles until now. The collector Meri Hunneyball and she says of herself:

‘I am fascinated by textiles and the processes and people that produce them, especially weavers. After working for a specialist textile company dealing in textiles from the far east for four years, I decided to go my own way West to South America to bring back traditional weavings, clothes and to see first hand how these items are made. I buy from the producers themselves which supports them directly and ensures they get a price they are happy with for their work, and also provides me with stories and the history of each piece.’

Watch out for the opening of the exhibition and for pieces to be shown on line in the next week at: http://original-art.thebeetroottree.com/meri-hunneyball/ar433.

Please spread the word as it will be a fantastic and fascinating exhibition.

Meri is also joining us at a special evening event with food and weaving demonstrations on the 1^st September: http://art-classes.thebeetroottree.com/south-american-evening/eid2064

I will be travelling back to New Zealand on the 5^th August, but am back in the UK on the 18^th October, in the meantime, keep up to date through the website or visiting the exhibitions.