In a message dated 8/7/06 1:40:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Alice in Oregon -- who just went to the fairgrounds to > double check the building, and found my display board > waiting for me. I would hate to lose 10 years of > lace. I'm glad I checked! > Dear Alice, Glad your lace on display at the fair was safe - it is always a worry. Insurance cannot replace a treasured lace. Thank you for your successful efforts to promote lace in your state. Here in Maine, I curated one museum exhibit (embroidered samplers) in 12 years, and Tess or I were in the room every hour it was open. Very inconvenient, because I lived 60 miles away. Accepting responsibility means different things to different people, and the museum had enough to do elsewhere, without staffing that room. I belong to an organization here called Maine Fiber Arts. Last weekend many members opened their homes, studios, shops, and farms that raise sheep and llamas, etc. to the public for a state-wide promotion of all the fiber arts.. On Friday, Lacefairy and I set out to see what we could "learn". We visited a very high-priced shop containing wonderful items made by fabulous artists (I once saw a quilt made by one that was priced around $18,000). It was worth the climb to the second floor shop. Then, we stopped in to visit a studio in a converted garage. The artist's medium was painting and dyeing textiles, and making some of them into products for sale. The third place we went was to a interior decorator's shop, which had been transformed for the event by filling the rooms with lovely hand-made fabrics and wall hangings. After a Maine shrimp (Maine shrimp are about 1" diameter, and sweet) lunch, we started back inland toward home. On the banks of the Kennebec River, we stopped to see a man who makes paper, paper art the size of a bookmark or ceiling-high and room wide. Lori especially liked the personal journals he makes of his foreign travels - handmade paper, wonderful hand-written stories, unique illustrations/drawings. The studio was the top floor of an old textile mill - high ceilings, whitewashed walls, windows on all sides (open, breezes flowing through). Very unique/fabulous views. Saturday, I went solo to a weaving mill (antique buildign) that produces natural products in cotton, linen, and alpaca. Very high-end in price and quality (think of Ralph Loren or Martha Stewart). This *mill* claims to be the only one in North America still weaving 100% linen blankets (good for those with allergies) on 1940's era looms that require constant maintenance. In the afternoon, I went to a living history museum way out in the country. People go there to live in the farmers' quarters like they did in 1850 - with all the inconvenience that entails. These farmers' quarters are attached to a mansion (Norlands) - with mannequins dressed in 1850 clothing displayed for Summer visitors to see, and a room where enactors dressed in costume were spinning, making patchwork, and knitting. No lace in sight anywhere, except for a little bit on the museum's costumes. I have been working with the Director of Maine Fiber Arts for years in hopes we can find a very safe place to display a lace collection. We are not giving up, but it is easier to think about than do. Also, Ieven with a tremendous boost from the State in the publicity and maps, the attendance was disappointing. If you venture to Maine, there are maps available at all tourist centers with locations of the artists, and recommendation that you call first before dropping in. Many keep irregular hours. Are any other places doing things like this on such a large (state-wide) scale? I'm not referring to State Fairs, but other types of community efforts to promote fiber arts. Do they include opportunities for lace and embroidery to be shown? Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
