We’ve been a busy group this October; Guild members have shown and shared their work all over the place – including a brief appearance on television!
Let’s take it chronologically. First, we were privileged to have another exhibit at the Coutts Museum of Art in El Dorado, Kansas. The opening reception was held on August 6th, and attendees also viewed paintings by Janet Jensen, as well as selections from the museum’s permanent collection. The exhibit ran through October 23rd. It just so happened that it coincided with filming an episode of PBS Kansas’ “See Taste Do” hosted by Phil Richardson, which featured several stops in El Dorado. His interview with museum director and curator Sheila Yrjanainen (a talented fiber artist herself) includes a brief 360 degree view of our exhibit. Watch the whole program online, and pay special attention at about the 3 minute 30 second mark.
Next, Guild members Nancy Squire and Belinda Kidd packed up and moved to Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita – for the day, anyway. The event was the annual Old Sedgwick County Fair Education Day, which is always a fun time! Groups of school children rotate through a variety of stations scattered through the town, which was recreated with historical buildings and exhibits. The kids had lots of questions as they watched Nancy and Belinda demonstrating traditional fiber skills. They also stopped nearby to see Guild member Marian Vavra’s wheat weaving.
Then it was on to the biennial conference of the Kansas Alliance of Weavers and Spinners (KAWS) on October 9 and 10 in Manhattan, Kansas. A number of Guild members attended and participated in the activities, including classes, a featured speaker, contests, vendor hall and display. We have pictures of the table display of our members’ work; check out the quality and variety of fiber art!
Last but not least, the Wichita Public Library hosted their annual DIY Day on Saturday, October 17 at the Advanced Learning Library in downtown Wichita. Once again, we had members attending to demonstrate and provide hands-on experiences to Wichitans of all ages. It’s a great way to make connections with people we wouldn’t otherwise see, and we appreciate the opportunity every year!
