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Photo: Theresa May Obrien We’ve been on a rollercoaster ride here in my beloved city of Istanbul. A chaotic life has left me scattered, unable to write much, only make. But recently, an international women’s group asked me to reflect on the intersections of craft and culture, globalization and activism I’ve experienced in my 20 […] A craft workshop in which to gather these pieces together, Bazaar Bayar Samatya Time for our winter hibernation to come to an end. There is just too much craft inspiration swirling around us, despite grey days and endless revelations worthy of the most outrageous soap opera in local and national political news. Ready to […] A family visit… More from our spring 2013 Turkish Tulip Trip: Viransehir Probably the most challenging part of our trip this past spring was not climbing the peak of Nemrut Dagi, or walking around Diyarbakir as a group of very obviously foreign women, or negotiating the often horrendous traffic in Istanbul. It […] Where to start: the felted body Begin with a body of fiber art alchemy: naturally dyed wool and squares of bright silk in solid colors and ebru marbling. Then some cotton muslin worked in to keep the fibers stable. Shape and press and steam it – all by hand – until it conforms rather […] Bits + Pieces I frequently refer to myself as a “hybrid”. As an American mashup of multiple European nationalities, my ancestry is commonplace, centuries old and frankly boring compared to the ethnic combinations of others I know. A vintage embroidered + mirrored Indian bodice Yet in almost 14 years being an expat/immigrant, hybrid […] This past winter, as I worked one more time in California to bridge the financial gap that always occurred each winter in Turkish tourism, with economies tightening and a decade that has seen wars, terrorism, earthquakes tossing in more than the occasional challenge to making a living, I decided to work with a life […]
The historic valley on Turkey’s West Coast where we live has more than its share of diverse cultural attractions – from centuries of wonders at Ephesus, a city founded by a mythical tribe of women warriors known as Amazons, embellished by King Croesus, liberated by Alexander the Great and nearly […] |
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