Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Toby Smith shares her Textile Travels ~

Guild members were enthusiastically treated when fellow member Toby Smith shared a remarkable presentation on her travels to three different countries: Hungary, Norway, and India.

Sadly, she only brought enough images to fill a couple of hours ~ we wanted MORE! Most members would have stayed all night to see the glorious colors, textiles, and images.

Toby brought examples of her travel journals that she makes by hand and fills as she sees the world (examples below).

View Toby's Sketch Books

Detailed sketches, notations about patterns, and design plans fill each book like recipes for future project.

Toby translates the images from her travels into her work. Below are beautiful textiles she has created using the many colors and motifs from the countries she visits.

View motifs

Hungary was the first place she took us in her presentation. She talked about the places she visited, the people she met, and the rich material history.

View Hungary

Color, texture, pattern, design, and the vibrant culture of Hungary showed through in every image.

View Color

We left Hungary for Norway and experienced weaving classes right with Toby.

View Scenes of Norway

More color, textiles, and fiber from beautiful Norway.

View More!

Oh my gosh, then she took us to India ~ now we are talking REAL color. Toby told us that the radiating color is a stark contrast to the dry and dusty natural world of neutral tones. Yet, she said, people paint their surroundings in intense color ~ doors, walls, even the elephants are painted in color.

The looms, the stitching, the dyeing ~ she showed it all being done by hand in India.

View by hand

Stunning, incredibly stunning. Thank you so much Toby for the journey into the world of textiles.

View Toby

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