Updated 09/17/02

Save the Dates for Upcoming STARS Meetings

We will send meeting announcements as soon as venues are confirmed.  We look forward to seeing you at these events!

October 4: Pat Spark will be speaking to us about the technical and cultural history of felt.  Her slide lecture will cover felt from ancient Central Asia up to and through the work of contemporary felters.

October 5: Tom Murray will join us for a talk on the origins of designs found in Indonesian textiles.  He will cite antecedents from sources as diverse as bronze age artifacts and Indian textiles.

Early November: STARS Member Jamie Compton will speak to us about the rugs and blankets of the Navaho.

ICOC-X IN WASHINGTON DC

This is a reminder that the Tenth International Conference on Oriental Carpets (ICOC-X) will be happening April 17-21, 2003 in Washington DC.  STARS is putting together a small exhibition from local collections, and STARS member Jim Burns will have a number of his Kurdish and South Persian rugs on display as well.  Registration information can be found online at: http://www.icoc-orientalrugs.org.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN TEXTILE CONFERENCE AND FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 3rd AND 5th IN SEATTLE

The University of Washington Southeast Asia Center is hosting a conference on Saturday, October 5, in the Henry Gallery Auditorium from 12:00PM-5:00PM.  The conference will feature experts in textile studies and the cultures of South East Asia.  Registration is FREE, but pre-registration is required - please use the enclosed brochure to register.  On October 3rd, from 6:00PM - 9:00PM, there will be a festival at Town Hall featuring an exhibition of Southeast Asian textiles from local collections, plus traditional music and dance performances, as well as a textile market where you can purchase pieces for your own collection.  For more information, please call (206) 543-9606, or check out the conference web site at http://depts.washington.edu/seac, or send an e-mail to STARS member Linda McIntosh at lindamc@u.washington.edu.


TEXTILE TOUR OF LAOS AND THAILAND

Continuing the Southeast Asian theme… STARS has learned about a twenty-one day textile tour of Laos and Thailand.  There are two trips, January 17 - February 6, 2003, and November 7-27, 2003.  The tour is being organized by Geographic Expeditions, (415) 922-0448.  www.geoex.com.



EXHIBITION OF TEXTILES AND FOLK ARTS OF MEXICO

The Seattle Art Museum is currently showing a small exhibition of folk art from Mexico, drawn from the collection of noted collector and STARS member Leslie Grace.  The intent of the exhibition is to show the variety as well as the continuity of several folk art traditions among different indigenous groups of Mexico.  The exhibition consists predominantly of textiles, including items of clothing such as huipiles and quichquemityls (upper garments worn by women), as well as clothing worn by men and children.  In addition to the textiles, there is an impressive display of wooden dance masks, as well as several other miscellaneous folk art objects.  The exhibition is very well documented, and includes many photographs taken in context, showing how these objects were used in rituals, ceremonies, or in everyday life.  The exhibition is located on the third floor of the downtown Seattle Art Museum, and will be up until April 27, 2003.  We plan to schedule a STARS meeting with Leslie Grace to see and learn more about these wonderful pieces and the traditions that give them meaning to the people who made them.


FLEMISH TAPESTRIES ACQUIRED BY SEATTLE ART MUSEUM

The Seattle Times recently reported that the Seattle Art Museum has acquired four rare 18th-century tapestries from a gallery in Paris.  The designs on the tapestries are early examples of "European chinoiserie", a style based on 18th-century fantasies about the Orient.  This makes them particularly appropriate to SAM's collection, which has a strong focus on Asian art.  These four pieces are the only ones known in this style, though an inventory of the Arenberg family collection from 1905 noted four other related pieces which are now lost.  STARS is pleased that SAM has enhanced its collection with an important group of textiles.  The museum hung them this summer on the fourth floor of its downtown building.



Upcoming Events of Interest -Fall/Winter

Local Exhibitions/Talks/Conferences
10/3/02 6:00-9:00
Seattle, WA
Traditional Southeast Asian Dance Performances, Textile Market and Exhibition Town Hall
10/5/02 12:00-5:00
Seattle, WA
Southeast Asian Textile Conference Henry Art Gallery Auditorium
10/24 - 10/26
Seattle, WA
From Our Hands to Yours - Seattle Weaver's Guild Sale Bloedel Hall, St. Mark's Cathedral
Through 10/27/02
Tacoma, WA
Wrapped in Tradition: The Chihuly Collection of American Indian Trade Blankets Washington State Historical Society
Through 10/27/02
La Conner, WA
Traditional and New Century - Japanese Quilts La Conner Quilt Museum
9/28/02 - 11/3/02
Seattle, WA
Needles Speak - Past, Present, Future - Pacific Northwest Needle Arts Guild 2002 Juried Needle Arts and Fiber Show Opening reception - 9/29/02, 3-5 PM Museum of History and Industry
Through 12/1/02
Seattle, WA
A Thousand Years of Beauty: Japanese Art in Seattle - includes textiles Seattle Asian Art Museum
Through 12/1/02
Seattle, WA
Do-Ho Suh - Fabric fantasies by a Korean artist Seattle Asian Art Museum
Through 4/27/03
Seattle, WA
Traditional Arts of Mexico: Beauty and Form - includes textiles and costume Seattle Art Museum
Special thanks to Robb Shep for his assistance in compiling the calendar above.
 See Robb's website at www.rlshep.com for the latest information about local textile events.

Out of Area Events of Interest
9/26/02 - 9/28/02
Northampton, MA
TSA  Symposium: Silk Roads, Other Roads Smith College Campus textilesociety.org for info
10/5/02 - 10/7/02
Santa Monica, CA
The Los Angeles Arts of Pacific Asia Show Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
10/18/02 - 10/20/02
Washington DC
25th Annual Rug Convention - "Origins and Influence: Six Centuries of Design in Anatolian Carpets" The Textile Museum
6/29/02 - 11/10/02
Denver, CO
Woven Harmony - The Tapestries of Rebecca Bluestone The Denver Art Museum
11/9/02 - 11/11/02
Santa Monica, CA
The Los Angeles Tribal, Folk and Textile Arts Show Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
6/28/02 - 1/5/03
Washington DC
Secrets of Silk The Textile Museum
9/4/02 - 1/5/03
Springfield, MA
Woven Dreams - Objects of silk from Springfield museums George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum
9/13/02 - 2/13/03
Washington DC
Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets The Textile Museum
4/17/03 - 4/21/03
Washington DC
International Conference on Oriental Carpets (ICOC) Omni Shoreham Hotel www.icoc-international.org for info
Through 5/20/03
Santa Fe, NM
Art of Ancient America - 1500 BCE - 1500 CE Palace of the Governors

The Seattle Textile and Rug Society (STARS) is dedicated to increasing knowledge and appreciation of fine rugs and textiles for members and the general public throughout the greater Puget Sound area.  The STARS News is published to STARS members on an occasional basis to announce upcoming events and share information of interest to the STARS community.  Please provide submissions to: STARS, 2016 26th Avenue East, Seattle, WA  98112, call or fax (206) 325-8907, or e-mail at fingham@yahoo.com.
A one year membership is $25 per individual, $35 per couple, $10 for out-of-region, and $100 for a special contributing "Dyed in the Wool" membership.  http://www.rugsandtextiles.com/stars/

Save the Dates for Upcoming STARS Meetings

May 28: Frieda Sorber will speak to us about the textiles and culture of Morocco.  Come and learn more about this textile producing region that is getting more and more attention from collectors and scholars.  Please see the enclosed meeting announcement.
June 28: Judy Frater will give a presentation on the embroidery of the Kutch district of India, and the Kala Raksha cooperative, which is working with local artisans to preserve and extend the region's textile traditions.

STARS on the World Wide Web

STARS member Ferdod Haghighi has recently completed a web-site with information about STARS!  The site includes an introduction to the group, an online membership form, as well as information about upcoming and past meetings.  Check it out at www.rugsandtextiles.com/stars.  Thanks to Ferdod for taking the initiative.  We've already had a couple of inquiries from potential members who found us on the web.

ACOR VI in Indianapolis

We recently returned from the American Conference on Oriental Rugs (ACOR) in Indianapolis.  Organized by a confederation of North American rug societies, the conference focuses on the interests and concerns of collectors.  The conference focus sessions, led by collectors, scholars and curators, included topics as diverse as Jurg Rageth speaking on the use of Carbon 14 analysis for dating of antique Anatolian kilims, Michael Rothberg on the weavings of the Afshar people, Susan Scollay on Kaitag embroideries, and Linda Hendrickson on the techniques of weaving tablet-woven bands.  There was also the popular "Good Rug, Great Rug" session where a panel of collectors, dealers and academics score and debate the relative merits of pairs of rugs - often with surprising and humorous debate.  Another highlight was the exhibitions, which included a huge show of Moroccan rugs and textiles at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, a smaller showing of Balouch rugs from the Boucher collection at the Columbus branch of the IMA, and several collector-curated exhibitions at the hotel, including unusual Balouch weavings, warp-faced bands of Persia, and selections from Midwest collections.  There was also a "dealers row" of more than 70 top class rug and textile dealers from around the world (including our own Jon Terry of Textura and John Goodall of Caesar Shepherd).  There were 17 STARS members in attendance, including in addition to the dealers mentioned above, Jim and Stephanie Burns, Bruce Froemming and Nanci Torcivia, Ferdod Haghighi, Bruce McLaughlin, Monte and Diane Powell, Ken Roostai, Alan and Sima Rothblatt, and Jeremy Schimmel.

First International Conference on Kyrgyz
Carpets and Textiles

If Indianapolis just wasn't an exotic enough destination to motivate you to attend the recent ACOR conference, have we got the conference for you - the First International Conference on Oriental Carpets (ICOC) in Kyrgyzstan.  The conference will be held August 31st through September 2nd 2002, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan at the luxury Pinara Bishkek hotel.  The conference offers two days of presentations focused on Kyrgyz rugs and textiles, plus tours of local exhibitions and the famous Osh Bazaar.  One highlight of the conference will be the post-conference tours, including a six day journey through northern Kyrgyzstan, followed by an optional 7 day architectural tour of the great buildings of Tashkent, Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand.  In order to assist the conference planners, please register before the end of May.  For more information, go to: http://www.kyrgyzstan.com/conference2002/conference.html

ICOC-X in Washington DC

Mark your calendars now for the Tenth International Conference on Oriental Carpets (ICOC-X).  The conference runs from April 17-21, 2003, and will include numerous exhibitions and academic sessions, plus a dealer's fair.  The conference exhibitions will include Kurdish rugs, Kaitag embroideries, Southwest Persian textiles, and a show of Engsis (door rugs).  In addition, there will be pieces from the Museums of Uzbekistan, Mamluk rugs of Egypt, carpets of Andalusia and bags from Northwest Persia featured in local museums and embassies.  There are also optional pre- and post-conference tours, the former to visit Colonial Williamsburg and the latter to visit New York city for a private tour of the carpet and textile collections of the Metropolitan Museum, the Brooklyn Museum and the Frick Collection.  We will be sending out brochures to register, or you can surf to http://www.icoc-orientalrugs.org.

The 25th Annual Textile Museum Rug Convention

From October 18th through the 20th, 2002, The Textile Museum in Washington DC will be sponsoring its annual rug convention.  The theme for this year is classical Anatolian carpets, and will feature an exhibition of outstanding pieces from the collections of the The Textile Museum as well as several major private collectors.  The convention will include lectures, gallery walk-throughs, receptions, and a closing "show-and-tell" with Michael Seidman. Among the presenters will be Walter Denny, Professor of Art History at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and curator of "The Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets," and George Jevremovic, whose company "Woven Legends" champions the continuation of the Turkish carpet weaving tradition.  Contact The Textile Museum for information about registering at (202) 483-0994, or, on the web: http://www.textilemuseum.org/prog.htm.

ACOR VII Coming to Seattle!

Are you one of the many people who are interested in ACOR but you don't want to travel to some far away destination to attend?  Well, your wish will be granted when, in the Spring of 2004, STARS will host ACOR VII right here in Seattle.  Over the past couple of months, we have been consulting with the other rug societies and the ACOR board, and it was clear from these discussions that Seattle was the very best place to hold the next conference.  Planning is already under way, and we look forward to enlisting the help of our many members and friends in the rug and textile community to put on a fantastic conference.

STARS Adopts a Kilim

The Center for Anatolian Ethnography and Textile Studies in Istanbul is based on the life work of Josephine Powell.  Josephine Powell is a photographer, ethnographer and researcher who has donated her important collection of kilims, bags, objects, photographs and notes to form a museum and study center.  One of the noteworthy aspects of this center is that it is designed to be a hands-on resource for scholars and researchers.  Visitors will be able to have access to the collections, not just a limited fraction that might be on display at the moment.  However, many of the textiles need to be washed and conserved.  Under a new program, interested donors can "adopt a kilim" to fund this work, and STARS (as well as some of our individual members who were at ACOR) participated.  STARS is now the proud parent of kilim number 16, a beautiful "saph" kilim with repeating prayer niches on a red ground.  The program, kicked off at ACOR, raised about $6,500 dollars, which will help preserve 25 different textiles.  If you are interested in participating personally, please contact Fred Ingham at fingham@yahoo.com or (206) 325-8907 for further information.


Anatolian kilim from the Center for Anatolian Ethnography and Textile Studies in Istanbul that has been "adopted" by STARS for cleaning and conservation.

Textile Society of America Symposium 2002

The Textile Society of America will be holding its 8th Biennial Symposium in Northampton, Massachusetts from September 26th through the 28th, 2002.  The theme this year is "Silk Roads, Other Roads". Concurrent with the symposium, Northampton has begun a year-long celebration of the region's history of sericulture and silk manufacturing. While the main theme of the symposium follows this same thread, other topics will be covered as well. Topics such as pre-Colombian textiles and sustainable development will find their place along with sessions devoted to the American silk industry, contemporary Japanese silk design, silks in Southeast Asia, and archaeological textiles found along the Silk Road.  STARS members are key participants in this year's symposium.  Leslie Grace will give a talk entitled 460 Years of Silk Production in Oaxaca, Mexico and Linda McIntosh will be chairing the session on the history of silk production in Southeast Asia and giving a talk called From the Village House to the Urban Markets: The Evolution of Silk Production in Laos.  There are several pre- and post-symposium tours to regional historical and artistic sites.  Please see the Textile Society website, http://textilesociety.org/sym2002.htm, or e-mail tsa@dol.net, or call (410) 275-2329.

Southeast Asian Textile Conference at the U.W.

The University of Washington Southeast Asia Center is planning a one day conference on Southeast Asian Textiles for early October.  There will be specialists from Southeast Asia as well as from the University of Washington presenting at the conference, which will be followed by a traditional dance performance.  Please contact STARS member Linda McIntosh for more information at mcintosh_linda@hotmail.com or (206) 760-0745.

Pat Weiler's Chanteh Article on TurkoTek

STARS member Pat Weiler recently contributed a major article ("salon") on the TurkoTek website on the topic of Chanteh, which are small pile-woven bags made by Persian tribal groups including the Qashqa'i.  In the salon, he provides a good overview of the Chanteh type, and shows and discusses several examples that cover a wide range of designs and styles.  You can view the salon at www.turkotek.com - click on "salon archives", then on Pat's article - Salon 84: The Enchanting Chanteh (Diminutive Delights).

Caesar Shepherd is now Collector Carpet Gallery

When STARS member John Goodall decided to pull up stakes and head to France, many of us wondered what would become of his gallery in Fremont.  Happily, the site will remain a carpet gallery, which will be run by STARS member Douglas Barnhart, an old hand in the Seattle rug trade who used to own Oasis Gallery.  Doug will focus on collector carpets, so stop on by and welcome Doug back to the business!

Upcoming Events of Interest - Summer/Fall

Local Exhibitions/Talks/Conferences
Through 5/12/02
Seattle, WA
Along the Silk Road: Rugs and Textiles from Syria to China Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington
Through 5/19/02
Seattle, WA
Long Steps Never Broke a Back - African Art and Textiles Seattle Art Museum
5/28/02 6:00PM
Seattle, WA
STARS Meeting - Frieda Sorber - Secret Splendor: Textiles and Costumes in Urban Morocco Turabi Fine Oriental Rugs
6/28/02 time TBD
Seattle, WA
STARS Meeting - Judy Frater - Kala Raksha Earthues
5/15/02 - 7/14/02
La Conner, WA
Quilts with a Japanese Flair La Conner Quilt Museum
7/26/02 - 7/28/02
Snohomish, WA
Pass on the Tradition - Busy Bee Quilters - 200 Quilts Snohomish High School
Through 8/4/02
Goldendale, WA
Uncommon Threads - rarely seen textiles from the permanent collection.   Maryhill Museum
Special thanks to Robb Shep for his assistance in compiling the calendar above.  See Robb's website at www.rlshep.com for the latest information about local textile events.

Out of Area Events of Interest
5/18/02 - 5/20/02
New York, NY
The New York International Tribal Antiquities Show The Seventh Regiment Armory
Through 6/2/02
Washington DC
Deceptively Simple: The Complexities of Plain Weave The Textile Museum
Through 6/16/02
Denver, CO
Cultural Coatings - Coats from Different Cultures Twenty garments from Europe, Asia and the Americas - spanning from the 18th century to the present day Denver Art Museum
6/6/02 - 6/9/02
London, England
HALI Antique Carpet and Textile Art Fair Olympia Exhibition Center
Through 6/19/02
New York, NY
Tapestry in the Renaissance - Production from 1460-1560 Metropolitan Museum of Art
7/19/02 - 7/21/02
San Francisco, CA
Passages - Celebrating Rights of Passage in Armenian Rugs Herbst International Hall joe@simonianrugs.com for info
Through 7/28/02
Washington DC
Technology as Catalyst - Textile Artists on the Cutting Edge The Textile Museum
Through 8/4/02
Washington DC
Hidden Threads of Peru - Q'ero Textiles The Textile Museum
Through 8/18/02
Indianapolis, IN
The Fabric of Moroccan Life - Moroccan Rugs and Textiles Indianapolis Museum of Art
8/31/02 - 9/2/02
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
First International Conference on Kyrgyz Carpets and Textiles Pinara Bishkek Hotel
Through 9/1/02
Indianapolis, IN
Flowers from the Silk Road - Central Asian Textiles, Jewelry Indianapolis Museum of Art
9/26/02 - 9/28/02
Northampton, MA
TSA  Symposium: Silk Roads, Other Roads Smith College Campus textilesociety.org for info
10/5/02 - 10/7/02
Santa Monica, CA
The Los Angeles Arts of Pacific Asia Show Santa Monica Civic Auditorium

10/18/02 - 10/20/02
Washington DC
25th Annual Rug Convention - "Origins and Influence: Six Centuries of Design in Anatolian Carpets" The Textile Museum
6/29/02 - 11/10/02
Denver, CO
Woven Harmony - The Tapestries of Rebecca Bluestone The Denver Art Museum
11/9/02 - 11/11/02
Santa Monica, CA
The Los Angeles Tribal, Folk and Textile Arts Show Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
6/28/02 - 1/5/03
Washington DC
Secrets of Silk The Textile Museum
9/4/02 - 1/5/03
Springfield, MA
Woven Dreams - Objects of silk from Springfield museums George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum
9/7/02 - 2/9/03
Hartford, CT
Cloth of Kings - Velvet Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
9/13/02 - 2/13/03
Washington DC
Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets The Textile Museum
4/17/03 - 4/21/03
Washington DC
International Conference on Oriental Carpets (ICOC) Omni Shoreham Hotel www.icoc-international.org for info
Through 5/20/03
Santa Fe, NM
Art of Ancient America - 1500 BCE - 1500 CE Palace of the Governors

The Seattle Textile and Rug Society (STARS) is dedicated to increasing knowledge and appreciation of fine rugs and textiles for members and the general public throughout the greater Puget Sound area.  The STARS News is published to STARS members on an occasional basis to announce upcoming events and share information of interest to the STARS community.  Please provide submissions to: STARS, 2016 26th Avenue East, Seattle, WA  98112, call or fax (206) 325-8907, or e-mail at fingham@yahoo.com.
A one year membership is $25 per individual, $35 per couple, $10 for out-of-region, and $100 for a special contributing "Dyed in the Wool" membership.  http://www.rugsandtextiles.com/stars/