Judy Newland – About Cloth And Me
Handweavers Guild of Boulder
May 2021 Day & Evening Program
Culture and the environment are the two main topics Judy addresses in her textile art. She has been working in textiles for more than forty years as a maker and later as a textile historian. Her background in textile history and museum anthropology allows her to bring a deep cultural engagement to everything she produces. “I don’t just dye fabric in an indigo blue dyepot, I look in the dyepot and see world history, science, fashion, medicine, ritual and your latest pair of jeans! It’s an entire world to explore and share.”
• Exploring the Meaning of Textiles Through Time & Place
Through textiles, we can explore art, society, politics, religion and more, making connections between cultures and through time. Textiles surround and swaddle us from birth to death, a part of the social fabric, bringing meaning to our physical, emotional and spiritual lives. The stories of our lives can be told through textiles. Culture and history can be explored through the study of textiles. Cloth is part of our past, present and future.
• Navajo Weaving – An Enduring Tradition
Navajo weaving is a mirror of the social, economic and political history of the Navajo people of the Southwest. Life experiences woven into cloth give us insight into a long and changing cultural experience. Together we will take an illustrated look at the history and development of these textiles – the important stylistic periods, the influence of trading posts on design and styles, and examples of rugs. From an anthropologist’s point of view what can we learn from the designs, motifs and iconography of Navajo textiles? We will share the story of these textiles by exploring the amazing landscape of the Navajo, their creation stories, cosmology and worldview.
More of Judy’s work can be viewed at clothgirl.com
Photos & Credits: Judy Newland
- May 10, 2021 – Day Guild Meeting 10:00 am
Exploring the Meaning of Textiles Through Time and Place - May 11, 2021 – Night Guild Meeting 7:00 pm
Navajo Weaving – An Enduring Tradition - Handweavers Guild of Boulder monthly meetings are open to the public – please email programs@handweaversofboulder.org for Zoom access information.