The Textile Arts: Re-claimed and Re-covered

The International Fiber Collaborative is an organization which brings together artists who love to work with a variety of fiber based materials and provides them with opportunities to use their love of the arts to express concern (in an artistically tangible way) over the world's dependency on oil.

This year’s project is called the World Reclamation Art Project (W.R.A.P.) Artists literally covered (or re-covered...) a gas station with fiber art projects. 1,000 local grade school and college-level students worked (either independently or in groups) to create their textile panels. In the process of learning the necessary skills and creating their panels, they also had the opportunity to talk about the greater world issues of our dependency on crude oil and the control of oil and gas prices, as well as becoming part of a nationally recognized public art project!

Students crocheted, knitted, stitched, patched, or collaged three foot square fiber panels. Suggested or specific materials and techniques included: crochet and knitting, handwoven textiles, patches and patchwork, stitcheries, squares of re-claimed textiles (yarns, fabrics, clothing etc) spinned wools, felt, ironed-on images, natural materials of all kinds, recycled material of all kinds and a variety of quilted or quilting techniques.

All of the panels have been sewn together and now completely cover this abandoned gas station in central New York State. For additional information or to see other views and individual panels check out: http://www.internationalfibercollaborative.com/

I can't help but think that this is a viable and valuable project for any of us who have a passion and even an obsession for the fiber and textile arts. I'm looking around my house...I think I can see a potential panel or two. It takes the meaning of "design wall" to a whole new level!

So, maybe an old barn and some re-cycled quilts to bring attention to grain prices? I think Bonnie of Quiltville could sponsor this concept to promote her new eco-quilting book and give us a "quilt-in" during the process ;)