Textile Artisans in Kutch, India - February 2012

A total immersion textile experience in the Kutch region of Gujarat, India - what an adventure! I tagged along with friend, fellow weaver and collector Jean Degenfelder Appleby, visiting artisans in Bhuj and surrounding villages. It was such a treat to meet these artisans in their homes and studios, and to observe such a wide variety of exquisite hand-made textiles - block printing, bandhani (tie-dye), weaving, patchwork and embroidery.

We visited Kala Raksha and Khamir, educational organizations that help these traditional crafts thrive. Many of the artisans we visited were graduates of Kala Raksha. My favorite day was a visit to a Kala Raksha class in basic design concepts. These young men, all artisans from local villages, were so enthusiastic and eager, the language barrier melted away as they shared their ideas with us.

Hindu and Muslim, they were united by their passion for design, and later, their passion for cricket, which they played that evening after class.