SistahCraft

Mayday! Mayday! New York Now

(*Do they know what this year is? All pics enlarge.)

Aw-w-righty now. If you're either visiting, or in New York City this month, see and do Harlem––here's the latest from the Knitter-At-Large!

Soulful Stitching At The Schomburg Center

   (Pride––a deeper love; photo by Henry John Drewal, co-curator.)

After seeing this show, I bought the book Siddis and Scholars: Essays on African Indians. In my next post I'll review this exhibition in depth,  but at this moment go and see the works of these Christian, Muslim and Hindu sisters united by a common African ancestry. The quilts, known as Kawandi are the most visually arresting I've seen in a long time! (see sidebar for details). 

In the upstairs gallery is Harlem Views/Diasporan Visions: The New Renaissance Photographers. A big shout out to my peeps Kenya L. Smith and Shawn Walker for keeping the global, cross-cultural reference book current!

 

 

Movies With A Mission: The Maysles Cinema in Harlem

  (Hellura Lyle of Doc Watchers curated the films I saw on Monday night; you GO, sister!)

My tears flowed openly throughout Valery Lyman's One Of Those Mornings, a film seamlessly blending the past with the present via the journey from our fight for voting rights in the 60's, to the election of President Obama. The soundtrack featured a call in of messages from voters across the country! This was one of three short films from Doc Watchers Inc., a community-based documentary film screening series in Harlem. Forthcoming subjects at the Maysles are Old School (think Soul Train to Kool Moe Dee), Lee Scratch Perry, a corporate food fight (Bananas!), and forgiveness.

 

 

*If You Don't, There's Still Time

I'm gonna' wonder out loud why so many folks don't know that this year is the United Nations International Year For People Of African Descent. I'm giving a HUGE shout out to Yara Costa for mentioning this crucial year at Maysles. Her awareness raising film Why Are They Here? Chinese Stories In Africa is part of the 18th New York African Film Festival (see sidebar for link). Well people, you still have time to get in the know-ledge. So, on May 20th I'm asking the ancestors––and you do what you need to––for an exemplary evening, weather-wise. In partnership with The Big Screen Project, the AFF presents Soy Cuba (I Am Cuba). A seminal film back in the day (1964), and an iconic one in the present, it is beautiful, harsh, insightful. I'll leave you with this.

 

 

 

 

 

Greetings From The Neighborhood

(April showers bring––Sakura! All pics enlarge)

Gosh! Not much news has crossed my path. I'm working on a large commission, the details of which I'll divulge when it's completed. At this point, I'll only say––its more machine knitting than I have ever done in my life. And with the deadline looming, I'm trying not to be totally unnerved. Thank the ancestors I have a plan and a wonderful assistant.

The Park Bench Spinner Returns For Another Season

(This fabulous spinning wheel from Majacraft, truly gives my wrists a rest from the knitting machine).

My homage to Spring's arrival, is to bring out the wheel and––occasionally––wine, to enjoy some hand-spinning on the bench. Additionally luxuriating in some precious quality time, Mr. K snapped this shot of me with both. Ah, the benefits of spinning long-draw on the fold. See? It does get better with practice. The fiber is a sexy, tussah silk/chocolate alpaca blend from Paradise Fibers.

A sample of this effort, is the yarn and ribbed swatch shown below. My pride and joy will be a machine knit, turtleneck pullover for Mr. K. 

(The technical information for the formation of this yarn and swatch will be up in a new section in the sidebar, shortly).

The Neighborhood, There Goes

You know?  The joy of spinning in this ethnically diverse community, is that just about everyone who walks by is familiar with it. There's no cool factor, it's not awesome, and I don't have to give a craft demo, or fend off ridiculous questions about myself. Hispanic teenage goths revived my interest in Rumplestiltskin. Ladies from India and Pakistan inquire about the purchase of my wheel. And in Eastern Europe, damn near everybody's grandmother spins. This is pretty impressive for a medium that's only recently attaining coolness in New York City, as an extension of the needlecraft boom and all things green, among the nouveau-creatives.

OK, I have to call it quits, but as sure as this wheel turns, I'll be back. Until then, enjoy!

Bouyed By Benevolence

The Seamen's Church Institute

(A scale model of a Gloucester fisherman; unidentified American schooner from late 19th-century to early 20th-century; weight, 50 tons or more. Property of the institute. All pics enlarge)

The One That Got Away

Recently one evening, weaving through the homeward bound Financial District's worker bees, en route to a Sit n' Knit meetup, at the Seamen's Church Institute, I was shook by a memory. I was a little girl, sitting in the kitchen, my mom telling me about her relationship with Frezel, an African merchant seaman who was in love with her, before she met her husband, my father. Back in the day the myth was, that seamen were prized marriage prospects. They made good money, accumulated from long voyages (if not disposed to gambling), and they brought back beautiful gifts. Indeed, I loved visiting my aunt C.'s house; it was a museum of Oceania, filled with the souvenirs of her former marriage to one. My mom however, surface dweller that she was, went for my father's looks instead. Frezel it seemed, bowed out with dignity, returned to the sea, and later married.

Suddenly, I considered Frezel's reality––spending weeks, months even out to sea, it's actually a hard and dangerous life. Did he come here? 

A Vision On Land

(Beyond macramé; a homage to the old church)

The institute, now inhabiting a new building is awesome! Designed inside and out to resemble an ocean liner, it sports a collection of old and new marine artifacts that are marvelously juxtaposed.* The upper floor, which make up the roof deck are perfect for a fab event (hear that, Florence?), but provides unpretentious comfort to the visiting mariners––its primary purpose.

(A wall of warmth; and this is just the scarves)

 I ogled my way up the stairs at the  collection,  then entered the expansive yarn room. Folks, my photos would do it no justice; believe me, this room should be made a knitting heritage site. Nonetheless, the intimate group seated around the table were chatting and knitting away, with the nonchalance of––been there, felt that. Me? I was busy taking pics. Suddenly I felt bemused; Sahara, you're acting like a damn fool. Okay now. Regaining my cool, I joined the group to a cordial, but friendly reception, warming up considerably, as the evening progressed.

(L to R; Jeanette, Angela, and Vicky) 

 (Our host; Jeanette, with her lighthouse smile).

Guiding Light

Jeanette Devita is the manager for the institute's Christmas At Sea program. The yarn room (swoon) may be her office, but I can see why it wouldn't faze her; this sister works assiduously, coordinating the efforts of  thousands of volunteer knitters and crocheters across the country, who produce what looks like an ocean of accessories that are distributed to close to 20,000 seamen. Ancestors!

 (You are here; the volunteers)

But hey, it's not about the yarn. "I'm really fortunate to be able to reach out and connect with the knitters and seamen," she says. I ask her about the tallying of all those goods. There are volunteers who come in once a week to assist, but ultimately? The connection's in the touch for Jeanette. "Every stitch of every scarf I handle connects a knitter to a seaman." Damn. Damn. I wonder if the woman Frezel eventually married, knew how to knit or crochet. I hope so.

To learn more about this extraordinary organization, and get involved, click on the the link.

*Album pics of this beautiful building, are in the side bar.

  

Speak On it, My Sistahs––The "Speak Out!" Show

In The Eye Of The Calm

(the pupil of "Peace Meditation of the Third Eye", by Robyn Mahone-Lonesome; All pics enlarge.)

A lot of self-help guides advise you to express your feelings to the intended, in the form of a letter, if you can't communicate them verbally. "Speak Out!", the exhibition attended by myself and Mr. K at the
Frank H. Williams Caribbean Cultural Center last weekend, had me thinking about the shows description as a correspondence, giving voice to a group of women––The Harlem Girls Quilting Circle––addressing issues affecting them, me, and whether you know it or not––you too.

I am largely a knitter, but I like to look for the connecting threads between diverse mediums to obtain inspiration. This show had my head spinning. The issues, investigated through the modern manipulation of a trad feminine form––the techniques, color, power, size, and beauty––bum-rushed my brain in a kaleidoscopic convergence.

The result, was a viscerally, sensory experience; your first thought is not the "gee, these are really nice quilts," kind of pleasantness you get from other shows of similar medium. When you enter, and the first quilt you see reflects the past and present state of Harlem, N.Y., now a real estate epicenter, depicted in a marvelously cohesive member-assigned block quilt––it's more like "Wow, what the *&#@?!"

Harlem On Their Minds

(Harlem 2008, in a nutshell; the HGQC group quilt; machine pieced by Ann Alvarez, machine quilted by Laura R. Gadson)

The messages, while personal to the circle, were certainly not intended for an inaccessible audience; and believe me, the audience came out in force! The issues––injustice, the criminal system, economics, health-care––aren't new, but that's not the point. As the blandness of email makes it easier to delete what you don't want to deal with, the attraction of these quilts, is quite the corollary; like letters written in a sensuous hand, on handmade rice paper with a
Faber-Castel––their beauty renders the subject matter even more compelling to read, no matter how chilling.

(My Country, Tis'  of Greed, by Laura R. Gadson. Flag. Cotton with mixed media embellishments; 2008)

But unlike paper correspondence, this is too powerful to be mentally balled up and thrown away as some of the same guides advise, the importance being "closure". No y'all, this is a trad form of expression turned on its head, to express everything from outrage to a mechanism for coping. And true to our sistah selves, the imagery was bold and to the point––but hey, how else are some folks eventually going to "get it?"

(You GO, grrls; artists Robyn Mahone-Lonsome and Michelle Bishop, in front of a meditation quilt by Paula Wynter).

"Speak Out!" isn't all about facing confounding issues. As in life, there are ways to cope, and these methods are displayed in works that soothe and heal, through balance and meditation. Paula Wynter's diptych, "Meditation: All The Pain And Suffering In the World", and "Meditation: All The Happiness In The World", is inspired by the practice of Tonglen. Unfinished works, they invite the viewer to add to the sending out of the pain and suffering of themselves and others, and then to send out happiness to us all. "Peace Meditation of the Third Eye" comes with an actual mantra to repeat.

At The End Of The Day, Why You Should Go

(Detail of HGQC's group quilt; transfer, magic marker, applique, machine stitched)

The HGQC is an independent circle of Harlem based sistahs who meet regularly to quilt. Together for a number of years, their works grace many private collections. In order to share their refreshingly modern perspectives with the public, they raise money for, and mount many of their own exhibitions. This group effort enables you to enjoy a stereotype-free experience, lacking censorship from the technique dominated, lulling shawl of passivity of many local group shows. I'm sending a HUGE shout out to the Cultural Center for hosting this show; and to my girls at HGQC, for inspiring me with new ways to communicate.

Now, I'ma say this once more. If you're looking for new ways to communicate, there will be a panel discussion with the artists about their way of working together, on April 30th, and then––African-inspired quilting workshops on the 7th, 14th, and 21st of June; for more info, contact Monthina Williams at the center––RSVP early for these, my friends, the instructor is Ife Felix, one of the founders; these workshops don't happen often, and they fill up quickly. So be there, or you're only a square!

Happy New Year! Springing Up, and Out towards the Sunlight––Row 1

My Vacation To Do List, For Art, Music, And Whatever!

(Up close, it's mind boggling! "Peace Meditation of the Third Eye." Quilt, by Robin Mahone-Lonesome; photo, D. James Dee; all pics enlarge).

Friends! I feel blessed to be on vacation in time to celebrate Easter, the beginning of the New Year, along with a number of other cultures on our planet. I long ago gave up on the Gregorian Calendar––looking out of my window at New Year's––I saw no newness.

Now as the daffodils are starting to push up from the ground in my building's courtyard, I'm feeling my own upward push toward renewal and creative growth. Which is exactly why––tomorrow––Mr. K and I are out the door for the opening reception, of new works by the intrepidly creative sistahs of The Harlem Girls Quilting Circle. My girl (and one of the artists exhibiting) Michelle Bishop, blessed me with this info.

Speak Out!––is a correspondence, using the quilt medium to represent the voices of a group of women fearlessly exploring the social issues impeding our progress at the present time. Taking place in collaboration with the Franklin H. Williams Caribbean Cultural Center (they have a most beautiful intro for their 30th anniversary), it's happening from 5 to 8 p.m. in the gallery. RSVP to Monthina Williams at 212 307 7420, ext. 3006. The suggested donation is $5.00US, C.C.C.A.D.I. members free.

Now, if you cannot make the opening, it's okay, the best is yet to come! Put this in your calendar. There will be a panel discussion with the artists next month, and an African-inspired quilt workshop, in June. And trust me, these sistahs rarely hold workshops, so ya' don't wanna miss it! (Ya' hear that Trina?). The show is up until June 27th.

Tie A Yellow Ribbon, In The Following Places!

The fantastic film of my ubiquitous co-worker, Joy Dietrich, is on the move! For those of ya'll who inquired, I know it's been a minute, but festival season is here, and with it––screenings! Check this link, then go and tell her Sahara said hi! And hey––holla' back with your thoughts on this movie.

Okay, I gotta go put some food in me, so I can come back and put up another post, about my arm's-length list of places to go and people to see!