Celebrate the diverse work of people of color in the craft community and explore the personal, political, and creative potential of textile arts and crafts.
In early 2019, the craft community experienced a reckoning when crafters of color began sharing personal stories about exclusion and racial injustice in their field, pointing out the inequity and lack of visible diversity within the crafting world. Author Jen Hewett, who is one of a few prominent women of color in the fiber crafts community, now brings together this book as a direct response to the need to highlight the diverse voices of artists working in fiber arts and crafts.
Weaving together interviews, first-person essays, and artist profiles, This Long Thread explores the work and contributions of people of color across the fiber arts and crafts community, representing a wide spectrum of race, age, region, cultural identity, education, and economic class. These conversations explore techniques and materials, belonging, identity, pride of place, cultural misappropriation, privilege, the value (or undervaluing) of craft, community support structures, recognition or exclusion, intergenerational dialogue, and much more.
Be inspired by the work and stories of innovative people of color who are making exceptional contributions to the world of craft. The diverse range of textile artists and craftspeople featured include knitters, quilters, sewers, weavers, and more who are making inspiring and innovative work, yet who are often overlooked by mainstream media.
This Long Thread is a well annotated look at the ethnography of crafting and its intersection with women of color and creative community, written and collated by Jen Hewett. Released 16th Nov 2021 by Roost Books, it's 376 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.
The book is formed around a survey questionnaire sent out to crafters, artists, and makers. The author writes coherently and very well about creativity and community and how being women of color affects the creative process and art. The content is presented organically - interviews, surveys, stories, and highlights throughout.
The author has also included a comprehensive list of links to contributors and collaborators in the back of the book. I've enjoyed the book twice, first by reading and savoring the actual book, and a second time by visiting the online studios of many of the artists featured in the book.
Especially considering our near-universal isolation during the pandemic, this was a much needed interlude and felt like a warm and sociable moment with friends.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
