Terrol Dew Johnson and Contemporary Basketry

Illustration: Terrol Dew Johnson. Form Over Function #1.

Terrol Dew Johnson started basketry weaving at the age of ten. He soon learned that he was a born natural and found that it was one of the few things in life that he found intrinsically effortless.

Johnson is a member of the Tohono O'odham nation of southern Arizona. The Tohono O'odham have a long history of basket weaving using a whole variety of techniques using natural materials and dyes. These are all used in order to tie the basketry in with the local landscape colours and flora, making the baskets part of the community and of the larger landscape.

Illustration: Terrol Dew Johnson.

The traditional basketry weaving techniques that Johnson learnt at such an early age, have allowed him to expand into the world of contemporary fine art basketry, while still keeping hold of his traditions, which he uses as a foundation or anchor point for his subsequent career as an artist.

Johnson has definitely turned the craft skill of basketry into an art form. His basket weaving techniques now see him producing work that is sculptural in form, with the pieces quietly but confidently filling their internal and external space. His basketry creations have extended one of the earliest human learned skills, much beyond its original practical remit, and although his creations do still maintain some of the traits of a traditional basket, as much of his work still has the appearance of the functional containers that were woven by early humans, he has been able to play with that notion and that traditional form, producing pieces that although serving no practical purpose, are still able to pay homage to the rich local and wider planetary history of basket weaving.

Illustration: Terrol Dew Johnson. Basket.

Terrol Johnson is now one of the most popular basketry weavers in the United States. His work has won major awards and has been seen in various exhibitions across the country. A number of prestigious museums and galleries are now eagerly procuring examples of his work for their collections.

Johnson is now a respected artist who has been able to expand his interests into other creative areas including architecture and photography, but it is his commitment to basketry weaving and more particularly how that can be used to help his Tohon O'dham community, that will perhaps be his greatest legacy.

Illustration: Terrol Dew Johnson. Basket.

Terrol Johnson has his own website, which can be found here. There is also an interesting article by Loretts Gallery of Tulsa, Oklahoma, which can be found here.

Johnson is involved in a number of pressing issues and enterprises concerning his Tohono O'odham community, all of which can be found at the TOCA (Tohona O'odham Community Action) website, which can be found here.

Reference links:
Terrol Dew Johnson
Lovetts Gallery
TOCA (Tohono O'odham Community Action)

Azerbaijani Embroidery

Although Azerbaijan by definition is often seen as within the sphere, if not actually part of Persia/Iran, it does have a definite identity of its own and whether as a region or as an independent nation. Its identity is often reflected, as with most communities, within its native arts and crafts, and no more so than the textiles of the region, in particular its embroidery.

It is said that the roots of Azerbaijani embroidery lie in the Bronze Age, and while this cannot be definitely proved, the motifs and design work used in the native embroidery of the area, can trace its history back through generations of Azerbaijani cultural history and the general design and craft history of the region.

Azerbaijan has a rich and varied textile history with a particular emphasis on weave, knit and embroidery. Many richly decorated fabrics were produced in the past using silk, gold and silver threads, which were worked onto a relatively thick background fabric, which often included various rich velvets. Local pearls and beads were also added to these richly decorated pieces of handwork to add to the emphasis of richness and depth. Colour was another form used to emphasise the richness of the work with colours of both threads and backgrounds often being dazzlingly heightened, all adding to the overall display effect.

The best and most expensive embroidery work was produced for the royal court of Azerbaijan, mostly in the form of wall hangings, which were often used as statements of wealth and power to visiting dignitaries. However, less expensive and less detailed work was also widely produced, though no less accomplished. This work was mainly designated for domestic use and the decoration of clothing. Embroidery was also used to decorate objects as diverse as riding equipment, and dowry items.

Much of the design work, though not exclusively so, was floral or geometrically based, though traditional Persian motifs that were often used within the carpet trade were also incorporated into the vocabulary of Azerbaijani embroidery.

Interestingly, the production of embroidery was not limited to women. Men were also involved in the work and took an active part in the design and decoration aspects of the medium.

The images shown here were produced by the Soviet Union for the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. It was part of a large national exhibition promoting the traditional crafts from across the Union.

Although embroidery is not produced on such a scale as it once was, Azerbaijan is still proud of its embroidery heritage and historical pieces can be seen in many of the museums of the country and at regular exhibitions. Some good examples can be seen at the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture and Tourism website, which can be seen here

Further reading links:
Embroidery: Traditional Designs, Techniques, and Patterns from All over the World
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Azerbaijani Republic
Azerbaijan Since Independence
Transcaucasus: Georgia, Armenia, & Azerbaijan
Cuisines of the Caucasus Mountains: Recipes, Drinks, and Lore from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia
Azerbaijan - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture
Azerbaijan: Traditional Music
Azerbaijan: Webster's Timeline History, 10000 BC - 2007
Azerbaijan (Cultures of the World)
Music from Azerbaijan

The Stoddard Design Library

Illustration: Part of the Stoddard Design Library.

After much uncertainty the Stoddard design library of pattern books was finally acquired by the University of Glasgow and the Glasgow School of Art Library this year.

The pattern books consist of over five hundred volumes and were used originally by the James Templeton & Co carpet manufacturers of Glasgow, as an inspirational source by the company's designers. When Stoddard took over Templeton, the books became part of that company's assets.

It was recently thought that Glasgow University and the Glasgow School of Art would not be in a position to procure these valuable pattern books, and that they might either go abroad, or worse still, be broken up and sold separately. However, this historically important asset, both for Glasgow and for the history of carpet and rug design was, through the combined effort of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the National Fund for Acquisitions, Friends of the National Libraries, Glasgow Museums Acquisitions Fund, Friends of Glasgow Museums and a host of others, saved intact for the people of Glasgow and the wider world.

The entire collection of pattern books are now in the process of being both sorted and catalogued in order to make them ultimately available for wider public access.

You have to wonder, for every Stoddard design library that is saved for future use and posterity, how many others are lost or irretrievably broken up, sold and then scattered across the world through different libraries, museums and private collections. Over the last century, so many companies have been separated from their pattern books and design libraries that it is a wonder that any have survived intact. These company assets are important articles of history, both design and social, that everything should be done to procure them intact, as far as possible, for the benefit of future generations of the general public.

Sometimes these pattern books were so important, and companies were so avaricious regarding their contents, that rivals were often locked in battles in order to buy out and take over each other, just in order to procure the volumes held by their rival. This is understandable, especially when profitable designer names were associated with the pattern books. A good example is when Morris & Co went into voluntary liquidation in 1940, Sanderson bought up from the receiver all of the wallpaper blocks and pattern books and is now one of the major producers of William Morris wallpapers and textiles, all derived from the pattern books bought in 1940.

However, as long as these design libraries of pattern books are either still in circulation, as with Sanderson, or saved for public access, as with the Glasgow School of Art Library, their usefulness and relevance continues.

Further reading links:
Glasgow School of Art Library
THE STORY OF BRITISH CARPETS
A History of British Carpets: From the Introduction of the Craft until the Present Day
A century of British fabrics, 1850-1950: Carpets, by J.H. Mellor. Printed & woven fabrics, by Frank Lewis. Wall papers, by E.A. Entwisle 

Examples of Chinese Ornament

Illustration: Pattern from a painted ceramic bottle, from Owen Jones Examples of Chinese Ornament, 1867.

In 1867, Owen Jones published the luxurious volume Examples of Chinese Ornament: Selected from Objects in the South Kensington Museum and Other Collections, to give it its full title. The book contained over ninety full colour portfolio pages of Chinese decoration and pattern work. It was to be used as guidance for designers, decorators, historians, critics and any of the general public that had a particular interest in the subject and could afford the book.

Illustration: Pattern from a painted ceramic bottle, from Owen Jones Examples of Chinese Ornament, 1867.

What is particularly interesting about Jones homage, if you will, to Chinese decoration, is the fact that he was able to peel back generations of European Chinese style decoration, or Chinoiserie, to reveal work that was pure in its essence. Jones was a campaigner for authenticity and correctness within pattern design, decoration and ornamentation from the many different decorative traditions that went to make up the universal human culture. There was to be no room for European interpretations within his studies of decoration.

Illustration: Pattern from a painted ceramic vase, from Owen Jones Examples of Chinese Ornament, 1867.

Jones 1867 book did its part in helping to correct some of the longstanding misinterpretations of European ideas concerning Chinese decorative and ornamental work, both conscious and unconscious, that was at the heart of Chinoiserie. Although not perceived to be particularly harmful, in itself, Chinoiserie did in fact often give a distorted, confusing and patronising interpretation of Chinese pattern work, history and culture. Chinoiserie had more or less become a European institutionalised style since its fashionable height in the eighteenth century, often waxing and waning in popularity but never really going away. With the publication of Jones concise Examples of Chinese Ornament, which could well have been titled Examples of REAL Chinese Ornament, studies could now be made from genuine examples, rather than those of European origin.

Illustration: Pattern from a gourd shaped painted ceramic vase, from Owen Jones Examples of Chinese Ornament, 1867.

It is interesting to note that many of the Chinese examples were copied by Jones from the collection of the South Kensington Museum, which was eventually to become the Victoria & Albert Museum. William Morris, amongst others, were frequent visitors to the collection and it is interesting to note how similar in style and composition some of the Chinese examples are to the very English themed textile and wallpaper pattern work produced by Morris and his company. It seems unlikely that this is mere coincidence.

Illustration: Pattern from a blue-and-white ceramic bottle, from Owen Jones Examples of Chinese Ornament, 1867.

These examples of Chinese decorative work show the real beauty of composition, colour tone and balance that was the result of centuries of constant experimentation and innovation by generations of Chinese artists and designers. Certainly a long way from the overly fussy and often trite European version that was Chinoiserie.

Further reading links:
Grammar of Chinese Ornament
The Complete "Chinese Ornament": All 100 Color Plates (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
Owen Jones' Chinese Ornament CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art)
Chinese No 3, Plate LXI, from The Grammar of Ornament by Owen Jones Giclee Poster Print by Owen Jones, 18x24
Pattern Sourcebook: Chinese Style: 250 Patterns for Projects and Designs
Chinese Patterns (Agile Rabbit Editions)
Jade flowers and floral patterns in Chinese decorative art
Chinese Art (World of Art)
Chinese Art and Culture
Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery
Art in China (Oxford History of Art)
Chinese Porcelain: Art, Elegance, and Appreciation (Art of China) (Arts of China) 

The Basketry of Botswana

In Botswana the traditional and until fairly recently, neglected craft of basketry, has been turned into an art form.

Basketry had always been an important part of everyday life in Botswana, particularly within the agricultural world. Various forms were used in order to carry food, winnow grain and for many other vital necessities within a farming community. Most were at that time, plain, unpatterned and practical.

Basketry design and making has generally been dominated by women in Botswana, and many generations have added to the skills base and design parameters of this ancient craft form. It is believed that basketry was one of the first forms of textile developed by early humans. Basketry was certainly the base for both the weaving and ceramic industries and without the initial time and effort spent on the development of the medium, the two other forms would not have been able to develop, or at least not been able to reach their full potential.

Although basketry is one of the most ancient human crafts, it is also still very much relevant and contemporary. In Botswana new patterns are being integrated into the traditional craft, and artists are being encouraged to open up the diversity in both weave and colour techniques. The standard of basketry is always being tested in the country through various educational upgrading courses, competitions and exhibitions. This all helps to maintain the level of basketry in Botswana at such a high level, that it is not surprising that it is now considered that the country's basketry makers produce some of the best examples of contemporary work in the world.

Many of the designs are personal to the artist though some are from traditional sources. Basketry in Botswana was originally unpatterned but through both outside influences and innovation within the country, a whole complex system of patterns are now used with an increasingly widening colour palette.

There are now a number of well-known basketry artists within Botswana. In fact basketry has become part of the fabric of the country with many being exported successfully to both Europe and North America. A typical basket takes about a month of constant work to produce. All are made using natural and locally sourced materials, which includes the dyes used to colour the different vegetable fibres that go to make up the many and varied patterns and design work that helps to make these some of the most distinctive coiled baskets within the medium.

All the baskets shown in this article are available for sale through the comprehensive and well-stocked Botswanacraft website. Botswanacraft was established in 1970 by the Botswana Development Corporation in order to develop rural based handicrafts within the country. It is now the leading retailer and exporter of crafts in Botswana and has been one of the main instigators in the resurgence of the traditions of basketry, placing many of the makers on the same footing as a fine artist.

A list of Botswana's leading basketry artists appears below. Each artist has a short biography with examples of their work. The list, part of the Botswanacraft website, can be found here.

Kapanyi Mponda
Diidhi Disho
Mayowa Kushonya
Khumo Setabosha
Mahurero Twapika
Kathiko Muyevu
Maria Thomas
Dishaka Morao
Tukarenao Phethatho
Mokhwahepo Muronga
Thimporeni Muronga
Kayana Twapika
Mashe Mbombo
Napemba Mashupa
Keitumetse Morite
Kurushe Diyeve
Kare Maramo
Kushamona Keemetse
Tupwemo Mafuta
Moshinga Thomas
Nashira Thinkongo

Further reading links:
Botswanacraft
African Basketry: A Gallery of Twill-Plaited Designs and Patterns
African Basketry: Grassroots Art from Southern Africa
Revered vessels: custom and innovation in Harari basketry.(Critical essay): An article from: African Arts
Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art
A comprehensive bibliography of African basketry traditions
The Dove's Footprints: Basketry Patterns in Matebeleland
Botswanacraft and Hambukushu basketry: The effects of a major marketing operation on a group of African people, their traditional craft and their natural resources

Armenian Embroidery

Embroidery takes many forms and many directions depending on the culture, the time period and the people involved in the discipline. On the whole, European embroidery, and Armenian is no different in this respect, tends to be split into two main subject headings, domestic and religious.

Domestic embroidery was usually dominated by floral and abstract interwoven patterns, with the intermittent use of animals, both real and mythical. Domestic embroidery could come in the form of household or costume. Household items were often in the form of tablecloths, runners and furniture protectors, but could also include covers for books, food and small carriers for precious items. Some were for everyday use while others were used only on special occasions. Costume embroidery tended to be more elaborate and smaller in scale, as it was often used for collars and cuffs, but could also be incorporated on a much larger scale for national costumes, which would be used on specific days of the year.

Religious embroidery was used extensively by the Armenian Church, particularly for the embellishment of religious vestments and were often produced by professional embroiderers, rather than the many amateur embroiderers involved in the domestic market. Vestment embroidery patterns usually incorporated the cross and other symbols of religious significance, but again, as in the domestic embroidery, floral patterns and motifs were extensively used. The threads used were usually of a much higher standard than that of domestic embroidery, with the use of silk and precious metal threads being relatively common.

Armenian embroidery was not necessarily a uniformly nationalistic one, as many areas of the country had their own distinctive styles and techniques. These different and individual styles can often still be identified and attributed to the distinct areas, even though many of them are now produced well outside their original territories.

The images shown here are from the Soviet Unions contribution towards the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. The Soviet Union showed a substantially large proportion of traditional embroidery techniques and styles from all over the Union featuring individual republics. It may seem odd to include traditional pattern work within an exposition that emphasised the modern, but the Soviet Union was by no means the only country contributing traditional cultural styles and techniques to the exposition.

Armenian embroidery is still being produced today, within the Armenian republic itself, but also within the much larger worldwide Armenian community. The techniques and styles that go to make up the distinctive national embroidery of the culture, has now become part of the rich history of the medium itself. A contribution that has added invaluable creative input into the world of traditional embroidery.

Anyone interested in the different styles that go to make up Armenian embroidery, and would even be prepared to learn some of the basic Armenian embroidery techniques, might well like to take a look at the website entirely devoted to the subject which can be found here.

Further reading links:
Embroidery: Traditional Designs, Techniques, and Patterns from All over the World
Armenian Embroidery website
Armenian Embroidery - Echoes from the Past [Haigagan Aseghnakordzoutioun]
Armenian Needlelace and Embroidery: A Preservation of Some of History's Oldest and Finest Needlework
Marashi (Marash) Aseghnakordzoutioun (Marash Armenian Embroidery) in Armenian
Armenian Rugs: Fabric of a Culture
Treasures in Heaven: Armenian Illuminated Manuscripts