In our ongoing appreciation of museums and galleries around the world that celebrate all things textile, today we land in upper middle America to check in on the Textile Center—A national center for fiber art in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Textile Center has been honoring textile traditions for more than 20 years. It also promotes and encourages innovation of contemporary, and often local, artists and welcomes participation in all aspects of the fiber arts. It’s home to four fiber art gallery spaces, the largest circulating textile library open to the public, an artisan shop, classes serving all ages and skill levels, and a wonderful natural dye garden.
The four gallery spaces provide the center with the opportunity to present an impressive assortment of exhibitions. They cross the textile spectrum from international to local, from traditional to contemporary. Over the years, visitors have enjoyed hundreds of exhibits, everything from Finnish-American rug weaving and contemporary basketry to a natural dye invitational and a display of hooked rugs from the Guatemalan rug-hooking organization Multicolores.
Each year the Textile Center showcases the exceptional work of members in its show A Common Thread. This is a non-juried exhibition that gives all members an opportunity to exhibit their recent work in the center’s galleries.
As impressive as the exhibitions is the full slate of classes offered throughout the year. You can sign up for a workshop in stitching, knitting, embroidery, stumpwork, felting, and just about any level of dyeing–including shibori–and many specialty classes related to specific exhibits in the galleries.
Whether you’re just passing through or you live nearby, follow the threads to the Textile Center and discover what you have in common.
—Karen
Thrums Books–Uncommonly good and available worldwide.
Karen, you do get around! I thought you were out in the Navajo Nation – or maybe that’s next week. Thanks for the overview; I didn’t know about all their aspects.