Art without borders

Among the exhibitors at International Quilt Market each year are many that emphasize the international aspect. A number of these offer products that are authentic to and produced within the culture that inspired them. These exhibitors traveled from all parts of the world this fall to share their goods and experiences with attendees of Market in Houston.

More than 25 years ago, exhibitors Sam and Anita Piller launched their company, Bulurru Australia. The idea came out of the couple’s inability to find an authentically Australian souvenir to send abroad. Rather than the “proverbial key ring or teaspoon,” the Pillers wanted to find something that was truly representative of their country. So they developed the idea to produce a range of high-quality souvenirs that feature authentic Aboriginal designs.

Anita explained to eInsider that Sam spent the following six months living among Aboriginal communities and establishing relationships with their artists. During his time there, he was able to set up licensing agreements with the artists and members of the community, guaranteeing them royalties for the use of their artwork. Anita spent this six months doing research in the archives of the Mitchell Library in Sydney, developing a deeper understanding of the Aboriginal culture and their art.

The Pillers then launched Bulurru and began selling apparel and home items featuring the art of the Aboriginal people. They shared these innovative products at trade shows in every part of the world, introducing thousands to Aboriginal art for the first time.

The beauty of Aboriginal art, according to Anita, is the culture and story behind each design. “All of Bulurru’s designs are based upon actual Aboriginal paintings,” she says. “Storytelling is an important part of their culture, and each painting represents a different story as it has been passed down.”

Today Bulurru offers T-shirts, hats, and other accessories, as well as a host of products for the home. Among the items of particular interest to quilters are Bulurru’s cotton homespun fabrics, the Patchwork/Quilters Kit, and a large assortment of Aboriginal art panels. Each panel features a different, authentic Aboriginal design and most are constructed of cotton jersey or drill.

Like Bulurru, the Houston-based Colombian Craft Connection offers customers products that are culturally authentic. Owner Hana Bibliowicz launched the business in 2004 after years of working as an artist and instructor in the U.S. and her native Colombia. The company offers a variety of handcrafted beads from Colombian artisans, as well as natural beads created from indigenous seeds and nuts.

Every bead the Colombian Craft Connection sells comes directly from the country, allowing for economic growth among the artisans that make them. Bibliowicz met the artists during her time working with a company that produced Pre-Colombian style necklaces. After spending 10 years in the U.S. receiving her Master of Fine Arts and raising a daughter, she returned to Colombia to find that the factory where the artisans once worked had been pared down, leaving them without a job.

“When I came to the States, I realized what the bead world really was,” she explains. “So when I went back to Colombia and found out what had happened, I told the artists that they could start their own business and sell directly to me. And I could then sell the beads in the States.”

Bibliowicz says that she started the business very slowly, doing one show at a time to gauge how well the business would really be received among crafters and artists. But less than three years later, the company continues to prosper and expand. Bibliowicz credits the “natural appearance” of the beads for their popularity here in the U.S.

“People love the clay beads because they aren’t shiny and they mix well with everything else,” she says. “They always look very natural. And they are uneven because they are cut by hand—this is what really makes them a work of art.”

After a successful stint selling handcrafted clay beads, Bibliowicz decided to add beads made from seeds and nuts to her inventory. However, this proved to be much more difficult than anticipated. Before they can be imported, the company must receive a special permit from Colombia’s Ministry of the Environment to ensure that none of them come from endangered plants. They also have to be inspected by several agencies in the U.S. before Bibliowicz can receive them. But as one of her most popular products, she says they are worth the trouble.

Another exhibitor adding authentic cultural flair to Market is the Los Angeles-based African Folklore Embroidery™. South African native Leora Raikin introduced the artform of the same name to the United States in 2003 and has taught it to more than 6,000 students since. According to Raikin, its popularity can be attributed to its flexibility—stitches can be in any color and don’t need to be perfect.

“One of the best things about African Folklore Embroidery,” she says, “is that all ages enjoy it because it’s creative and easier to learn than most embroidery. In fact, I’ve taught my eight-year-old son and he loves it. He even shares it with his male classmates and friends. Some of their fathers look at me like ‘What have you done with my son?’”

This unique form of embroidery uses vibrantly-hued threads against a black fabric background and features designs that represent South African landscape, wildlife, foliage, and people. The images depict life of the Ndebele people of South African, from whom the artform originated.

Raikin learned African Folklore Embroidery from her mother during her childhood in South Africa. Since her family didn’t have a television until she was 10 years old, she and her siblings had to find other ways to entertain themselves. Her mother (who made all of the children’s clothing) and her father (who made the children’s toys out of wood) encouraged them to create things too. And this is something, she says, that has always stayed with her.

She moved to the U.S. more than 10 years ago and launched her company six years later. Today it has grown to include embroidery kits in a large selection of designs. Aside from the more traditional South African patterns, kits are also available with Biblical and Judaic designs. And their newest “Teacup” designs are available as a series of Embroidery Quilt Block Kits, which can be combined later to form a larger fabric art piece.

They also sell Embroidery Converter Kits for use in transferring finished embroidery to items like bags or pillows. For the beginning embroiderer, the company offers training kits that include a practice piece for learning the basic stitches. And for their project, customers can purchase thread or silk ribbon created and hand-dyed in South Africa by a group of women that Raikin employs.

With companies like these at Market each year, attendees can experience an entirely different culture without having to use a single frequent flyer mile.
—Rhianna White

For more information on the businesses above, please visit the following websites:

www.bulurru.com
www.colombiancraftconnection.com
www.aflembroidery.com

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