I taught myself how to knit about eight years ago. I never finished the first item, which I can only describe as a pot holder with low self-esteem. Years later, I began knitting again, finishing a slew of scarves and two baby blankets before getting stumped by non-rectangular works. But though I’m a novice (at best), I count myself among the many folks with a deep respect for handicrafts, or as they’re now referred to as, fabric arts. Through the Flower , a feminist art nonprofit founded by Judy Chicago, is calling for submissions of needlework and textile media from New Mexico artists for its 2010 show Subversive Stitching: Feminist Artists With a Needle. Entries should include a focus on issues of gender and be submitted by the Oct. 16 deadline. Laura Addison, curator of contemporary art at the New Mexico Museum of Art, and Judy Chicago, my BFF, will judge. For more guidelines and info, go to the “Feminist Art” page at throughtheflower.org. Good weaving doesn’t always result in textiles. 516 WORDS presents some yarns of its own with the poetry and storytelling event El Otro Lado: The Other Side . Hosted by Michelle Otero at 516 ARTS (516 Central SW) on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m., it’s the performance component of a larger artistic endeavor. This spring, 516 ARTS and the Academy for the Love of Learning, along with Connecting Community Voices, offered workshops with Otero and artist Chrissie Orr. The products of those classes are viewable on ABQ Ride’s D-Ride buses. They’re also audible—riders can call 515-0032 on their cell phones to hear the stories that inspired the pieces. There’s more to know, so go to 516arts.org.Local expert at weaving disparate elements into a stunning whole, the Church of Beethoven will begin its second season on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 10:30 a.m. The services (now held at the Kosmos, part of Factory on 5 th art space at 1715 Fifth Street NW) were so popular last year, they’ve added a second one at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. (It’ll be exactly the same as the preceding Sunday show.) Each week will pair chamber music with spoken word or poetry. And coffee. Espresso, actually. Tickets are $15 ($10 students, $5 prepubescents) and can be had at churchofbeethoven.org. See you there.There are mere minutes left to enter our Haiku Contest . Send your entries by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, to haiku@alibi.com. Good luck!
Culture Shock: On Yarn And Yarns
3 min read
