Textiles naturales – Natural textiles – Ribeira Sacra – Galicia

As  you can see  our live craft demonstrations at the Xantar Food Fair in Ourense (3 – 7 March 2010) were good fun, attracting many of the visitors to the delicatessen and restaurant stalls.   Just as the case with traditional foods in Galicia, the crafts have their own regional brand label – Artesania de Galicia – and our presence at the food fair was to help promote the  label and show the public how our hand-made willow baskets and handwoven textiles are made.    The Louet table looms are excellent for demonstrating on (apart from the fact that I can´t get my large floor loom through the door of my workshop without dismantling it) and those people interested in our weaving courses were able to have a go themselves!

On Day I we were visited at the trade fair by Elena Fabeiro, director of the Fundación Centro Galego de Artesanía e do Deseño (the Galician body responsible for craft promotion and development), and as you can see from the photo she had a go at weaving herself.   Engaging with the crafts in such a hands-on way always changes the way we see crafts – as manual processes not just as products.   I wonder how many craft gallery directors or administrators responsible for craft development in some way actually have this kind of experience?