VirtuArte

The year 2009 is quickly coming to an end.  Next week we will be celebrating Thanksgiving and then we all will be focusing on Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza and New Year's.  As the new year gets closer many of us begin thinking about our goals and objectives for the next year, giving very little thought to what has happened during the present year.  If we do think about this year, too many times we focus on what we did not accomplish rather than on what we did accomplish.

On the 12th of September in collaboration with the National Museum of Women in the Arts I hosted a "Meet the Artist" event with Carol Cassidy, the textile designer and weaver from Laos.  Different from the first "Meet the Artist" event in February, I asked Carol to give a presentation about her work.  I heard Carol speak before and thought she had a wonderful story to tell, one I wanted to have her share with others.

As you know, VirtuArte.com was launched in early May and the initial reactions were quite positive.  I loved receiving your response to the site, particularly how much you enjoyed the Artist profiles and their link to the products.  As with every site, now that VirtuArte.com has been up for a few months I realized it needed a few adjustments.  I am thrilled to announce those adjustments have just been completed.

Looking for that unique gift for the Holidays ... then VirtuArte is the place.  The VirtuArte collection includes jewelry, scarves, shawls, serving pieces, tableware, handbags, vases and other decorative arts.  A purchase from VirtuArte gives you a:

- beautiful, handcrafted piece of art;
- peek into another culture; and
- way to contribute to the preservation of traditional craftmanship.

Too many times we get bogged down in the minutiae of our daily lives, trying to get things done and thinking about all the things that are not going the way we want them to go, we forget why we took the job or started the project.  Over the past few weeks I had been so focused on getting ready for the Meet the Artist Event with Carol Cassidy, thinking about what I was going to blog about, making sure I tweeted and obsessing about the things that are not going right I was losing sight of why I had started VirtuArte.  Then I was reminded.

As many of you know last month I went to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market (Market), where I met Rebecca Lolosoli of Kenya. (see blog post dated 21 July 2009)  Rebecca is the matriarch of Umoja Uso Women's Village, a community of women who were facing social and economic difficulties; abandoned by their families; or fleeing domestic violence, forced marriage, or genital mutilation.  The women of this community create beautiful beadwork that was sold at the Market.

One of my ongoing objectives is to have you get to know the artist and artisans whose products you see on the website either through blog posts, artist profiles, artist updates and/or in person events.  As in February with Elhadji Koumama, the opportunity has arisen for me to introduce you to another one of the VirtuArte artists.

The next Meet the Artist Event has now been set.  VirtuArte and the Museum Shop at the National Museum of Women in the Arts will host Carol Cassidy, Textile Designer from Laos.  So make plans to come on ....

Saturday, the 12th of September

National Museum of Women in the Arts

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Presentation - 1:30pm

Trunk Show to follow

If you follow VirtuArte on Twitter (http://twitter.com/virtuarte) you would know that earlier this month I was in Santa Fe to attend the International Folk Art Market.  While there I had the opportunity to meet Rebecca Lolosoli, a Kenyan artisan participating in the Folk Art Market.  After talking to her for a while I found out she is a very remarkable woman.

For someone like me who is always looking for new artists and products to promote, the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market (the Market) is a great event to attend.  The Market is held in July on Museum Hill in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  2009 will mark its sixth anniversary.  The first Market was held in 2004 and has grown into the country's largest venue for international folk art.  It is also a major contributor to the cultural and economic sustainability of folk artists.  In 2008 125 artists from 41 different countries participated.  New were artists from eight countries not represen