VirtuArte.com

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.

On the 12th of September from 1:00pm to 4:00pm in collaboration with the National Museum of Women in the Arts Museum Shop's International Women Artisans Initiative, I will host a "Meet the Artist" Event for Carol Cassidy, textile designer from Laos. Not only will you have the opportunity to meet Carol and hear her story, you will also be able to see and purchase the beautifully hand woven scarves, shawls and other textiles from her studios in Laos and Cambodia.

Carol has been working with textiles and fiber art for many years. She studied weaving and textile design in Norway and Finland and earned a B.F.A. from the University of Michigan in 1980. In 1989, Carol moved to Laos as a weaving advisor on a United Nations International Labor Organization project. While working on this project she was impressed by the technical skills of Lao weavers. This, in combination with her discovery of extraordinary antique textiles in local markets prompted her to establish Lao Textiles, an independent weaving studio in 1990. Her goal was to demonstrate the commercial viability of creating textiles based upon tradition for a modern world.

She has had a significant impact on the preservation of Lao textile traditions. Carol has shown that a market exists for the finest Lao textiles and has encouraged weavers to be proud of their profession as a source of income and as an expression of both their personal skills and their country heritage. In 2005 she became the owner and manager of Weaves of Cambodia, a weaving studio located in a remote village in Northern Cambodia.

In July Carol was given the 2009 LongHouse Award by LongHouse Reserve for her work with artisans from the developing world to revitalize traditional weaving and increase their local pride in this craft.

So make plans to come Meet the Artist .... and visit the shop at The Women's Museum

Carol Cassidy - Lao Textiles

Saturday 12th of September 2009

National Museum of Women in the Arts

1250 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20005

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Presentation - 1:30pm, Trunk Show to follow

25% discount on purchases of products from the Museum Shop's "Global Gallery and Marketplace"

For more information about Carol Cassidy and her textile studios go to

http://www.virtuarte.com/artist/carol-cassidy-laos

http://www.virtuarte.com/artist/carol-cassidy-cam

http://www.virtuarte.com/blog/textiles-preserving-rich-weaving-traditions-laos

For more information about the National Museum of Women in the Arts go to www.nmwa.org