cci-newsletter-1995-85-no22
DESCRIPTION
The children will be encouraged to create images of the people and things around them just as the Harranian children do, starting with their school friends. In September, the Egyptian Ambassador to Ireland. His Excellency, Abdallah Fauad Hafez opened the exhibition entitled "Tapestries of Harrania" which runs through to the 1 lth November and features over 100 original "story-telling" tapestries, some of which are produced by children as young as 12 years of age. School's Programme tapestries.TRANSCRIPT
news l e f tN O V E M E R / D E C E M E R
e r9 9 5
TAPESTRIES FROM HARRANIA, EGYPTIn September, the Egyptian Ambassador
to Ireland. His Excellency, Abdallah
Fauad Hafez opened the exhibition
entitled "Tapestries of Harrania" which
runs through to the 1 lth November and
features over 100 original "story-telling"
tapestries, some of which are produced
by children as young as 12 years of
age.
All of the tapestries come from Harrania,
a farming village in Egypt, near the
pyramids of Gizeh, which is becoming
internationally renowned for the tapestry
skills of its inhabitants, both young and
old.
What is most unusual about the
tapestries, woven in naturally dyed flax
and sheep's wool, is that they are
designed without formal training,
patterns or sketches and using the most
simple of looms and tools. The tapestries
can be used as wall hangings or
carpets.
The tapestries created by the weavers
range from simple reflections of rural
Egyptian life as produced by the very
young weavers to the fluid, almost
impressionistic creations of the older
weavers who take their inspiration from
traditional Islamic themes such as the
Tree of Life, Creation, stories of Moses
and passages from the Koran.
The colours used are widely varied, but
muted in accordance with the natural
dyes available. Indigo, reseda, mader
and a wide spectrum of henna shades
are all cultivated, garnered and
prepared into dyes from the villagers'
own gardens.
Also in attendance at the opening of the
exhibition was Mr Awadly, a member of
the family who took it upon themselves in
1975 to establish a weaving workshop in
Harrania with the aim of revitalising the
ailing local cottage industry and
providing the younger generation with an
opportunity to develop their traditional
talents.
Even on the night of the official opening
the Gallery staff were inundated with
purchasers anxious to own pieces of this
delightfully stylised craftwork which are
for sale, ranging in price from £7 to
£1,900. It is expected the entire contents
of the exhibition will be sold by the time
the exhibition closes.
School's ProgrammeIn conjunction with this very special
exhibition, the Crafts Council is running a
school's progranme involving children
between the ages of seven and ten and
their teachers. This programme is being
held between mid-October and mid-
November at various locations around
the country and each participating school
has been matched with a weaver from its
own locality who will act as a special
tutor during these four day sessions.
The emphasis of the programme will be
to provide each child with an educational
experience in design and art. Materials,
yarns, frames and drawing materials will
be provided for the children as will
special work sheets.
In addition, until November 9th groups of
schoolchildren and their teachers will be
welcomed to the Crafts Council Gallery to
see the tapestries and learn about their
origins, who made them and how they
were made.
Cyril Forbes with the Egyptian AmbassadorAbdallah Fauad Hafez and his wife at theopening of the exhibition
The children will be encouraged to
create images of the people and things
around them just as the Harranian
children do, starting with their school
friends.
The Crafts Council will provide drawing
materials and notes for the teachers to
enable them to provide the children with
a structured learning experience of the
tapestries.
With the help of a second set of notes it
is hoped that the teachers can do follow-
up work back in class. There are learning
opportunities for art, English and
geography classes that can be based on
a class visit to the Tapestry Exhibition.
The Craft and Design Business Course in KilkennyThe Crafts Council has decided not
to run the 9 5 / 9 6 Business Course
following this year's interviews.
Although in the past six years the
course has been extremely successful
in assisting our brightest craft and
design graduates to establish
businesses, interviewers for this
year's course felt that they did not
see enough suitable candidates to
justify the investment of staffing and
finance.
There are a number of reasons why
the Council has had to make this
decision, but a significant one is the
increasing professionalism and
product quality in the craft sector.
Today's new businesses face stiffer
competition than those of the 80's.
The range of goods a newcomer
must offer has to be of a very high
design and production standard
from the outset, if they are to survive
their first years in practice.
Therefore, entry requirements for the
Business Course have crept up over
the past five years in order to keep
pace with the increasingly
sophisticated craft market.
The Council is in the process of
applying for new funding for a
revised and extended business
course which will have a greater
emphasis on product development,
production efficiency, and on
market testing. Further details will be
announced when the funding
position is clearer. This decision is
also of significance to the leading
design and craft courses around the
country. In 1 996, the Council hopes
to initiate discussions with the
colleges to see what joint actions
can be taken to better prepare
students for the complex demands of
a commercial post-graduate career.
SHOWCASE 95 Fares Well
SHOWCASE '95 attracted 8,500
buyers, more than 1,600 of them
from overseas.
Last week the organisers announced
details of next January's exhibition.
Speaking at the launch the Minister
for Finance, Ruairi Quinn, said that
730 new full, part-time and
outworker jobs have been created
within the Irish crafts industry in
1995 as a direct result of the
increased sales at SHOWCASE '95.
Cyril Forbes said that a recent
survey showed that total sales
figures for orders received at
SHOWCASE last January were a
record £23 million, representing
annualised sales of almost £100
million.
Christmas Show 1995Christmas is fast approaching and
the Gallery is planning its biggest
and best show. An early opening
proved very successful last year and
it is planned to do the same again
this year, probably around 22nd
November. Submission of
samples/ideas for this year's show
are welcome immediately. All
finished work should be ready for
display by the week ending
November 17th.
Spending patterns during the '94
show showed that 90% of
transactions were for items under the
£100 price mark. Most popular
were items between £20 and £40.
Since the start of 1995, the Gallery
has been paying close attention to
customer preferences and have
found that 70% of turnover is
generated from items selling at
prices under £200 retail. However,
so as not to discourage makers who
sell larger work, it should be noted
that 13% of turnover is generated
from items retailing at over £500.
The Gallery are, therefore, always
pleased to include some of these
specialised items.
Some items were difficult to source
last year and the Gallery would like
to encourage submissions of new
ideas/departures in:
Crib sets, decorations, glass items,
non-precious jewellery, tableware,
toys, decorative ceramics, tapestries,
patchwork, candle/candlewicks.
Remember the 1995 Crafts Council
Christmas exhibition could act as an
experimental showcase for some
new ideas for 1996.
For further information contact:
Hilary Morley, Retail Manager.
Tel: 01-679 7368.
Business SkillsProgramme -West Cork
The Crafts Council of Ireland in
conjunction with the West Cork
Enterprise Board is running a
business/training programme for
craftworkers. This is a pilot
programme open to craftworkers in
West Cork which the Council hopes
to make available on a national
basis.
The programme will address the
problems faced in running a
successful craft business in both
production and business skills.
Located in West Cork it will
comprise two week-ends and six
evening classes. The project is
funded by the West Cork Enterprise
Board.
All interested parties should contact
Emer Ferran at the Crafts Council or
Liam Ennis, West Cork Co.
Enterprise Board, 8, Kent Street,
Clonakilty, Co. Cork. Tel. 023-
34700.
Peter Brennan ANCA (1916 - 1995)An AppreciationPeter Brennan, father of Art Pottery
in Ireland, has died after a long and
productive life.
Peter studied sculpture with Oliver
Shepard at the Metropolitan School
of Art. twice winning the Taylor
Scholarship, he gained his diploma
from N.C.A. in 1941.
Subsequently Peter taught Art in
Carlow and Kilkenny. With Hubert
Butler he organised exhibitions of
Dublin painters, lectured and wrote
reviews. He is seen to have laid the
foundations for Kilkenny Design.
In 1945 in partnership with Victor
Waddington he began the Ring
Ceramic Studios in Kilkenny. Not
only did he throw the pots, he
trained local lads to dig and
prepare the clay to produce a range
of pressed and moulded ware, as
well as building all the equipment.
He travelled to Stoke-on-Trent for
advice and materials, and to
Bernard Leach at St. Ives for
inspiration (and all on £6.50 a
week). In 1962 when Victor moved
his gallery to London Peter started
teaching in Blackrock Technical
School and also in the School of
Sculpture at N.C.A.D..
In 1965 he married Helena Ennis
and they set up a workshop in Dun
Laoghaire, pioneering work in
stoneware and porcelain. Peter was
a founder member of the Society of
Designers, the Crafts Council and
the Craft Potters Society.
Peter left us on the crest of a wave -
Peter Brennan and his wife Helena at the opening of th\
Organic Surfaces exhibition.
teaching forty students, building a
35ft yacht and preparing new
works for his eightieth year
exhibition. He is survived by his wife
Helena and six children. Helena
remembers him as "challenging
himself and all those around him to
ever greater feats of skill and
enterprise". The R.H.A. is planning
a retrospective in 1997.
By Hester Scott,
Craft Potters Society.
The Shutters Open....
Dear Sir/Madam,
1 agree wholeheartedly with the
views by Geoffrey Healy et al in the
last edition of the Newsletter.
1 drew not a little comfort in the fact
that you published the letter at all. 1
had to resort to a UK publication
recently to make a point regarding
one of your exhibitions.
is this the first instance of a letter
appearing in your columns and can
we look forward to an opening of
the shutters in the future?
Jim Behan, Dolmen Pottery, 113
Green Road, Carlow.
Body Bait - ReviewThis exhibition at the RHK was a
tremendous effort on the part of the
Jewellers and Metalworkers Guild of
Ireland. One's initial impression was
enhanced by the location in the
Crypt, the number of exhibitors and
the displays themselves.
As a relative newcomer it struck me
as a coming of age, and by the
sense of maturity and community of
the jewellers and designer
craftspeople involved. Some
technical work was very impressive
indeed while some was, frankly,
below par. But even in saying that 1
feel the exhibition will act to make
those less skilled strive to improve.
The designs were adventurous, often
fun and occasionally off the wall!
Exhibitions tend to be the extremes
of the sector they represent - no one
goes to an exhibition to see the
norm. It is this type of venture that
moves the everyday to a new plain
of acceptance. Well done to the
organisers.
By Jane Huston
General AnnouncementsFor Sale
Pitch pine countermarch loom with fly shuttle.
Reed space 4 1 " . Four reeds included. £800
or nearest offer.
Contact Marian Young, 10 Tamneymullan
Lane, Maghera, Co. L'Derry. Tel. (01648)
43056.
For Sale
Hymus single phase kiln 2' x 11/2' x 11/2'.
J x 4 electric potters wheel, belt drive.
Contact Micheal Mac Gearailt, Ballyquin
Community Centre, Brandon, Tralee, Co.
Kerry. Tel. 066-38137.
For Sale
Brand new gas kiln for sale. 8 cubic ft, Irish
made, front loading, downdraft.
Plus furniture, pyrometer, thermocouple etc.
£1,500
Tel. 066-73024
Wanted
Artists, Book Makers, Poets, Musicians,
Painters etc. etc. willing to contribute an
artists' page to the World Sea Book.
The World Sea Book is an encyclopaedic
cross curricular collaboration containing the
works of 500 sea conscious people from
around the world. It will consist entirely of
original one off pages.
For further information contact Andi McGarry,
Sun, Moon and Stars Press, Donkey
Meadows, Kilmore Quay, Wexford.
WantedIrish crafts artists (particularly ceramicists,
glassmakers, textile artists) interested in giving
workshops/seminars in Israel.
For further information contact Gershon Kedar,
Embassy of Israel, P.O. Box 3021, Dublin 4.
Tel. 01-6680303, Fax. 01-6680418.
New Studio Spaces, Pimlico, Dublin 8.
Spaces available. Rents very reasonable. All
disciplines accommodated. Spacious
workshops. Canteen and exhibition facilities
on site.
Contact Cairan T. Kirwan for information pack,
at 12B Portobello Harbour or telephone 01-
4751620.
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Ceramics Student Seeks Traineeship
Student in final year of an Associate Diploma
in Ceramics wishes to develop and broaden
her skills by working with senior practitioner
within studio/workshop environment.
Contact: Bernadette Harris,
15 /8 -10 King Street, Kogarah 2217,
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The Embroidery Designer Group'sFifth Biennial Exhibition at The Kennedy
Gallery, Harcourt Street, Dublin.
Nov. 1st-Nov. 11th.
Louis Mulcahy of Dingle seeks a quality
cabinet making workshop to execute his
furniture designs.
The pieces are to be made in small batches
from Mr. Mulcahy's prototypes. The work
would have to be of the highest professional
standards and delivery dates be reliable.
Please call in office hours to Mairtin MacOiste
at Louis Mulcahy Pottery
Tel. (066) 56229/56429 Fax. (066) 56366.
Tower Design/Craft Centre Exhibition
The tenants of the Tower Design/Craft Centre
invite other craftworkers to join them for their
Christmas Fair. This year's fair will take the
form of a 5 day intensive event from Thursday
7th - Tuesday 12th December.
Limited spaces available.
All enquiries to Lorraine Bowen,
The Tower, IDA Enterprise Centre, Pearse
Street, Dublin 2. Tel. 01-6777967.
Contemporary Tapestry ArtistsExhibition - "Surface Tension"
An exhibition of new works by Contemporary
Tapestry Artists at the Droichead Arts Centre,
Drogheda from 25th October- 10th November.
Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award
Entries are invited for this international
exhibition and competition.
Information and Entry Forms from:
Fletcher Challenge Ceramics Award, P.O. Box
33 1425, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand.
Telephone & Fax 64 9 4458831 or 64 9
4806369.
The Ulster Arts Club Second SmallWorks Art Competition and Exhibition
Higgin Gallery, Malone House, Barness
Demesne, Belfast, BT9 5PE.
Tuesday 7th November - Saturday 25th
November. Monday-Saturday: 10.00a.m.-
4.00 p.m. Entry forms available from:
Miss Clare Collins, The Ulster Arts Club, 56,
Elmwood Avenue, Belfast, BT9 6AZ.
Tel. (01232)660644.
Mansion House Crafts FairThe Mansion House Crafts Fair is moving to the
bigger, brighter and better venue of the Main
Hall, RDS, Dublin from the 13-17th December.
You cannot afford to miss the retail opportunity
presented by this Fair. Expected attendance is
25-30,000 people. Limited stands are still
available. For further information contact:
Patrick O'Sullivan 01-8671517.
Design Concourse Ireland
Design Concourse Ireland is inviting you to be
part of this unique marriage of commerce and
creativity. If you are committed to excellence.
If you believe in world-class quality. If you
have products or merchandise that make you
proud, then it's time to make Ireland proud "A
unique marketing opportunity for Irish
products recognised for their quality and
design".
For further information contact:
Design Concourse Ireland Ltd.,
Kirwan's Lane, Galway.
Tel. 091-66016, Fax. 091-66927.
'Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh'November 4th - 24th December, 1995.
Loch Ruray House, Fine and Applied Art and
Craft Gallery.
Christmas Exhibition of contemporary studio
glass, fine art and textiles.
Gallery Opening Hours: 11.00-6^00
Tuesday - Saturday and 1.00-6.00 Sunday.
For further information contact:
Larissa Watson-Regan,
Loch Ruray House,
8, Main Street, Dundrum,
Co. Down,
BT33 OLU.
Tel. (013967)51544
The ManagementCommittee 1995
Chair Mr. Cyril ForbesVice Chair Ms. Hilary PrattMr. Ed KevinMs. Suzanne MayMr. Michael McCroryMr. Rudolf HeltzelDr. David Shaw-SmithMs. Breda HaughMr. Knut KlimmekMr. David HargadenMr. Jonathan RyanMr. Neil ReadMs. Kaethe Burt-O'DeaMs. Mary JacksonMs. Bernadette Madden
Crafts Council Staff
DublinActing Chief Executive
Administrative Officer
Book-keeper
Telephonist/Receptionist
Exhibitions Assistant
Retail Manager
Shop Assistants (PT)
Leslie ReedMargaret JonesOrlagh McKay
Susan Byrne/Olga Hiney
Catherine JordanHilary Morley
Sally DunneAoife Montgomery
The Crescent WorkshopTraining and Education Officer
Supervisor/Information Officer
Administrative Assistant
Leslie ReedEmer Ferran
Nuala McGrath
Thomastown Pottery Skills CourseTrainer Gus Mabelson
The Crafts Councilof Ireland
DublinPowerscourt Townhouse Centre
South William Street,
Dublin 2
Tel. 01 679 7368
Fax. 01 679 9197
KilkennyThe Crescent Workshop,
Castle Yard
Kilkenny
Tel. 056 61804 or 62734
Fax. 056 63754
Jewellery Design and ProductionSkills CourseTrainer Jane Huston
CAD/CAM Training for the IrishKnitwear IndustryCoordinator Julie Griffiths
All information is published in good faith but without research, so please check carefully before committing yourself to work or financial outlay
Please forward all information to Nuala McGrath. The copy date for the next issue is 6th December. The Print date is 1 3th December