Youngmin Lee, one of our tour organizers, saw my blog post of November 18th and let me know the Bogaji artist was Dukjoo Choi. There is a wonderful video of her show which took place a few years ago in Vienna. There is an English translation that explains the history of Bogaji also called Pojagi […]
Seoul, South Korea–Day 6
We took a nearly two hour bus ride to the city of Cheongu where we spent the day at the 10th Cheongju Craft Biennale. A number of countries presented exhibitions in this two-story industrial building. We were given a personal tour as an introduction to the exhibits. I was not excited by this work. I’m […]
Happy Quilt Show News
Pleased to say my quilt “Z is For Zinnia, C is For Cosmos” has been juried into AQS Quiltweek in Dayton, Florida. This is the final traditional show to which I will be able to submit this quilt as the “made by date” will be too old for future shows. Now if I only had […]
Seoul, South Korea–Day 5
We began the day at the Gwanghwamun Gate, which is the main gate to the Gyeongbukgung Palace. (Note there are several palaces in Seoul). Luckily, we arrived just as the changing of the guard was taking place. The National Folk Museum is located nearby. Next to the entrance is a recreation of a traditional Korean […]
Seoul, South Korea–Day 4
Cultural and historical outings were sprinkled among the textile-oriented activities, one of the ways you really learn about a people and their country. This day took us to the Changdeokgung Palace constructed during King Taejong’s reign (1400-1418). There are many striking “gateways” to pass through as you tour the palace grounds. Here are just two […]
Road to California Quilt Show News
Happy to discover this week my quilt “Terra I” has been juried into Road to California, and I just got it back from Houston. Great timing.
Seoul, South Korea–Bodacious Bogaji Exhibition
Bogaji is the name of the traditional Korean wrapping cloth, also known as pojagi (보자기). It became popular during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) but has changed over the years. The cloth itself holds a variety of uses, ranging from everyday domestic use as tablecloths, covering food and bedding, and wrapping precious objects even within a […]
Seoul, South Korea–Day 3
For our first full day together as a group, we did a walking tour around the area near the hotel. What do you know? There was a quilt show inside a large tea house. The show no doubt had a name, but everything was in Korean. The two quilters who were there to greet people […]
Seoul, South Korea–Random Things I Saw and Learned
One end of the Insadong neighborhood is marked by The Artist’s Brush. Notice the “stroke of paint” in the square, as if made by a giant hand. Not sure what to make of the Korean culture or sense of humor given the theme of this nearby restaurant. No, I didn’t try it! One couple who […]
Seoul, South Korea–Day Two
I got up the morning after I arrived and decided to investigate the areas beyond the Insadong neighborhood. When I reached a six-lane thoroughfare and turned left, I was blown away by by the sight greeting me. Across the street was the entrance to the Jogyesa Temple, the primary Buddhist temple in Korea, whose grounds […]
Seoul, South Korea–Day One
I returned from a two-week trip to Seoul last week with a cold. Fortunately, I came down with it the last day. Here are some highlights of the textile tour taken with ten other people, starting with day one. I’ve never been to Asia before, so I was really excited to go and see what […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Days 15 and 16
We finished our tour where we started, in Dublin, after circumnavigating the Republic of Ireland. Our hotel for the last two nights was Stauntons on the Green, well located across from St. Stephen’s Green, a lovely public park. Again, remembering this is also a food lover’s tour, we dined at Pearl Brasserie, a French restaurant, […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Day 14
Deborah Stockdale is a quilter well-known in the town of Letterkenny. She’s an Californian who came to Ireland 40 years ago to pursue archeology. She began quilting with linen and wool tweed, because that’s what was available. However, she’s turned to art quilting, experimenting with products and techniques, such as discharge, fabric crayons, Pentel pens, […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Day 13
We drove to Glencolmcille for a tour of the Folk Village, which depicts Irish life and culture from the 1700s to the 1900s and is also known for its fiddlers. Glencolmcille is in the far reaches of the northwest corner of Ireland and has spectacular scenery. Margaret Cunningham took us around the cottages, filling us […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Day 12
Monday, September 4th was Labor Day in the US. It’s always a bit strange when there is a holiday back home but not where I am. This proved to be another one of my favorite days.. We went to Sligo to meet the Textile Collective, a group of fiber artists. Such a great group of […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Day 11
Sunday, September 3rd was one of my favorite days. First we visited The Quay Gallery owned by Suzie Sullivan, Susan Basler, and Victoria Foutz in Westport. Two of the co-owners below. Suzie Sullivan, felt artist extraordinaire, gave a needle-felting demonstration. She does framed felted work as well as three-dimensional, with her work inspired by Irish […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Day 10
Anne O’Maille‘s shop, located in Galway, features traditional Irish clothing and craft. O’Maille’s sells the highest quality, traditional handknit Aran sweaters in the country. Anne is an expert on the subject of knitting. She explained the meaning of the sweaters’ patterns, such as the tree of life and the coastal cliffs. There is an entire […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Day 9
Adare Thatched Cottages, built in the 1820’s by Lord Dunraven, is an historic village within the town of Adare. They contain shops and restaurants. We lunched at the Wild Geese Restaurant. I only had time to go into a couple shops. There are around 20 of the thatched cottages, so I’d love to return and […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Day 8
Our goal for the morning was Louis Mulcahey Pottery and Cafe which you get to via the Slea Head Drive on the Dingle Peninsula. Oh my, and what a drive it is. We stopped a number of times to take in the views. The cliché that photos don’t do the view justice is so true. […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour — Day 7
Muckcross House and Gardens is located in Killarney National Park. We toured the home which I expected would be somewhat boring. I even thought about bolting from the group before the tour started and exploring the grounds on my own. Happily, I have to say our guide was interesting with a dry sense of humor. […]
Food and Fiber Lovers’ Tour–Day 6
Macroom Farmer’s Market in West Cork was our first stop. I’m not a coffee drinker so was pleasantly surprised to see a coffee cart selling delicious, homemade hot chocolate. The morning was cool, so it was nice walking around with something warm in my hands to drink. When I lived in France, my late husband […]
