In her book Beyond the Stones of Machu Picchu, Elizabeth (Libby) VanBuskirk introduces herself as “a writer, weaver, and teacher.” She continues with the statement that “the weaver’s art could never be separated from the larger culture of the Incas and their predecessors.” Libby VanBuskirk is a serious writer. She is a weaver. She is a visionary. And her story cannot be separated from the story of Andean Textile Arts (ATA). As part of ATA’s unfolding “memories project,” I was recently treated to a delightful and gracious chat with Libby through the wonders of our now ubiquitous Zoom. This was one of those conversations that I found myself longing for in person. I so wished for a cup of tea, … Read More
Wisdom, Grace, and Intrepid Adventurers—A Thank You to Jannes Gibson and Betty Doerr
This spring the Andean Textile Arts (ATA) board said goodbye and thank you to two amazing women. Jannes (Jan) Gibson and Betty Doerr stepped down from their formal positions on the board, but their presence remains. Jan and Betty were truly pathfinders. Women of a certain grace and wisdom. Women who made a difference in the lives of so many. In 2020, ATA president Marilyn Murphy asked that I take on a project of working with Jan and Betty to glean their knowledge of Andean Textile Arts’ history. We loosely called it the “memories project.” The intent was to capture the stories of ATA’s early work with the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco (CTTC) in Peru. The Margaret Mead … Read More
Nothing Like a Good Book About the Andes
The Andean Textile Arts (ATA) community includes weavers, dyers, and fiber enthusiasts. It also includes travelers. We share adventures in person. We trek to ancient ruins and high mountain villages. We share armchair adventures, our stories, and our pictures. We are students of the world. When we on the ATA board pondered how to continue to reach out to our Andean Textile community in this time of restricted physical travel, I quietly suggested . . . ”let’s do a book club.” And so, it began. I reached out to a few of my fellow book lovers on the board; a list was created from our shared book list developed over the years. Gratefully, a few hearty folks raised their hands … Read More
A Day in Pisaq: Falling in Love with a Land and Its People
From the moment our plane banked over the Andes in the final turn for the landing in Cusco, I was awestruck. I leaned over my husband Richard’s shoulder, as we both looked out the window and simply said, “Wow.” We live in Colorado, so mountains are not new to us. The Andes, however, are truly special. You can see it. You can feel it. This is a majestic and sacred place. The Andean Textile Arts tour has been on my life-list for a long while. While I am struggling neophyte weaver, I am a lover of all things fiber. I love the color of hand-dyed yarns. I love putting my hands in a big bag of wool. I love creating … Read More