Lectures
Fabrics of Africa, a tailored introduction covering East, West, North, and South of the African continent.
Wendy will discuss very popular fabrics used all over the African continent. Such as African silk prints, Lace cloth, linin, and cotton African prints used by the people of the African continent In projects such as quilting, dressmaking, interior decor, etc.
She will also introduce you to the totem textiles and prints such as mud cloth, Kuba cloth, Kente Adinkra and more.
Ukara - dyed indigo cloth by Igbo people
Aso oke fabric - woven by Yoruba people
Adire - tie-dye produced by Yoruba people
Kente cloth - woven by Ashanti and Ewe people
Barkcloth - produced by the Buganda tribe
Mudcloth- produced by the Bambara tribe
Kanga - produced in Tanzania
Kitenge - produced in Tanzania and other regions of East Africa
Chitenge - produced in Zambia
Shweshwe – produced in South Africa.
Out of Africa. Story of Adinkra.frica. Story of Adinkra
This is a one-hour digital slide presentation on the origin and history of the Adinkra symbols of West Africa, which are widely used all over the world in fabric prints. Adinkra prints are one of the highly valued hand-printed and hand-embroidered cloths found in Africa today.
Its origin is traced to the Asante people of Ghana, and the Gyaman people of Cote’de Ivoire. However, the production and use of Adinkra has come to be more associated with the Asante people of Ghana than any other group of people.
Around the 19th Century, the Asante people developed their unique art of Adinkra printing. Adinkra cloths were made and used exclusively by royalty and spiritual leaders. According to the Adinkra dictionary, there are currently 62 symbols and more being added with time.
Wendy will discuss 11 popular and prominent Adinkra symbols, used and embraced today all over the world in the first half hour, and in the other half hour will talk about the popular traditional ethnic attire women called the 'Kaba' in Ghana, and the men's Kente wrap, she will also teach about how different colors are
Out of Africa. An Adinkra Story.
In West Africa, the Adinkra symbols are widely used, and they are also used all over the world in fabric prints. Adinkra prints are one of the highly valued hand-printed and hand-embroidered cloths found in West Africa today.
Its origin is traced to the Asante people of Ghana, and the Gyaaman people of Cote’ d'Ivoire. However, the production and use of Adinkra has come to be more associated with the Asante people of Ghana than any other group of people.
In the 19th Century, the Asante people developed their unique art of Adinkra printing. Adinkra cloths were made and used earlier exclusively by royalty and spiritual leaders in the 16th century. This art quilt has the Gye Nyame Symbol which symbolizes supremacy of God making it a symbol of Faith. The center Symbol 'Nyame brebi wo soro' is two bean pods facing one another, is a Symbol of Hope. The last Symbol 'Odo ne wo fie kwan' a symbol of Love means Love will always find its way home.
Faith Hope and Love rule our world today, the greatest of all being Love, when you have Love you conquer everything.
Dimensions~43.5" Wide 74" Long
Artist Statement
Work is machine appliqued introducing the thread painting technique all over the art piece in Green neon thread. Symbols are heavily trapunto'd giving a dimensional effect.. Fabrics used are Kente and batik prints. Hand dyed batiks were used in the background.
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Evolve the Artist in you.
This is a one-hour digital presentation and trunk show where I talk about my colorful quilting journey both in African inspired and Western pieces.
Starting with a digital slide show, Wendy will discuss and share her inspiration on her quilting journey, the techniques and the mediums in which she works. Wendy's goal in this lecture is to awaken that creative spirit, mentoring quilters with encouragement to keep tweaking their techniques every day and challenge them to believe in their dreams, in order to create great art pieces.