The nomadic Rabari tribe first came to India’s Kutch region in the 13th century. Their story is captivating, as it was just 15 years ago when the tribal elders banned the elaborate embroidery work made by women. QASAB, a collective enterprise of 1,200 rural craftswomen from 10 ethnic communities from 42 Kutch villages, works to…
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Artisan Siju Shamji Vishram was born into a veritable weaving dynasty. His hometown of Bhuj, India, is a hub for textile artisans, and in the middle of the twentieth century, his father began a weaving cooperative with the goal of preserving ancient techniques that were losing ground due to the effects of modernization. Today, Vishram…
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For master artisan Abdulaziz Alimamad Khatri, dying cloth is practically in his DNA. After all, his entire family has been engaged in this artform for at least 10 generations. Originally, the Khatri family made woolen bandhani (a tie dye technique practiced in Gujarat and Rajasthan) for nomadic Rabari tribespeople, and later for their own personal…
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Manvee Vaid is social entrepreneur and founder of two online platforms- Deccan Footprints and Terra Klay. With her background in Fine Arts, Manvee is passionate and inspired by the transformative power of art to bridge the gap between cultures. She is committed to create awareness and understanding of the beauty of diversity. She has been…
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The not-for-profit and artisan-owned Society DWARAKA PLUS (Development of Weavers and Rural Artisans in Kalamkari Art) was founded in 1998 by Anita Reddy along with her father Dwaraknath Reddy to revive the dying hand painted art form of kalamkari, build a sustainable platform for the artisan communities and empower women with livelihood programs along with…
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In addition to being a textile artist, Meeta Mastani is a writer, lecturer, social activist, and even a professor: in 2016, she was an artist-in-residence at The University of Wisconsin, where she instructed students on print-making and design. For over twenty-five years, Meeta has worked in sustainability and community development. From this commitment to local…
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Kalamkari or “qalamkari” is a type of hand-painted cotton textile traditionally produced in Iran and India. The word is Persian, and translates into drawing with a pen—a simple-enough sounding technique, but one which is actually very time-intensive and requires a high level of artistic and technical skill. India-based artist Thilak Reddy is a master of…
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Alongside traditional products like saris and scarves, master Indian textile designer Sufiyan Ismail Khatri has recently introduced bedsheets, curtains, and carpets. “The main reason to include new products,” he explains, “is because it gives me more freedom to play with designs, patterns and placements.” Khatri is a recognized leader in the creation of akrakh printed…
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Mysterious and evocative are words that come to mind when studying the phenomenal textiles of Indian artisan Bashir Ahmad Jan. Jan’s creative eye has helped him develop a busy workshop of over fifty highly skilled artisans, who each play an integral role in producing delicately textured and colored textiles for personal adornment and for the…
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The Bengal, India-based artist collective known as SHE, or Self Help Enterprise, currently includes approximately 800 embroiderers, all of whom are joined together to make and sell centuries-old kantha garments. This ancient technique involves sewing layers of old fabric together with a running stitch, making each piece not only truly unique, but also earth-friendly. While…
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Sidr Craft is a social, artisan-based enterprise established in 1992 and led by Abdullah and Abduljabbar Khatri. They employ approximately 200 craftswomen from 8 villages in Kutch, Gujarat, India. The women are able to work from the comforts of home at their own convenience. This income is extremely valuable to their families, and in some…
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Employing strikingly elegant, meticulously crafted techniques, master Indian textile artist Asif Shaikh’s distinctive method of art-making has earned him numerous accolades. He was fascinated by the craft of embroidery from a young age, and this early interest developed into a highly refined sense of aesthetics, with a keen desire for detail and design—but also a…
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Abdulaziz and Suleman Khatri are tenth-generation bandhani artists and experts in natural dyes. Abdulaziz is also trained in water conservation and environmental concerns related to dyes. The bandhani technique involves dyeing a fabric that is tied tightly with a thread at specific points. Thousands of these tiny knots, known as bheendi, can appear on a…
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