A new project out of the UK

I recently had the wonderful chance to meet through Skype, Bobby Britnell, a textile artist from Shropshire  in the United Kingdom. A quick look at her website shows her interest in textiles revolves around creating beautiful surfaces in her own work while opening her home for students to take workshops on the art of embroidery and stitch.
New Lines of Enquiry, 2008

So how does this fit into my blog on bark cloth.....

Bobby has taken her interest in textiles with her as she travels to and works in Uganda. She  and her husband work with the local community to run a small organization in the town of Kisaabwa, Hands up for Uganda, focusing on the traditional crafts of basketry and woven mats. As a textile artist herself, Bobby is passionate about engaging with the women in Kisaabwa and learning about their materials and crafts.

Bark Cloth which grows readily in this part of Uganda is being used as part of an exciting collaborative project between 'Hands up for Uganda', Bobby Britnell and Janet Middleton from Star-Child Shoes.

Surfaces on bark cloth

 

"We aim to engage textiles artists from the UK and further afield in its conception. We require artists to decorate and embellish a piece of bark cloth in any way that they like and these pieces will be made up into 'ART SHOES' by Janet as a part of two exhibitions in 2014, in Birmingham and London. This exhibition will not only exhibit dozens of 'Art Shoes' but also the craftwork from the women of Kisaabwa."

Amie Adelman and I will both be a part of this project - so more updates will follow!

As a wonderful side note -  on the organization's farm in Kisaabwa ,100 Mutuba trees have been planted!

Bark Cloth a part of the LAUNCH Challenge!!!

 

NASA, USAID, Department of State, and NIKE joined together to form LAUNCH in an effort to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to sustainability challenges.

They have a competition for the Top 10 LAUNCH Innovations AND bark cloth is a part of the challenge!

Mary Barongo and her partner Oliver Heintz submitted their work with manipulating and innovating with this material through  BARKTEX® agro-forestry tree bark textiles & composites.

French shoe designer Mats Rombaut, UNT professor Dr. Nandika D'Souza, myself, and others have joined the team to support promoting the potential applications of bark cloth to new audiences through this award.

TO VOTE: simply log in to www.launch.org and follow the links!

THANKS!

A new book on Bark Cloth published

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Celia Nyamweru, a fellow bark cloth enthusiast, worked with Dr. Catherine Gombe to publish Barkcloth in Uganda: The modern day importance of an indigenous craft. 

Here is a short excerpt:

The Baganda people of southern Uganda have been making cloth from tree bark for several centuries. Until the mid nineteenth century barkcloth was made in almost every Baganda homestead and had a wide variety of uses, ranging from the practical to the ritual and ceremonial. Political and economic events since then have brought about profound social and cultural changes, with resulting impacts on the role of barkcloth in Baganda society. While many of its more practical functions have been taken over by imported or artificial materials, its ceremonial role has survived, and new uses have multiplied. Barkcloth is now used to make artistic creations and craft pieces that are sold far beyond the borders of Uganda. In this book we describe the way in which raw tree bark is converted into the finished cloth. We look at the process, the product and the people involved in this industry. We describe the artists and craftspeople who make barkcloth items such as table mats, purses, wall hangings, lamp shades and articles of clothing. We look to the future of this product and the challenges faced by an indigenous craft in an increasingly globalized world. 

 

African Textiles a Hit on European Catwalks

This is a great article by Michael Scaturro, highlighting UGANDAN BARK CLOTH. It features a short interview with Mary Barongo from the German company, Bark Cloth Uganda.  
So glad that Voices of America highlighted this great material. 
I pulled a few photos and quotes from the article - so click on the link below to read it in its entirety.

African Textiles

"BERLIN — Textiles made from African barks are growing in popularity, especially in Europe.  Bark from Ugandan fig trees - the oldest fabric known to mankind - is now being used in home design, furniture, and lighting fixtures.

Model showcases a coat from Bobby Kolade's collectioni, featured at Berlin Fashion Week (Photo: William Minke)

 "Usually bark from a tree is very light, like fresh wood.  And the sun is what gives it this color.  It is something you cannot control," he explained.

"When it is in the sun it becomes darker," added Mary Barongo, co-founder of Bark Cloth, a company in southern Germany.  She imports the bark from her native Uganda.

"We take the finished product from the farmers, the bark-cloth makers, and then we modify it," Barongo explained. "So what Bobby Kolade uses has been modified by us.  Its natural color is reddish-brown."

The bark was named to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008.  Shortly thereafter, Kolade discovered it could be used as an alternative to leather.