About Wildwood Press and the Fiber Art Almanac!
Wildwood Press began as a way to share my enthusiasm for textile art and craft and to promote the artists who make them. I moved to Minnesota from Iowa a millennium ago (thirty years) and stayed. Both sides of my family have deep roots in the Midwest (since 1837) and I love the beauty of the land, work ethic and the distinctive culture of this region. Fiber and textile arts and crafts are enjoying a long resurgence as people discover the happiness of making things with their hands. And I am an enthusiastic knitter with an enormous stash of yarn and I’m very curious about all of the ways fabric and fiber work together. So, it’s a seemed like a good fit to showcase fiber artists from the Midwest.
In a nutshell, the Almanac is an annual calendar and journal filled with inspiring fiber and textile art from Midwestern fiber artists—capturing the handmade trend with work from 25 Midwest fiber artists; the Almanac is a source of inspiration for all who like textile and fiber arts. From the lower left hand corner, here are the artist names. Don Waalen made the knit cowl, Marie Westerman, weaving, Carolfaye Meadows, felted orange bag, Anne Christenson, batik painting, Wendi Seminari, fulled coat, Kim Kaelin, hooked pillow, Robbin Firth, wool and silk cowl, Kristin Hoelscher-Shacker, framed art quilt and Helena Wentzlaff, traditional indigo quilt.
I’ll be changing up the compostite image on social media periodically through the year. The full artist listing is listed on the Artist Listing Page. Above is the actual cover of the book!
Here are a couple of quotes from past years’ readers: “The Fiber Art Almanac you gave to me no doubt will be a daily inspiration. Sometimes, seeing the works of others gives one permission to embark on his or her own creative endeavor. The open and honest sharing of talents fosters courage and nourishes the creative spirit in us all.”—Lynn in New Mexico.
“I am so intrigued by the calendar/journal/pattern sketchbook you gave me! Nothing excites me more than a blank page for me to fill with words or pictures, such an invitation! Thank you, thank you—this will be fun! These 25 women (and one man!) have much to teach me. Looking at the patterns in the back, I feel an urge to resume knitting come over me (although Connie has just unloaded on me an unfinished hooked rug of Anna’s). Also the blank pages for sketches. It’s a long time since I did any drawings. The book will go with me to Florida in February. Thank you, dear!” –Mollie from Maine.
To purchase the Almanac click on the Almanac Books link in the left hand column of the blog! Both the 2014 Almanac and the Companion Journal are available on Amazon and through Paypal.
Thank you!
-Jenny