I rounded a bend in my perception of our relationships with animals when I started studying fiber and natural dyes.
Photo Courtesy La Abeja Herbs
My environmental science teacher encouraged me to find a mentor to help me learn the fiber arts, and ultimately helped me find the most best mentor I could ask for, who was a short distance from my home. This person is a huge influence in the fiber world, working locally to start a revolution that is spreading like wildfire across the country and the world. Her name is Rebecca Burgess, the founder of Fibershed. In high school, I had only wanted to learn to make clothes, but what I learned from Fibershed, the organization that is based in the bioregion where I was raised, ignited a much bigger wonder. Rebecca gave a lecture at my school and put in our hands a map of the producers, farmers, ranchers, designers and artisans within 150 miles of our home that were a part of the process of making our clothing. She handed us this map so we could use it to connect the dots of what it took to dress ourselves, however unfortunately most of our clothing we wear is stitched by a map that stretches at least 1000 miles from our home.
The more immersed I am in this map where the dots between fiber production, design and processing are close together, (within 150 miles of one another), the more I feel connected to the revolution of shepherding good ideas and good feelings. Brittany Cole Bush gave a presentation at the Fibershed Wool Symposium 2013 in Point Reyes that rejuvinated my understanding of where the potential in the Fibershed map really lies. I’ve attached a link to this map at the bottom of the post and encourage you to watch it, be entertained and inspired! To me, what Brittany spoke about, “Shepherding animals, people and projects” really boils down to the transformation of being able to see how the animals who produce raw fibers are cared for, getting to know the methods and perspectives of the people stewarding these animals, and getting a glimpse at the artistry behind crafting the finished clothing piece.
Brittany Cole Bush is a new generation of Shepherdess, working to “shepherd animals, people and projects” ~ http://www.brittanycolebush.com
This revolution reminds me that our obsession with wearing the right thing and shopping for a fresh new look isn’t honestly all about just looking good. What the revolution is really about is good feelings and nourishment, or feeling warm to the touch. And these feelings are not only gleaned by the end product of the fiber industry, but should be felt and seen through each step: the raising of animals, the sheering, the skirting, the spinning, the designing, and the processing and wearing.
FIbershed, changing the way we look at clothing ~ http://www.fibershed.com
Resources:
Videos from Fibershed’s 2013 Wool Symposium in Point Reyes ~ http://www.fibershed.com/wool-symposium-2013/live-stream/
animalasmedicine.wordpress.com 