After our successful participation last summer, GTG has been accepted for the 5th International Folk Art Market 2008 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. GTG has started selection of items for this year’s market. About 200 artisans from all over Georgia are working on the new Santa Fe collection. We are still seeking financial support for our participation and travel expenses.

Joan Morris is an internationally known textile artist specializing in shaped-resist dyeing. She created Shibori fabrics for Julie Taymor’s award winning Broadway production «The Lion King».
Seminars in Zemo Alvani and Zemo Vardzia Nunnery included teaching indigo-vat dyeing along with other natural dye processes. The seminar was higly attended by representatives of various community groups from all over Georgia. Seminar expenses were partly covered by the TASO Foundation.

In 2003, American quilt artist and teacher Karen Musgrave made her first trip to Georgia and established the Georgian Quilt Group in Tbilisi. During her fifth trip to Tbilisi in November 2007, Karen conducted three master classes with the Georgian Quilt Group and established another quilt project in Akhalkalaki (Southern Georgia). Thirteen women participated in two intensive workshops in piecing, appliqué and hand quilting. Karen donated all the quilt supplies while the GTG donated a sewing machine for the new studio.

Nino Kuprava of GTG participated in an international exchange and studio program (IAAB) in Basel (CH) and Freiburg (D) from January to June 2007. Her final exhibition and performance together with Swiss-Iranian artist Parwin Hadina in Kulturwerk T66 was very impressive.