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GENERAL INFORMATION

December 18, 2008--Indian Music Performance at The TM on January 15
Enjoy a special evening of classical Indian music performed on the sitar and surbahar on Thursday, January 15. This is the third program of the museum’s Evenings at The TM series—a dynamic set of events on topics ranging from Arabian cuisine to contemporary art quilts, inspired by The Textile Museum’s current exhibitions.

December 17, 2008--The Textile Museum Announces New Hours to Take Effect in April 2009
Effective April 2009 The Textile Museum will be closed to the public on Mondays. The Textile Museum is currently open Monday through Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday 1 to 5 pm. Hours under the new Tuesday through Sunday schedule will remain the same. The TM's library, which is currently closed for reorganization, will reopen in September 2009 for eight hours per week.

November 13, 2008--“Great Rugs of the Hajji Babas,” the Second Installment of the New Evenings at The TM Series, Will be Held on Wednesday, December 3
Inspired by the exhibition, Timbuktu to Tibet: Rugs and Textiles of the Hajji Babas, Textile Museum Director Daniel Walker will explore some of the excellent rugs in the holdings of members of the Hajji Baba Club—the nation’s oldest and most prestigious rug and textile collecting society—and the qualities that have made collectors covet them.

October 31, 2008--“Daily Splendors: An Exploration of the Culinary and Decorative Arts from Africa to Asia,” the First of the New Evenings at The TM Series, Will be Held on Thursday, November 6
Join Amy Riolo, an internationally recognized culinary expert specializing in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture and cuisine, for a book signing, lecture and sampling of recipes from her book.

July 24, 2008--The Textile Museum to Host Tribute Dinner Fundraising Gala at the Historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel
The Textile Museum will host its third Tribute Dinner fundraising gala on Thursday, October 16 from 6:30 to 10:00 pm at the historic Renaissance Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Textile Museum will honor preeminent scholar Jon Thompson with the George Hewitt Myers Award, named for The Textile Museum’s founder and given in recognition of his lifetime achievement and exceptional contributions to the study and understanding of the textile arts. Also included in the evening program is the presentation of the Museum’s inaugural Awards of Distinction to longtime supporters Harold M. Keshishian, Alice Dodge Wallace and Edwin M. Zimmerman for their distinguished service in fulfillment of the Museum’s mission. The Tribute Dinner is part of the Museum’s “Tribute to Textiles Weekend” (October 15-19, 2008), a full program of interrelated events celebrating the textile arts.

June 17, 2008--The Textile Museum to Forego Planned Expansion
The Textile Museum’s Board of Trustees convened a special meeting on June 12 and 13, 2008 and unanimously voted to forego the Museum’s planned expansion to Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter area. Exhibitions and programming focused on its core audience of textile collectors, enthusiasts and scholars will continue at its current location at 2320 S Street, NW, along with expanded outreach to better engage the Museum’s national and international audiences.

June 4, 2008--Jon Thompson to Receive The Textile Museum's 2008
George Hewitt Myers Award

The Textile Museum has announced that Jon Thompson, one of the foremost scholars in the field of Oriental carpets, has been chosen as the 2008 recipient of the Museum's George Hewitt Myers Award, the highest honor given in the field of textile arts. The Myers Award, named for The Textile Museum's founder and given by the Museum's Board of Trustees, recognizes Thompson's lifetime achievement and exceptional contributions to the study and understanding of the textile arts. He will be honored with the award at a Tribute Dinner on Thursday, October 16 in Washington, D.C.

May 15, 2008--Enjoy a Special Excursion to the Home of Textile Designer Jack Lenor Larsen
Join fellow textile enthusiasts for a day-long outing to LongHouse Reserve, home of renowned designer Jack Lenor Larsen, on Saturday, June 14, 2008.

May 8, 2008--Amy Maloney Named Director of Retail Operations
The Textile Museum's Board of Trustees and Director Daniel Walker are pleased to announce the appointment of Amy Maloney as director of retail operations. Maloney assumed her position on April 28, 2008.

May 8, 2008--Enjoy the Museum's 30th Annual Celebration of Textiles Festival on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8
Join us for the 30th annual Celebration of Textiles on Saturday, June 7, 10 am - 4 pm and Sunday, June 8, 1-5 pm. Take part in this free festival for all ages and explore the textile arts and cultures of the world through 30 hands-on activities and artist demonstrations celebrating 30 years. Celebration of Textiles is part of the Dupont-Kalorama Museums Consortium's Museum Walk Weekend.

May 2, 2008--Volunteers Needed for Upcoming Museums Walk Weekend
Volunteers are needed for the Dupont-Kalorama Museums Consortium (DKMC)’s 25th Annual Dupont-Kalorama Museum Walk Weekend on Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8. Share your love of the Dupont Circle/Kalorama neighborhood and support local museums!

May 1, 2008--Nina E. Olson Elected to Museum's Board of Trustees
National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson has been elected to The Textile Museum's Board of Trustees.

April 22, 2008--The Textile Museum Celebrates Earth Day with BLUE
Blue is Pantone, Inc.’s 2008 “Color of the Year” and various shades of blue have appeared on fashion runways in recent seasons. Textile artists have been using this bold color for several millennia – and continue to do so today. More recently blue, especially as derived from natural indigo dyes, has become associated with the environmental movement. BLUE, on view at The Textile Museum in Washington, D.C. now through September 18, 2008, explores the creation and meaning of the color blue on textiles produced across time and place, with particular emphasis on contemporary artists’ use of natural indigo dyes as part of the melding of artistic production and environmental conscience.

April 9, 2008--Bruce P. Baganz, President of The Textile Museum's Board of Trustees, Receives the Joseph V. McMullan Award
Bruce P. Baganz, president of The Textile Museum's Board of Trustees, is the 2008 recipient of the Joseph V. McMullan Award for Stewardship and Scholarship in Islamic Rugs and Textiles. Named for one of the 20th century's foremost scholars and collectors of Islamic carpets and textiles and presented annually by The Near Eastern Art Research Center, the McMullan Award is recognized as the most prestigious award in the field of Oriental carpets.

April 9, 2008--Douglas Maas Named Chief Financial and
Administrative Officer

The Textile Museum's Board of Trustees and Director Daniel Walker are pleased to announce the appointment of Douglas Maas as chief financial and administrative officer. Maas assumed his position on April 7, 2008.

April 8, 2008--Celebrate Jazz and BLUE at The Textile Museum
Visit the Museum on Saturday, April 12, 5-7 pm for a special jazz performance by the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra inspired by the exhibition BLUE. Co-sponsored by Blues Alley Society “Big Band JAM.”

March 18, 2008--Celebrate National Library Week (April 13-19)
Celebrate National Library Week (April 13-19) by exploring one of the most unique libraries in the Washington, D.C. area: The Textile Museum's Arthur D. Jenkins Library of Textile Arts.

March 18, 2008--The Textile Museum Leaves No Child Behind: Museum Educates and Enriches Local Students through Unique Partnership Program
Arts curriculum is increasingly cut from schools in order to meet the rigors of the No Child Left Behind Act, but The Textile Museum is doing its part to ensure that D.C. Public School students have continued access to and engagement with art from around the world through its unique Museum-School Partnership program.

March 13, 2008--Marjory Moore Named Chief Development Officer
The Textile Museum's board of trustees and Director Daniel Walker are pleased to announce the appointment of Marjory Moore as chief development officer. Moore comes to The Textile Museum from the Women's Business Enterprise National Council in Washington, D.C., where she served as senior director of development and membership services. She will assume her position on March 24, 2008.

March 5, 2008--30th Annual Celebration of Textiles Festival
Since 1978, The Textile Museum has invited visitors of all ages to explore the textile arts and world cultures through hands-on activities and artist demonstrations in the Museum's exhibitions, historic buildings and garden during this fun weekend event. This year's festival is Saturday, June 7 (10 am - 4 pm) and Sunday, June 8 (1-5 pm). Join us to celebrate 30 years with 30 different activities! Celebration of Textiles is part of the Dupont-Kalorama Museums Consortium's Museum Walk Weekend.

February 13, 2008--Celebrate Valentine's Day at The Textile Museum
In anticipation of Valentine's Day, The Textile Museum will host a celebration Wednesday, February 13 from 6 - 8:30 pm with a final look at the exhibition Private Pleasures: Collecting Contemporary Textile Art. Exhibition curator Rebecca A.T. Stevens will discuss various works in gallery talks throughout the evening. The Museum will provide acoustic guitar music, refreshments and the opportunity for each participant to make his or her own unique textile valentine. Participants may enter a drawing to win a private tour through the home of a lender to the exhibition. A portion of the evening's proceeds will go to our co-sponsor, the Whitman-Walker Clinic.

February 7, 2008--Final Lecture in New Series Evenings at The TM Explores Recent Innovations Textiles
Join us Thursday, February 7 as Matilda McQuaid, Head of Textiles, at the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, explores the importance of collaboration between hand craftsmanship and the textile technology that sends us to the moon, supports our buildings and repairs our stressdamaged hearts in her talk "Crafting Design: Recent Innovations in Textiles."

Wine and refreshments are served at 6:30 pm; the lecture begins at 7:00 pm in the Myers Room. Seating is limited. This series, held in honor of Rebecca A.T. Stevens, Consulting Curator for Contemporary Textiles, is funded by Eleanor T. and Samuel J. Rosenfeld.

February 2 - May 3, 2008--Family First Saturdays at The Textile Museum
Continuing the engaging Family First Saturdays series, The Textile Museum will offer four special programs the first Saturday of each month from 2-4 pm, beginning February 2 and ending May 3. FREE. No reservations required.

November 30, 2007--Hone Your Eye for Rugs and Textiles at Upcoming Public Program
What separates a good rug or textile from a great one? Join us on Saturday, December 15 at 1:30 pm as collector and Textile Museum Trustee leads a lively discussion about recognizing quality in carpets and knowing what is collectible today.

November 7, 2007--Kindler Concert Series to Revive Founder's Tradition
The Textile Museum will present a three-part chamber concert series beginning this December as a tribute to the founder’s support of the performing arts.

October 29, 2007--Philanthropist and Collector Lloyd E. Cotsen Honored with The Textile Museum's 2007 George Hewitt Myers Award
The Textile Museum has honored philanthropist and collector Lloyd E. Cotsen with the Museum's 2007 George Hewitt Myers Award, the highest accolade given in the field of textile arts. Named for The Textile Museum's founder and given by the Museum's Board of Trustees, the award for lifetime achievement recognizes Mr. Cotsen's exceptional contributions to the study and understanding of the textile arts.

Shell is Underwriting Sponsor of Current Exhibition
May 2, 2007--The Textile Museum announced today that Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) is the underwriting sponsor for the exhibition Architectural Textiles: Tent Bands of Central Asia, on view March 30 through August 19, 2007. The exhibition features the utilitarian and beautiful bands of trellis tents, which have made nomadic life possible across Central Asia for at least 1,500 years. “In presenting this gift to The Textile Museum, Shell has demonstrated its commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of Turkmenistan,” said Museum Director Daniel Walker. John Hofmeister, Shell U.S. Country Chair and President of Shell Oil, said Shell has had a long association with the country.

29th Annual Celebration of Textiles
Celebration of Textiles is an annual festival of hands-on learning for all ages. Visitors are invited to explore the textile arts and cultures of the world through activities and demonstrations in the Museum’s exhibitions, historic buildings, and garden on Saturday, June 2 (10 am-4 pm) and Sunday, June 3
(1-4 pm).

The Textile Museum Launches Online Exhibition
The Textile Museum has launched Pieces of a Puzzle: Classical Persian Carpet Fragments, an online exhibition that features a little-known type of classical Persian carpets. The Web site serves as a permanent record of a recent Textile Museum exhibition on the same topic and makes the exhibition content available to a broader audience.

Ten Tips for Beginning & Textile Collectors
Interested in collecting rugs and textiles but don’t know where to start? Planning a trip abroad and hoping to bring back textiles? Our ten tips can guide the novice collector on how to begin a textile collection.

Lee Talbot Named Assistant Curator, Eastern Hemisphere Collections of The Textile Museum
The Board of Trustees of The Textile Museum and Director Daniel Walker are pleased to announce the appointment of Lee Talbot to Assistant Curator, Eastern Hemisphere Collections. Mr. Talbot comes to The Textile Museum from The Chung Young Yang Embroidery Museum at Sookmyung Women's University, Seoul, Korea, where he serves as curator. Mr. Talbot will assume his position on April 2, 2007.

Cultural Festival: Chin National Day
The Textile Museum will hold a cultural festival on Saturday, February 17 from 1 - 4 pm to celebrate Chin National Day. This free festival for all ages features traditional Chin dance and music as well as refreshments and hands-on activities. The festival is planned in collaboration with the local Chin community and in conjunction with the current Textile Museum exhibition Mantles of Merit: Chin Textiles from Mandalay to Chittagong.

Lecture and Booksigning:
Uncommon Threads: Ohio's Art Quilt Revolution

On Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at 12:00 pm, The Textile Museum will hold a lecture and booksigning for Uncommon Threads: Ohio’s Art
Quilt Revolution
, written by Gayle Pritchard. Ohio’s extensive quilt-making heritage paved the way for the contemporary quilt artists of the 1970s and 1980s, who, through individual vision and dedication created a new art
form and added a new chapter to quilt history. Uncommon Threads: Ohio’s Art Quilt Revolution reveals for the first time the remarkable role Ohio based artists, curators, institutions and organizations played in the evolution of today’s international art quilt movement.

Uncommon Threads: Ohio’s Art Quilt Revolution
will be available for purchase at the event.

NEW PROGRAM! "So, You Want to Collect Rugs..."
On November 15, 2006 from 6 - 8 pm, The Textile Museum will present a new program for beginning rug collectors. This informative program will guide novices in learning what every beginning rug collector needs to know, including the difference between warp and weft and the meaning of knots per inch. Experts Sumru Krody, Associate Curator for Eastern Hemisphere Collections at The Textile Museum, Harold Keshishian, longtime rug collector and The TM Trustee, and Museum Director Daniel Walker will provide guidance and answer
questions.

Lynn Rozental Named Assistant Director, Development & Communications of The Textile Museum
The Board of Trustees of The Textile Museum and Director Daniel Walker are pleased to announce the appointment of Lynn Rozental to Assistant Director, Development & Communications. Ms. Rozental comes to The Textile Museum from Inova Health System, Virginia, where she serves as Director of Development, Nursing. Ms. Rozental will assume her position on November 8, 2006.

Tribute Dinner Honoring Josephine Powell a Success
On Thursday, October 19, 2006, more than 200 Trustees, patrons and friends of The Textile Museum in Washington, DC, gathered at The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC to celebrate the presentation of the George Hewitt
Myers Award to Josephine Powell, internationally renowned ethnographer, photographer and expert on nomadic weaving and traditions in Turkey.

Named for The Textile Museum’s founder, the award for lifetime achievement
recognizes her exceptional contributions to the study and understanding of the textile arts.

2006 Tribute Dinner and George Hewitt Myers Award Images

Family First Saturdays
Beginning this October, The Textile Museum offers a new monthly drop-in afternoon program for families, Family First Saturdays. This free ongoing program will be held the first Saturday of each month from 2 - 4 pm. Each month's themed program engages families in exploring the textile arts. Participants will enjoy scavenger hunts, hands-on projects, visits with local artists, performances and more.

28th Annual Celebration of Textiles
Celebration of Textiles is an annual festival of hands-on learning for all ages. Visitors are invited to explore the textile arts and cultures of the world through activities and demonstrations in the Museum’s exhibitions, historic buildings, and garden on Saturday, June 3 (10 am-4 pm) and Sunday, June 4
(1-4 pm).

The Textile Museum Board of Trustees Elects New Member
Read the press release.

Tribute Dinner Honoring Jack Lenor Larsen a Success
On Thursday, October 20, 2005 more than 200 Trustees, patrons and friends of The Textile Museum in Washington, DC gathered at the Mandarin Oriental hotel to celebrate the presentation of the first George Hewitt Myers Award to Jack Lenor Larsen, internationally renowned textile designer, author and collector. Named for The Textile Museum’s founder, the award recognizes exceptional contributions to furthering the field of textile arts. Larsen was selected to receive the honor by The Textile Museum’s Board of Trustees.

The Textile Museum Launches Online Library Catalogue
In early 2004 The Textile Museum received grants from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (Libraries and Scholarly Communications Program) and the Charles H. Stout Foundation to create a searchable online catalogue of the Museum’s Arthur D. Jenkins Library. TextileMuse, the resulting catalogue, is now online and accessible via the Museum’s Web site at www.textilemuseum.org/textilemuse.html. The online catalogue is also part of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), a worldwide library cooperative. TextileMuse provides researchers and the general public with a full catalogue of the Library’s unparalleled collection of materials related to the textile arts.

27th Annual Celebration of Textiles
Celebration of Textiles is an annual festival of hands-on learning for all ages. Visitors are invited to explore the textile arts and cultures of the world through activities and demonstrations in the Museum’s exhibitions, historic buildings, and garden on Saturday, June 4 (10 am-4 pm) and Sunday, June 5
(1-4 pm).

Jack Lenor Larsen to Receive First George Hewitt Myers Award
The Textile Museum has announced that Jack Lenor Larsen, internationally renowned textile designer, author and collector, is the recipient of the first George Hewitt Myers Award. Named for The Textile Museum's founder, the award recognizes exceptional contributions to furthering the field of textile arts. Larsen will be honored and presented with the George Hewitt Myers Award at a Gala Dinner to be held Thursday, October 20, 2005 in Washington, DC.

Daniel Walker to Become Director of The Textile Museum
Following an international search, The Board of Trustees of The Textile Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel Walker to Director. Mr. Walker comes to The Textile Museum from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where he serves as the Patti Cadby Birch Curator in Charge, Department of Islamic Art. Mr. Walker will assume his post as Director at The Textile Museum on May 1, 2005.

26th Annual Celebration of Textiles
Celebration of Textiles is an annual festival of hands-on learning for all ages. Visitors are invited to explore the textile arts and cultures of the world through activities and demonstrations in the Museum’s exhibitions, historic buildings, and garden on Saturday, June 5 (10 am-4 pm) and Sunday, June 6
(1-4 pm).

Textile Museum Launches Educational Web Site
The weaving traditions, the people, and the landscape of Bhutan and Guatemala are just a click away in The Textile Museum's educational Web site component, Common Threads: Unraveling the World of Textiles, where visitors can learn how textiles reveal information about the cultures that produce and use them.

The Textile Museum Receives Grant From Mellon Foundation
The Textile Museum has received a $171,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (Libraries and Scholarly Communications Program) to create a searchable online catalogue of the Museum’s 20,000-volume Arthur D.Jenkins Library. The online catalogue will provide researchers and the general public with full access to the Library’s unparalleled collection of materials related to the textile arts.

The Textile Museum Board of Trustees Elects New President
Read the press release.

Three New Members Named to The Textile Museum Board of Trustees
Read the press release.

Textile Museum Backgrounder
Learn about The Textile Museum's history and collections.

The Textile Learning Center Backgrounder
Learn about the two components of the Textile Learning Center: the Activity Gallery where visitors are encouraged to look, touch, and try hands-on activities, and the Collections Gallery where visitors can see a variety of rugs and textiles drawn exclusively from the Museum's collections.

Textile Terms
The vocabulary used to describe textiles is rich, varied and often unfamiliar. Learn some of the terms most commonly used to describe hand-made textiles. These terms are a brief introduction to textile terminology and chosen to facilitate your understanding of the concepts you might encounter during your visit to The Textile Museum’s web site.

 

 

© 2008 THE TEXTILE MUSEUM, 2320 S Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008-4088,
202-667-0441