Textile Design New York City Immersion

On Friday February 27, seven Textile Design graduate students spent the day in New York City with Professor Marcia Weiss.  We started the day at Material Connexion; a wonderful materials resource library of which Philadelphia University is a member.  We were able to view a great range of innovative materials, from polymers to wood and concrete to textiles.  We visit the library at least once each semester for inspiration that can be incorporated into projects.  These are just a few of the interesting samples that were on display. 

 

After Material Connexion, we toured the design studios of Maharam--a high end textile company that creates fabrics for the contract and residential markets.  We had a wonderful tour that included the opportunity to learn about Maharam's exciting collaborations, as well as to see many of the beautiful textiles in their line. 

 

Our third and final stop for the day was at the Lenore Tawney Foundation.  Lenore Tawney was an incredibly prolific fiber artist, with an extensive collection of weavings, installations, drawings and collages.  The visit was a fantastic introduction to her life and work, in a space that holds many of the objects with which Lenore surrounded herself. 

 

All three companies showcased beautifully curated collections, all quite distinct from one another.  We returned to Philadelphia inspired and excited to return to our studio work.