IMLS Workshop Photo: BRAHM

In 2024, BRAHM was awarded the prestigious IMLS “Inspire! Small Museums” grant. The goal of this project was to build community and promote neural plasticity amongst senior citizens living in Watauga County using their particular love of fiber arts. This grant funded a series of peer-led workshops in a variety of fiber media, all of which were free to the public and took place at the Lois E Harrill Senior Center in Boone, and the Western Watauga Community Center in Sugar Grove, NC. The works in the exhibition were created during these workshops or illustrate techniques taught in the workshops.

That project has culminated in a lovely exhibition in the Alexander Community Gallery, Take Up: Intergenerational Textiles & Weaving Community in Watauga County.

In this program, you'll hear from the artists who instructed and participated in the exhibition, learn about the process of implementing a federally funded project following a natural disaster, and the bonds that were formed in the process.

About the exhibit: 

IMLS Workshop Photo: BRAHM

Fiber Art is deeply woven into the history of Watauga County. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mountain craftspeople formed the cornerstone of a revived interest in the handmade to create a movement known as the Craft Revival. Makers wove diverse natural materials, creating a sense of community with a strong sense of place. Today, these traditions are alive and still bring people together.

This exhibition offers a glimpse into the historical, evolving world of fibers in Watauga County. The work is representative of many relationships that shape the creative, cultural, and economic fabric of our community.

This exhibition and program is made possible in part by the support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.