It's just a couple of weeks until we host the 2011 Midwest Weavers Conference, with a full schedule of workshops, programs, vendors, visiting, and the fashion show and member exhibits, which are always highlights of a conference. At the awards ceremony that Saturday night, you may even hear your own name or that of a friend called. You'll also hear some names connected with the memorial awards. You may not have known the people honored by those awards, so we thought we'd share a bit of their stories.
We'll start with Margaret Grant, whose memorial award is presented by the Weaver's Guild of St. Louis for weaving from no more than 4 shafts.
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| Margaret Grant |
Born and raised in Australia, Margaret received her psychiatric social work degree in London and worked at Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. From the late 1960's until her death in 1993, she held offices, served on committees and juries, and reported on events for the Weaver's Guild of St. Louis. Margaret was instrumental in establishing a scholarship fund and getting new weavers involved in the organization.
Her obituary in the guild newsletter included this story.
In sharing a crowded cab in Chicago at Convergence she had to sit in the front seat with the driver and recognizing his accent from Zimbabwe they were shortly chattering away about his native country. She loved to share discoveries about world arts, events and people. But in our study groups we shared giggles like school girls.
Margaret's specialty was weaving clothing with fine threads. We honor her memory with an award the recognizes an elegant fashion fabric developed from a simple structure that complements a garment's design.
Thank you to Karen Kelly Schultz and members of the St. Louis guild who provided this information.
It is nice to know where these awards come from. Thank you St Louis for keeping the memory of Margaret Grant alive.
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