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Chris says “There have been times when we have
thought, in trying to resolve some of the details, that it can’t be
done this way, it is too expensive, or no one knows how to do
this anymore. But whenever we have striven to reach
deeper, and invest everyone of our partners in looking at the
particular challenge, then we often realize that in fact it has been done
this way, hundreds of years ago, with good reasons and results,
and our test is to figure our how to do it again today, adapting
of course to modern conditions.”
“Another thing that happened, when we went around
to each of the cooperative workshops we are working with, in
these villages near Konya and Ushak, where these carpets were
originally made in the 13th through 17th centuries, and we sat
down with all of our partners, the shepherds, spinners, dyers,
weavers, shearers, washers, and their families, and broke bread
with them, in their communities, the interconnectedness of this
venture culturally and emotionally, as well as economically to
the life of these villages became even clearer." |
"We saw that once we have woken to the vision
that these carpets offer us, of beauty and peace, that we have a
responsibility to share that bounty with all that will have it.
Some might say that is very high minded for a simple craft and
business venture, but at least that provides a kind of compass for us.
It is of course a tremendous responsibility to set for
ourselves, and we am not going to pretend that we have
completely succeeded in this, or will ever do it perfectly, but
that is the goal.”
“We ask the weavers to sign their work, to work
their initials into the designs of the carpets. We give full
credit to all of the people who work on these carpets, they are
absorbed into this history and legacy of their culture, and
really own it, making carpets that have this “genius loci”, this
“spirit of the place” quality. It is why it doesn’t make sense
for us to try to produce these particular designs in China or
Pakistan or Azerbaijan. Those places of course have their
own craft and weaving traditions, and those are certainly worth preserving
and reviving as well, perhaps with something of this same spirit." |
