Textile Travels Paris
Rebecca Devaney & Jo Andrews
As we sit in the dark patchy space between winter and spring, we nest, yet feel comfort derived from a dual sense of a plan - a future adventure, something to “look forward” to. If you are of the arty type as I am, you will feel a need to include this within your list when choosing where you go. Devaney and Andrews (read their website to learn why these two are perfect for the job) have used their own experiences traveling such cities as Paris, New York, London……all the places we may be lucky enough to be going to anyway; we are not talking about anywhere too “out there”. Their art is textile, so that is the focus of each guide. They are available to purchase via their website, where you can download them and add them to your device. This comes in handy, say you are actually getting on that plane and want a travel guide - the book is interactive as in you are linked to map, showing you where all these listed places are.
Focusing on the Paris Guide, as that is the one I was lucky enough to have been given, it lists the museums, markets, shops and galleries in this city of light where you may come across the tactile, the embroidered, the beaded, embellished, the draped….to stand and consider, or in some cases, take home - your very own Parisian piece which relates to an aspect of your life, an interest shared by some but not by all - your treasure. I can look back upon my own French travels which I have actually alluded to within my own publication Narrative Textiles. Here I remember a chanced upon Nice morning, where I took upon a market, completely by chance. I was confronted with a scene out of any good cliché I could not help myself, yes I totally bought an overpriced piece of Linen. Or a Paris market, not a well known one but one I found in my own Parisian neighbourhood at the time, a man selling Silk Scarves, as a fraction of the price I would have surveyed them at in any UK shop. That excitement (yes, you who truly love your art will resonate with this) really makes a surjurn. It can yes, happen by chance, but why leave it So?
With all the places you need listed, reasons for visiting them AND a map - you have no excuse not to grab your best friend or whoever you have in your life as your glue and go get that budget flight. Now.
Oh and if you feel you need like minded company, they even do tours.
Finally for those of us who are not going there in person. Just. Yet. They do online tuition.