eTextile SB (Spring Break) will take place from Sunday, October 2 to Sunday, October 9, 2022.
We are excited to host this year’s participants at Prairie Ronde, a residency and exhibition space in the historic village of Vicksburg, Michigan. Prairie Ronde is committed to local community development through the arts and to creating spaces for emerging artists.
//Schedule and Workshops//
2022 Workshops:
Inflatable Textiles by Kathleen McDermott & Linh Truong
Hall Effects & Haptics: Touch & Feel by Karmisha Reeb & Kate Hartman
Deep-dive Material Exploration by Liza Stark & Victoria Manganiello
Skill-Share Open Mic – this is a timeslot that is up for grabs, if you have a tool that you love using or know of a technique that you are eager to share, let us know!
//Share-out and Exhibit//
The exhibit functions as a public exhibition and location for internal dialogue. Monday morning and afternoon, we will display items brought and gather as a group to do an internal share-out.
Saturday is the opportunity to share with the local community who we are as individual artists and what we have created while on-site during the residency. Visitors can also get a glimpse into the multidisciplinary field of e-textiles.
To further introduce people to the art of e-textiles, we have a special guest, Dr. Sarah Mills, who will be giving a talk on the history of e-textiles. Sarah Mills is a modern and contemporary art historian whose research focuses on weaving theory and fiber design in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Some of the work being shown this year
//Work Space//
The residency’s workspace and exhibition will be held at The Mill and other locations within walking distance. The Mill is a raw and spacious renovated paper mill that officially shut down in 2001. Since 2014, the space has been in restoration, transforming into a space made for community learning, inspiration, and growth.
In contrast to the wonderfully raw and industrial Mill, there are spaces with a more lived-in feeling. Within these spaces, participants will share workspaces (for sewing, soldering, etc.) that will be stocked with communal tools and equipment. Tables and chairs will be provided as individual workspaces for participants.
Fun fact – between 1905 and 1958, at the height of its paper production, the mill turned cotton rags into finely made paper!
//Meals//
We provide a communal dinner each evening. Participants are responsible for all other meals. There is a local grocery store within walking distance from the lodging. Participants are also encouraged to bring their favorite snacks to share with others. Confirmed participants will be asked about dietary restrictions.
Communal kitchens are available for your use through the provided lodging. We will do our best to provide snacks, coffee, and tea for breaks and socializing.
//Lodging and Travel//
Prairie Ronde provides several buildings for lodging that participants of the eTextile camp will share with other participants. Most accommodations are shared rooms and each building has a communal kitchen and shared bathrooms and common rooms.
Visitors and partners will need to find their own accommodation and can not stay on the premise of the residency. There are several local hotels in Vicksburg that we can provide information for.
We put together this travel guide to address any questions you have as you prepare for your arrival. We encourage you to also use the discord “travel-logistics” channel to communicate with one another for carpooling and other coordination.
Please note:
- October 2nd is the arrival day, you can arrive at any time that Sunday. We request that everyone has arrived by 6 to eat dinner together. There are no accommodations for early arrivals – we suggest checking Airbnb in Kalamazoo if you plan to arrive before the start date.
Learn more about eTextile Spring Break in general and what to expect for the week on our About page