Mode of Program Participation
Academic Scholarship
Participation Type
Paper
Presentation #1 Title
The Handweavers of Modern-Day Southern Appalachia: An Ethnographic Case Study
Presentation #1 Abstract or Summary
One of the most prominent traditions associated with the Southern Appalachians is the art of weaving. Extensive research has focused on the history of Appalachian weaving, but there is little on the current weaving community. Today, the region still serves as an axis for weaving, and many practicing weavers, weaving instructors, and learning institutions can be found in Southern Appalachia. The core of this study is the interviews with ten weavers that reside and practice their work in Appalachia which provides an understanding of the role weaving has in the region and in the lives of the individual weavers. The interviews focus on each weavers’ description of their role as a weaver, the importance of weaving in their lives, and the way their work connects them to the Appalachian region. Using concept coding, the transcripts of the interviews led to the development of four major themes that highlight the weavers’ discovery of their weaving passion, what continues to be a source of motivation for weaving, how today’s weavers use weaving as a source of income, and how weaving continues to be deeply connected to Southern Appalachia’s art and craft making traditions.
At-A-Glance Bio- Presenter #1
Cathryn Frances Washell is a fiber artist who currently resides in Duluth, Georgia. She received her BA in Studio Art with a focus in textiles from the University of North Georgia in 2010, and is expected to graduate with her MA in Appalachian Studies with a concentration in Culture and Heritage from East Tennessee State University in 2016.
The Handweavers of Modern-Day Southern Appalachia: An Ethnographic Case Study
One of the most prominent traditions associated with the Southern Appalachians is the art of weaving. Extensive research has focused on the history of Appalachian weaving, but there is little on the current weaving community. Today, the region still serves as an axis for weaving, and many practicing weavers, weaving instructors, and learning institutions can be found in Southern Appalachia. The core of this study is the interviews with ten weavers that reside and practice their work in Appalachia which provides an understanding of the role weaving has in the region and in the lives of the individual weavers. The interviews focus on each weavers’ description of their role as a weaver, the importance of weaving in their lives, and the way their work connects them to the Appalachian region. Using concept coding, the transcripts of the interviews led to the development of four major themes that highlight the weavers’ discovery of their weaving passion, what continues to be a source of motivation for weaving, how today’s weavers use weaving as a source of income, and how weaving continues to be deeply connected to Southern Appalachia’s art and craft making traditions.
