Imagine a group of women, mostly young widows with small children, no home, no food and no future.
Then look around you, your home, your family, your life.
That's what happened to me on my overseas trip. My mother had decided to start a Womens Shelter. My mother took me to the shelter (a Not-For-Profit Centre) and I had the opportunity to meet these amazing women who are desperate for help but are too proud to ask.
And then she approached me. She wanted to know if I could come up with an idea of providing them with some sort of employment opportunity. They are limited in terms of skills but so eager to learn.
I had an idea…
I decided to create a few designs, drew them, coloured them in and then got the printing blocks carved and bought some silk fabric.
The women in the shelter will be printing my designs on the fabric and turning a blank canvas into beautiful chic scarves.
My mother always says, "give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day; teach him to fish, he'll eat for life."
And that's what I want to do…I want to give these women a job, paid employment and their dignity back, not just a handout or a donation.
And that's what I want to do…I want to give these women a job, paid employment and their dignity back, not just a handout or a donation.
And the women were so eager to learn… to print on fabric and cut them into scarves and earn their money.
These three main designs are inspired by the beautiful damask wallpapers and carvings I observed while vacationing in Paris and Provence.
The colours used are Paris Gray, Pale Pink, Sea Foam Green and Aqua.
All dyes are eco-friendly to maintain a sustainable environment. These scarves are 100% silk, light and airy but so warm and stylish.
If you are interested, these scarves are being sold via my Etsy store and will be shipped worldwide.
At the moment there's only one of each colour. But I'll be making some more.
Sometimes art can be an escape for me, but I hope for these women, it will be a way of finding themselves.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
xox
Rani
No comments:
Post a Comment
Share Your Thoughts...