We are excited to welcome to Minnesota and Wisconsin three Maya textile artists: Lucia, Yolanda and Rosa, along with the director of Oxlajuj Bátz´ – Thirteen Threads, a nonprofit focusing on education and empowerment of Maya women artists, to Minnesota and Wisconsin September 22-29,2011. There are several events planned where the women will speak about their lives, their community leadership work and show their beautiful hooked rugs. Mark your calendars!

Schedule of Events:
• Sept 22, 2011- 7 p.m. Textile Center of Minnesota, 3000 University Ave SE # 100, Minneapolis, MN 55414-3357, (612) 436-0464 www.textilecentermn.org Open to the public, admission fee. Rosa, Lucia and Yolanda will present a lecture about their lives as contemporary Maya women and they will discuss the economic impact rug hooking has made upon their lives. Hooked rugs available for sale.
• Sept 23, 2011- 1- 5 p.m. Region wide hook-in at the Anderson Center. Free. Dinner available for $10 with prior reservation. All area rug hookers are invited to bring a rug or two for show n tell plus a current project and hook alongside our Guatemalan students. www.andersoncenter.org
• Sept 23, 2011- Exhibit opens “Mary Anne Wise & Friends: the art of the hooked rug”. 6:30-8 p.m at the Anderson Center.
•Sept 25, 2011, 7 p.m.- Lecture at The Widespot Performing Arts Center, Stockholm, WI. Open to the public, donation suggested. http://www.widespotperformingarts.org Maria, Rosa and Yolanda will present a lecture about their lives as contemporary Maya women and they will discuss the economic impact rug hooking has made upon their lives. Hooked rugs available for sale.
•Sept 27, 2011, 7-9 p.m.-Simply Dunn Schoolhouse, Downville, WI www.simply-dunn.com Open to the public, donation suggested. Rosa, Yolanda and Lucia will speak about their lives, show photos and their rugs.

To learn more about Oxlajuj Bátz´ – Thirteen Threads visit: http://www.thirteenthreads.org/

About the Hooked Rug Exhibition:
Mary Anne Wise, founder of Cultural Cloth,
has curated an international hooked rug exhibition for the Anderson Center located just outside of Red Wing, MN. The exhibit is titled “Mary Anne Wise & Friends: the art of the hooked rug”. Jody Slocum & Mary Anne have taught a series of rug hooking classes to the same group of Mayan women over a 30+ month-long time frame. Some of our Guatemalan student’s rugs will be included the exhibit AND two of our students will attend the exhibit opening. We hope you will attend the opening and welcome these industrious women to the US!

Dates: opens September 23, 2011 runs through Nov 18
Location: the Anderson Center just outside Red Wing, MN. www.andersoncenter.org
Free & open to the public.

Participants whose work was selected for this exhibit include:
Maria Colop- Chiriquac, Guatemala
Mary Logue- Minneapolis
Deanne Fitzpatrick- Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada
Cindy Pratt- Wayzata, MN
Joan LaVine- Minneapolis
Jan Mostrom- Minneapolis
Anne-Marie Littenberg- Burlington, VT
Pris Butler- Oakwood, Georgia
Wanda Kerr- Wiarton, On, Canada
Tish Murphy- Minneapolis
Arne Nyen- MA’s husband, Stockholm, WI
Eric Sandberg- Athens, GA
Molly Dye- Jacksonville, VT
Rosa Garcia Garcia, Patanitique, Guatemala
Yolanda Calgua Morales de Sucunú, Chichicastenango, Guatemala
Mary Anne Wise, Stockholm, WI