Workshop: The Art of Needle Lace
IN PERSON
Come learn the technique and history of janyak from textile artist and professor Sofi Khachmanyan, who will lead a hands-on workshop on the art and craft of needle and thread. Knot after knot, loop after loop, Armenian janyak (Ժանյակ) or needle lace has been, for centuries, a precious link for Armenians across the world. A portable and enduring art form passed from mother to daughter, it has connected generations both in their homeland and in the diaspora, transmitting cultural heritage and values. This program complements the exhibition Janyak: Armenian Art of Knots and Loops.
Sofi Khachmanyan is a fashion professor at Santa Monica City College, textile specialist, and researcher. Khachmanyan learned lace making in the Art-Technical College in Yerevan, Armenia. A master artist-embroiderer, she has participated in a variety of local and international exhibitions. Since moving to America in 1988, she has continued making lace, tapestries, and other types of textiles. Her education in the U.S. was in fashion design and textiles.
Parking available in UCLA Lot 4, 198 Westwood Plaza, directly off Sunset Blvd; $3/hr or max $15/day. Rideshare drop-off at 305 Royce Dr.
Image credit: Marie Pilibossian (b. 1898, Gesaria-Kaiseri, Turkey; d. 1986, Los Angeles, USA), Armenian needle lace, early to mid-20th century; thread and needle used as a knotting tool; Fowler Museum at UCLA, X80.1151; Gift of Marie Pilibossian
