Online via Zoom. See the newsletter or contact Megan M for details on how to join. Guest ARE welcome!

Social time from 7-7:30. We will meeting in small breakout groups which will get mixed up every ~10 minutes.

Program starts at 7:30. Mihoko Wakabayashi will present on SAORI Weaving, a contemporary improvisational weaving from Japan. It is based on zen principle of spontaneity and simplicity. Mihoko Wakabayashi, a Japan native and an owner of SAORI Worcester, the first SAORI studio in US will talk about the method and the philosophy of the unique artform showing many pictures from a slide show. She will also talk about her own experiences and stories through her studio in Worcester, MA. At the end she will demonstrate weaving on a loom to show some basic techniques.

Mihoko Wakabayashi was born and grew up in Japan. She learned weaving by working with young people (K-12) who had difficulties in school in Japan. Although her major in college was in education, she has always loved working with hands, especially in art. She has learned weaving in 1992-1999 in various classes. Since she opened her studio “SAORI Worcester” in 2000 as the first SAORI Weaving studio in the US, she has taught many people including people with various disabilities, got involved in the community, and lead the movement of SAORI Weaving in Canada and the US, all while pursuing her own creativity.