Ten years at Textile Arts Center has meant 10 years of growth, community, passion, learning, making, collaborating, and empowering. We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who came to celebrate TAC’s 10 Year Reunion Exhibition by sharing some heartfelt words from our teachers, artists, and students whose support and involvement have made TAC the enlivened community that it is today.
TAC10 featured over fifty textile artists who have shared their resources, knowledge, and passion with TAC as working artists, educators, or administrators.
“Textile Arts Center came into my life when I was searching for a community of makers. At the time, I was attempting to make the leap from fashion design work into fiber art. Developing connections and learning from the people at TAC has been the most vital part of my progress. I am so grateful that a beautiful place like this exists in my world.”
- Sam Crow, Instructor
We love Kate Phillips’s interactive knitted rug piece, We Are In This Together, where friends of TAC are gathered around in conversation. Engaging in textile arts as a community practice of sharing knowledge and taking time to make or appreciate art is embedded in our DNA here at TAC.
“TAC is an anchor within the art and design community, always risk-taking and innovating the programs and offerings so they are fresh and relevant, keeping textiles practices visible and engaging. Most importantly and key to TAC’s success is that it is a community - welcome, open and inclusive to all. TAC has been key to my evolution as a textile artist and teacher, thank you!”
- Nicole Asselin, Teacher | Intern
“TAC is the beating heart of the textile and fiber arts community in NYC.”
- Elena Kanagy Loux, Teacher | Intern | AIR/WIP Alumni
“I believe that in providing a space for textiles learning and exploration, TAC is fostering a passionate community of artists who can share not just skills and techniques, but strengths and dreams as well.”
- Ying Cai, Student | Friend of TAC
“TAC is a unique space that offers a rich concentration of wisdom, access and resources around cultural traditions that are endangered by our current culture.”
- Kyra Berman Gestring, Teacher, Intern, Student, Staff
Thanks to the talents and expertise of our artists, TAC has become a place to gather and hold space; to learn and to teach; and to make and experience textile art that is meaningful, thought-provoking, and culturally relevant.
“I am so honored to be part of the TAC community. TAC was the first arts organization to give me the opportunity to share my love of botanical color as a natural dyeing instructor in 2013. Every time I lead a class I am pushed to learn new things and answer hard questions from our incredible students, interns, and residents. As much as I contribute to our community, I receive with dividends.”
- Natalie Stopka, Teacher | Intern | Student
Ten years into our journey, our commitment to unite and empower the textile community remains unwavering.
We are so grateful to all resident alumni, past staff, teachers, interns, students, mentors, critics, curators, academics, patrons, benefactors, past exhibitors, presenters, lecturers, collaborators, and friends. Your involvement at TAC continues to cultivate it as the vibrant, inclusive, empowering, and inspiring community that it is intended to be.
Thank you to all who came to celebrate our 10 Year Reunion Exhibition, and cheers to the next 10 years, of thinking, sharing, and making together.
Explore the TAC10 exhibition here.