African Fabric Lady

Christine Covert/Isa2 Jobarteh , classroom art project, New Jeswang, The Gambia 2005

The Adinkra Moon Over Sun Symbolizes Partnership

My WEB STORE is located at www.africanfabricsales.com

My first trip to Africa in 1995 seeded a desire to share the aesthetics of the Experience in African through the medium of its fabrics. My curiosity led me to study scholarly writing where it could be found regarding traditional and emerging practices in African Textile History. My color sense and design sense are continually challenged when I apprehend new factory printed designs. The artisans, whether efficiently mass producing by hand the popular “Tchup” (pot dyed fabric) that changes with Fashion or lavishing long hours hand embroidering abstract designs onto bridal skirt wrappers, further their place in the world market through their efforts, producing designs that are startling in their scale or combinations of color. Truly wonderful is appearance of the bright and swirling garments in the ever changing sea of people encountered in the village and urban landscape, in the busy markets and festive local ceremonies.

Here we will talk about the fabric in its everyday practicality. Here I will share the fruits of my scholarly interests, and send you off looking for more information to inform your efforts. Here you may also share your thoughts or questions, and here you can also address someone else’s questions or share a picture of something you have made using African fabric.

Here I will post the link to a brief weekly radio program I present through an African music program called Mostly Manding, and link you to its archives. Here also will I share with you some of my own creative efforts in the Pages called My African Photographs and in My Africa Paintings.

This site is the work of Christine Covert, whose life long interest in Africa has brought her to this point. She is inspired by such writings as this my Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.’ We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”, Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3])