We in Southern Vermont are very lucky that the Southern Vermont Art Center is the first arts organization in the US to exhibit The Red Dress. This is a wonderful, profound exhibit that you should not miss. The exhibit is on display until September, 23, 2023.

Kirstie Macleod is a British artist who conceived of the Red Dress project 14 years ago.  It evolved into a 13-year global project involving 343 women and seven men from 46 countries who embroidered their diverse stories, histories, hopes and traditions in stitching.  Over one third live in poverty or are emerging from civil war.  Some are commissioned for their work, which enables them in many ways to enrich their lives:  purchasing a goat; building a simple home; earning a decent living to help themselves and their families.

The extraordinary and colorful embroideries share many difficult circumstances.  There are refugees from Palestine and Syria, victims of war from Kosovo, Rwanda and DR Congo, women from Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico, women seeking asylum.  The embroiderers also share their hopes and love, poetry and similarities, whether from Egypt, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, Kenya or Ukraine.  All hope for peace and well-being in a world without borders.

There are two short videos that are well worth watching, showing women from different countries: Chiapas, Mexico; Bedouins from the Sinai Dessert and more, celebrating the dress, some wearing the dress, others embroidering on it.  Kirstie Macleod brings the finished dress where she is able, to show the women who have their work on it, and introduce it to more stitchers.   Also, on the wall in the gallery are informative posters of some of the embroiderers, arranged from the beginning of the project to the end.

Kirstie Macleod has fostered and facilitated an extraordinary work of profound, Interglobal communication and art for the world to see that there is beauty and love in the hearts of human beings.

A Vermont Connection

Kirstie also created Calico Dresses (made of muslin), first in Wales, where she lives, and for the exhibit in Vermont. The dresses are then embroidered on by women around the country (as in Wales) or state (Vermont).  Her plan is to create a Calico Dress for each exhibition (next in Massachusetts, and then Pennsylvania), and eventually exhibit all the dresses together.

Vermont embroiderers were invited to add their designs to the Calico Dress. Several AAUW members, who get together monthly to embroider, added their own embroidery to the Calico Dress:  Althea Church, Carole Kelley, Leslie Solook, Berta Winiker and Carolyn Webb.

Website:  www.reddressembroidery.com

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