We can’t help but be inspired by mothers everywhere, everyday. As Mother’s Day falls on this coming Sunday in the UK and several other countries, we thought we’d highlight one textile studio that truly treasures the maternal bond. Tamay & Me is a design studio based between Bristol and Vietnam that strives to celebrate motherly inspiration by recreating traditional Vietnamese embroidery patterns with highly intricate techniques passed down through generations.
This studio was born out of collaboration between two artisans who shared a love of embroidery. In 2008 when founders Tamay and Hannah met to work on a piece of embroidery together, Tamay taught Hannah how to make Red Dzao embroidery, just as she taught her daughter and as her mother taught her. With heritage found in the small mountain village of Taphin in North Vietnam, Tamay works with the Red Dzao people there who identify themselves through their beautiful, meticulous embroidery.
The motherly figure is key to the people of Taphin. Each year a woman in the village will make a whole set of new clothes for herself and her family to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The more beautiful the embroidery, the more respect a woman will have in the village. Often decorative symbols represent village life, featuring images of rice paddies, trees, children, parents and grandparents.
Ever since they met, Tamay and Hannah have been using this technique to encourage women across the world to be aware of and maintain their textile heritage so often passed down by the mother of the household. This Mother’s Day is just one more excuse to stop and appreciate all that mothers do for future generations of craft.
Tamay & Me will be exhibiting at The Selvedge Fair in Bath 25 March, admission £5
To purchase your ticket in advance, follow this link: http://www.selvedge.org/shop/march-25-selvedge-spring-fair-bath
www.tamayandme.com
