Vermont Reads Events

Starting from the text of Charity and Sylvia, we’ll look at the aesthetic choices available to Charity and Sylvia and explore how American LGBTQ+ artists have used fiber as a medium of expression, visibility and remembrance. Beyond the practical aspects of how a fabric functions, we’ll explore how fabric is designed for beauty and delight. We’ll peek into monumental twentieth-century craftivist projects, like the AIDS Memorial Quilt, highlight some under recognized queer figures in American fiber arts and explore how contemporary queer fiber artists use some of the techniques appearing in Charity and Sylvia in their own works.

More sheep than people? Silkworms in Vermont? Join artist Pamela Wilson for an in-depth exploration of the Vermont fibers that feature in Charity and Sylvia’s work as rural tailors. We’ll explore the textile trends and innovations that feature in the book and Pamela will bring a variety of spinning and weaving tools to explore.