The Rockport Public Library will host the Maine Fibershed Festival from October 3 – 30 — a month-long exhibit complimented by special events focused on how Maine’s Soil-to-Soil fiber system weaves together a strong, stable, and connected community.

EVERYTHING KICKS OFF on Friday, Oct. 3, at 1 p.m. Earth Loom creator Susan Barrett Merrill and historical storyteller Cathi Belcher invite the public to attend the warping of an Earth Loom in the library’s lower level. The demonstration will include the story of how the art of weaving mirrors community-building. Attendees will have an opportunity to utilize Maine-grown fiber, reclaimed fabric, and local plants to add to a communal tapestry. Attendees will also be able to take home a free mini cardboard loom.

About the presenters:

Susan Barrett Merrill is a fiber sculptor and creator of the Earth Loom. She is best known for her book and workshops related to The Art of Weaving a Life: A Framework to Expand and Strengthen Your Personal Vision and for her fiber masks, many of which are housed in museums and private collections.

Cathi Belcher is an artist, writer, historical storyteller and the creator/organizer of “Harriet Lives!”, an organization dedicated to racial and restorative justice and education, giving interpretations of history as it really happened. Belcher is the official Curator of the Earth Loom at the Common Ground Fair, and an Artist in Residence at Fiber College in Searsport, Maine.

Please also join us at the Rockport Public Library for the Maine Fibershed Festival Day on Saturday, Oct. 25, with live demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and a keynote presentation by University of Maine soil scientist Dr. Alison King. 

CLICK HERE to learn more.