Sixth grade students at Stone Academy in West Rogers Park participated in the second annual iteration of this program in fall 2015. Created in collaboration with the Minasian Rug Company, the World Weavers program with teaching artist Bill Eller allows students to research the fine art of rug making, explore the cultures from where the world’s finest rugs are made, and examine the elements of art and principles of design. Students supplemented their learning with a field trip to Minasian Rug Company in Evanston, where they viewed rugs from around the world and tied knots on a loom.
This year’s program focused on the theme of narratives; students created their own rug designs incorporating a narrative of their choice – final products depicted everything from Disney movies to The Great Gatsby and folkloric stories. On December 16, 2015, all the final artworks were displayed in a culminating event at the school, and experts from Minasian Rug Company selected two winning designs to be sent to Afghanistan and woven into reality. Simultaneously, the completed rugs from last year’s winning designs were unveiled at the December event, giving students and the school community an opportunity to see what their work can become.
Photos by Alayna Kudalis.