Kazakh felt makers hone their skills during a three day EF sponsored design seminar.
In cooperation with Chevron Corporation and British Council Kazakhstan, Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia recently hosted a three-day design seminar for felt artists, led by Philip O’Reilly, a British artist and an expert in felt design. Twenty professional artisans from rural districts of Almaty and southern Kazakh oblasts had an opportunity to apply new tools and techniques to generate new design ideas.
The seminar is part of the three-year Kazakhstan Artisan Support Program (KASP) launched by Chevron Corporation and Eurasia Foundation in February 2006 to promote handicrafts as a means to self-sufficiency. KASP offers entrepreneurs the chance to strengthen their skills, visibility and selling potential on both domestic and international markets. This particular seminar addressed the needs of local craftsmen and was the first project of an ambitious training program planned within KASP for this year.
“… lately my creativity had hit a wall. At the training, Philip O’Reilly shared a huge amount of material with us. Now I’m filled with new ideas, and I’m anxious to return to my workshop to turn those ideas into new crafts.” said Kalipa Asanakunova, an expert in felt making from Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
