Join me on December 7th for a visit to our local Smithsonian Museum of Natural History for this amazing exhibit and crochet workshop (I promise that this will be very cool…even for knitters who may or may not be “fond” of crochet.) For an environmental nut AND fiber artist, this is super exciting! I have been stalking this exhibit since I heard about it in New York.
We will meet at the museum and grab late lunch / dinner afterwards at Matchbox, if you are interested in sticking around that late. Here are the super detailed details:
WHAT: DC Crochets a Coral Reef – Lecture and Workshop
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 7th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm (Please note that due to a class conflict, I will not arrive until 2:30 p.m.)
Lecture: 1:00pm – 2:15pm
Workshop: 2:30pm – 5:00pm
WHERE: The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History; 10th
St. and Constitution Ave., NW (Closest Metro
Stations: Federal Triangle, Archives/Navy Memorial, and
Smithsonian)
Lecture: Baird Auditorium, Ground Floor, Main
Building
Workshop: Cathy Kerby Room, Third Floor, East
Court
Free and open to the public
Margaret Wertheim, a physicist, journalist and co-founder of the
Institute For Figuring, discusses her crochet coral reef project – an
effort that draws on art, mathematics, and science to bring the world’s
attention to the plight of coral reefs. Wertheim is joined by Nancy
Knowlton, the Museum’s Sant Chair for Marine Science, who will discuss
coral reef conservation.
Following the lecture, Wertheim demonstrates the “hyperbolic” crochet
techniques used to create a dazzling woolen reef. Check out these pictures of the crochet reef during exhibitions in New York,
Chicago, Pittsburgh, and at The Hayward gallery in London.
The crochet workshop, led by Wertheim, is for participants of all skill
levels. Crochet experience is not required. Supplies will be provided,
but if you have yarn you would like to work with, please bring it. Those
interested in attending the workshop should meet in Baird Auditorium
following the discussion, and will be escorted by museum staff to the
workshop location.
