Kathryne Gardette

Kathryne learned to put needle to canvas from her grandmother, who learned it from her mother, who learned it from her mother. Items made, designed from one's imagination many times for a utilitarian purpose: an eyeglass case, a pillowcase, a table cover. For generations the women in her family have tenaciously created items of beauty with their heart and hands. Workshops in needle arts along with shared information from fellow guild members advances her learning.

Kathryne fuses folk art traditions from Ghana and America creating a cultural expression uniquely African-American.

Her designs incorporate adinkras, the Ghanaian philosophical writing symbols representing the philosophy and vision of everyday life. Inspired to find "the" symbol or symbols to represent a story heard, a site seen and/or emotion felt the symbols(s) selected are executed intuitively in traditional crafts: appliqué, needlepoint, embroidery, needle-weaving, punch-needle and/or traditional hooking.

She enjoys working with natural fibers of silk, linen, cotton and wool. As her hands manipulate fiber, her mind knows women have been doing the same crafts for centuries. Her tenacity of continuing these traditions connects her to the ancestors and to the future.

In addition to her fiber work, Kathryne presents educational programming as a member of Drums for Peace and is a producer of Business-to-Business communication; she is committed to numerous boards and organizations reflecting her passion for the arts, education and community development.

Residency Title: Folk Art Adinkra - Needlepoint Nkyinkyin
Residency Length: Two weeks (10 day TIP grant)
Grade Level: 4th and 5th grade

This residency introduces participants to two forms of folk art linking their historical and artistic merit to core content areas. 

• Adinkra symbols that are the visual representation of Ghanaian social thought relating to the history, philosophy and religious beliefs of the Akan people of Ghana, West Africa and
  
  
• Needlepoint, also known as canvas work or tapestry work, a form of needle arts that is worked with thread on a canvas mesh.  The history of needlepoint can be traced to the ancient Egyptians.

The participants develop through experience the ability to stitch the basic of all stitches in needlepoint.

Tent stitches
A group of three stitches forming the most basic of all needlepoint stitches that look the same from the right side of the canvas their difference is in the direction they are stitched.
 
Half Cross
Stitched from left to right.  The canvas back is straight stitches.

Horizontal Tent (Continental)
Stitched from right to left.  The canvas back is slanted stitches.

Diagonal Tent (Basketweave)
Stitched on the diagonal.  The canvas back has the look of a woven fiber.

Examples of: canvas, threads, needles and completed projects are touched and viewed by each participant.  These items becoming items in the reference library during the residency.

The adinkra symbol participants will stitch in needlepoint is Nkyinkyin.  Nkyinkyin’s literal translation is twistings; it is a symbol of adaptability.  Nkyinkyin is a popular symbol in Ghana as it represents a person’s ability to adapt and change effectively in life, an admired characteristic by the Akan. 

Nkyinkyin’s proverb is:  If a tree cannot bend in the wind, it will break. 

At the onset Kathryne expresses the expectations as guidelines for time together.

• Active Listening – Background of oral tradition and the importance of listening for instruction.
  
  
• Ago/Ame – Call and response activity for gaining focus of participants.  Ago-I need your attention, I have something important to share with you. Ame-You have my attention, I am silent awaiting your comment.
  
  
• CAN’T - Verbal agreement not to use the word can’t during residency.

The Chinese proverb: “I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand” guides engagement of participants during the residency.  Asking and answering questions provides and opportunity to introduce terminology and principles, receive feedback on clarity of communication and to see their creations in progress.