p o r t r a it b y
Robbie M e Claran
Aurelie Tu, shown in
her Portland, Oregon,
home, designs felt
vessels, rugs, and other
functional objects that
are constructed by
women at a Y W C A
homeless shelter.
Right:
Diamond bowls, 2010
watcrjct-cut and
handwoven wool felt
6
x
6
in.
IN OCTOBER, TH REE HOMELESS
w o m e n in th e ir 20s g a th e re d in
a com m on room at a Y W C A in
P o rtla n d , O re g o n , fo r w h a t
A u re lie T u , fo u n d e r o f C ra fte d -
S y ste m s, calls a “ w e a v e .” O v e r
a fe w h o u rs, th e w o m e n learn ed
a c ra ft, co n n e c te d w ith each
o th e r, w o r k e d w ith th e ir hands,
and earn ed a little m o n e y - all
w h ile h elp in g d esig n e r T u c re -
ate lam p sh ad es, ru gs, v e sse ls,
and m ore.
T u ’s b u sin ess m od el is p e r-
haps as in v e n tiv e as h e r c ra ft.
F o r tw o o r th ree co n se c u tiv e
d ays e v e r y co u p le o f m on th s,
she co n d u cts a w e a v e , and
w o m e n fro m th e Y ’s sh elter
are paid b y th e p ie ce to c o n -
stru ct th e fe lt o b je cts so ld b y
C ra fte d S y ste m s. T h e resu lt is
h a n d cra ft p ro d u ctio n th at yield s
m ore than b ea u tifu l h om e
accesso rie s; it is also an o c c a -
sion fo r train in g , co m m u n ity,
e v e n h ealin g.
T h e w o m e n w h o liv e at th e
Y ’s sh e lter are tran sitio n in g
fro m p riso n , re c o v e rin g fro m
d ru g ad d ictio n , o r escap in g d o -
m estic abuse. T y p ic a lly th ree to
five o f th e resid en ts p a rticip ate
in each w e a v e , b u t fo r larg e r
o rd ers th e re m ay b e up to 10.
“ T h e y start w ith a p ile o f p a rts,”
says T u , “ and a fte r a w h ile th e y
h a ve all th e se ve ssels aro u n d .”
S arah , lo o k in g fo r w o r k w h ile
she stays at th e Y , sa y s, “ Y o u
g e t a sen se o f acco m p lish m en t
a fte r y o u see th e shape ta k e
form . It’s re a lly n eat and fee ls
g o o d .” S h e ’ s q u ic k to sp eak ,
th o u gh sh e lo o k s a little w o rn ,
as i f sh e has seen m ore o f life
than o th ers in th e ir mid-20S.
H e r h ands w o r k w ith e ffic ie n c y
and d eterm in atio n .
F la t p ie ce s o f fe lt th at h a ve
b een lo c a lly w a te rje t- o r d ie-cu t
in to tw o -d im e n sio n al g e o m e tric
p attern p ie ce s are th e o n ly m a-
terials n e e d e d ,a n d T u teach es
th e w o m e n h o w to fit h er d e -
signs to g e th e r.
C ra fte d S y ste m s h o p es to do
w e ll b y d o in g g o o d . T h e co m -
p a n y p u ts m o n e y d ire c tly in to
th e p o ck e ts o f h o m eless w o m e n
050
american craft
fcb/m arn
Vessel photos (4): Lincoln Barbour
