Summertime and the living is "Kush."
Sunday I took a Sahar and a Khamseh on a field trip outside to be photographed in front of the gallery. The sun was brilliant and the vegetal dyes shimmered in the afternoon light.
Many people inquire about the attributes of dyes utilized in Oriental carpets. We carefully choose pieces with color fast vegetal or highly quality Swiss chrome dyes that will hold up to use and sunlight. Of course any textile exposed to a great deal of sun will fade, but the curvature should be a natural evolution not a drastic shift.
Poor quality rugs are made with Aniline dyes as a way to cut costs and these pieces are susceptible to color run and extreme fading. Some rug insiders refer to low quality dyes as "fugitive dyes" which conjures up an image of dyes on the run, literally.
Pedestrians strolling by enjoyed the rug show and a chance to view carpets in a somewhat unusual environment. It is always a pleasure to field an unexpected question and to engage those that would not normally walk into Kush gallery. I often find that people are curious about rugs, but sometimes are intimidated by their unfamiliarity with the art form.
Each journey begins with many questions. Fine rugs are a broad and diverse medium with many nuances that even rug scholars disagree on amongst themselves. I learn more about rugs every day and in the end I buy for the gallery and myself with the same tool, my heart.
Radish is an amazing boutique chock full of lamps, jewelry, art, and clothing that you are not going to find any where else in P-town. The vibe reminds me of the best up and coming galleries in Brooklyn, NY. Fun, fresh, with a clear sense of individual style.
They even have a Kush, Terra rug gracing their dressing room floor. Nice!
Paul Thomson walks the Radish catwalk. Grrr! Radish is located at: 414 SW 10th ave. in downtown Portland, a great area for local owned shops.
Thanks to Tod Foulk of Semper Fashion for including Kush in his booth at Portland's Better Living Show. Tod has long been a supporter of sustainable, eco friendly fashion and fits perfectly with the hand-made, organic, fair trade, ideas behind our gallery.
Portland is renown for its rich and diverse music scene. Kush was pleased to host the Penny Jam, who filmed local artist Boy Meets Drum Machine.
You can also view the video along with many other Portland based musician's at: http://www.thepennyjam.com/
John Ragel is a richly talented one man band. His performances are popping with energy and the music will move you. If you have an opportunity to catch him live, do!
This December Kush Hand-knotted Carpets will donate 50% of every sale of South Asian Patchwork Textiles to Progressive Women's Association in Pakistan. The PWA provides shelter,medical care, legal assistance and counseling to women victims of abuse in the region.
The unique textiles are hand-made from colorful, sequined and embroidered remnants and scraps of saris and ceremonial garments-- the ultimate expression of recycling as art.
They were a sell-out last year during the holiday season as they make wonderful and meaningful gifts. There are 50 pieces available through this program, and the cost of $120 each. If all are sold Kush will send $3000 to the assistance of women in South Asia-- a great contribution.
As owners of a business that relies on individuals, families and communities throughout South Asia and the Middle East, Brian and Rebecca of Kush Hand-knotted Carpets feel called to do what they can in support of the health and wellbeing of the most vulnerable in these regions. For this reason Kush supports groups like Rugmark and Care and Fair, dedicated to ensuring fair pay, safe work environments, and age standards for the weavers of Kush carpets.
The problem of violence against women in weaving countries is a less publicized injustice. Each year thousands of women are victims of abuse throughout South Asia. The recent story about an attack against Pakistani real estate agent, written by the New York Time's Nicholas Kristof presented an opportunity for action. Progressive Women's Association in Pakistan, the small but inspiring organization led by Shahnaz Bukhari, has worked for nearly a decade to give Pakistani women a voice in a society that has long silenced them.
To show your support in this endeavor stop by Kush gallery, select one of these wonderful works of art by Rajasthani women, and help Kush lend a hand to the Progressive Women's Association.
Kush was very excited to be included in Portland Fashion Week. Our rugs added a bit of "kush" to the VIP lounge, fitting right in with the eco-sustainable theme of the show.
Rich, chocalate toned furniture paired with a Kush Oushak from Afghanistan. Good enough to eat, or at least have a cocktail on...
One of our Tibetan rugs provided the back drop for an impromptu fashion shoot.
Rugs on the wall how terribly chic. Hope everyone had as much fun at the show as we did!
We are proud to announce our position as retail sponsor and marketing partner of Rugmark, a non-profit organization working to end illegal child labor in the carpet industry and to offer educational opportunities to children in South Asia. Every month we send a portion of our proceeds to this important foundation. At Kush, we believe that "green" products are not only environmentally safe and sustainable, as all Kush Carpets are, but also represent cultural and societal safety and sustainability. This is what makes our business so unique and special: by supporting weavers in their craft we- each one of us- are green in the global market. We are voting with our dollars for a world that values quality, dignity, and longevity over disposability, mass production and uniformity.
Check out our spotlight article at the Rugmark site: https://www.goodweave.org/spotlight_det.php?interview_id=51
Modern doesn't have to be dark or cold as this brilliant Tibetan rug proves. Warm red and orange with a slightly askew design this is modern design at its best.
