Belonging is something human beings like to do and as a fibre artist I belong to a few Associations which reflect the work I do .

The International Felt Association,The Surface Design Association,The Knitting Association,etc etc

Rules keep these groups running smoothly but every so often a committee trys to get bigger than the members who the group consists of in the beginning and who pay.

The latest job worthy comes from the IFA who only has a very small membership of under 1000.00 felters. Of those few fellers even fewer ever have work in the gallery maybe no more than 20 of them over the last 5 years.

Now the new dictate has enforced the rule of only 30 words to describe your piece and no web addresses or links.

Crazy crazy crazy when one is doing the best to promote a craft to young people and an Association to join  but with outdated notions like this who can blame them for not joining.

It strikes me the IFA should find better things to do with our money then stands at shows because that does not seem to be increasing numbers or decent workshops.We hear about the new training schemes but it is only the select few who have anything to do with this as yet —what a waste of money and time for the Association.

Better exhibitions open to more felters  more communication between felters and last but not least a public members list.

It is 2011 after all so sorry if you want the flowing words with the garments they will no longer be part of the gallery as the committee states,no links to find more work by that artist (heaven forbid that may be seen as free advertising ) so what asad little gallery it is going to become .

My work however can be seen at http://chrissieday.co.uk