Local artist plans trip to Mongolia to help create businesses
Felting is mostly a hobby here in the U.S., but it's a home building necessity for famlies in Mongolia.
That's where a local woman is headed taking her knowledge of technology to help make a difference for women.
Lisa Jacenich owns an art studio in Monterey called Artful Gifts.
She felts as a craft using locally sheered wool, but she's taking her art from Highland County to Mongolia to make a difference for women.
Lisa's felting is used to create colorful clothing and accessories, but in Mongolia she says women use extremely basic techniques to felt wool to as siding to their huts.
"The Mongolians are fine felters. They’re expert in their craft," Jacenich explained.
However, what she creates using three machines takes them hours upon hours using hand and horses.
So, she's been asked to travel to Mongolia with this technology and to teach the natives.
"It’s just as if you were say crocheting something at home. If you were just making it for yourself then that's one thing. If you're going to do it on a larger scale, then you need the efficiencies of mechanization to make it a viable business," Jacenich said.
The Mongolian project actually begins next week in England, when Jacenich and her husband travel there for the International Felt Makers Association conference, where they're hoping to gain international attention and support ahead of their trip to Mongolia, that's scheduled in mid-May
Jacenich will stay in Mongolia for about a month teaching women this new technique.
She says she never though her art would take her around the world and help establish impoverished women.
"Many of the women over there are unemployed. so to be able to help women create a business that will give them a sense of value, and bring products to the market that will be of value, is an incredible honor, and an opportunity and I’m very blessed to be able to do that."
Jacenich's husband, a former journalist, is also making the trip to document the experience.
That's where a local woman is headed taking her knowledge of technology to help make a difference for women.
Lisa Jacenich owns an art studio in Monterey called Artful Gifts.
She felts as a craft using locally sheered wool, but she's taking her art from Highland County to Mongolia to make a difference for women.
Lisa's felting is used to create colorful clothing and accessories, but in Mongolia she says women use extremely basic techniques to felt wool to as siding to their huts.
"The Mongolians are fine felters. They’re expert in their craft," Jacenich explained.
However, what she creates using three machines takes them hours upon hours using hand and horses.
So, she's been asked to travel to Mongolia with this technology and to teach the natives.
"It’s just as if you were say crocheting something at home. If you were just making it for yourself then that's one thing. If you're going to do it on a larger scale, then you need the efficiencies of mechanization to make it a viable business," Jacenich said.
The Mongolian project actually begins next week in England, when Jacenich and her husband travel there for the International Felt Makers Association conference, where they're hoping to gain international attention and support ahead of their trip to Mongolia, that's scheduled in mid-May
Jacenich will stay in Mongolia for about a month teaching women this new technique.
She says she never though her art would take her around the world and help establish impoverished women.
"Many of the women over there are unemployed. so to be able to help women create a business that will give them a sense of value, and bring products to the market that will be of value, is an incredible honor, and an opportunity and I’m very blessed to be able to do that."
Jacenich's husband, a former journalist, is also making the trip to document the experience.
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