Family First Presented by Novant Health: Kente Inspired Paper Weaving and Card Making

Teaching artist Natalie Chanel leads an introductory class on the basic techniques of paper weaving and card making.

Create mixed media greeting cards for loved ones using the techniques of paper weaving, stamping and assemblage. Afterwards participants will draw on inspiration from the Kente cloth of Ghana and the weaving techniques found in the Carolinas and throughout the African diaspora. You will then learn to choose and create intricate patterns that are both pleasing to the eye and culturally significant as they craft a beautiful piece of art to take home.

About The Artist

Natalie Chanel is an artist, small business owner and a Visual Arts Specialist for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. She has ten years of experience working as an art teacher and teaching artist throughout the east coast and the Midwest. She received her B.F.A. degree from Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia and her M.A. degree from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

During the summer months, Natalie travels to different countries to learn about different ethnic cultural practices and the different textile and artistic traditions that have been passed down over time. During her traveling journey, she has developed a deep passion for observing, photographing and meeting different people from all over the world. She has photographed people and cultural traditions in Africa, Europe, Asia, South America and India. Some of her photographs can be found in two published books entitled: Las Tradicionales Viven by Ñawpa Yachayninchiskunaqa Kawsanmi (2018) and Heirs' Property in the African American Community by Anderson Jones (cover art-2013).

Currently, she is working on a photography project that sheds light on the murders of black men at the hands of law enforcement and spotlighting highly intelligent black males in high schools throughout the Charlotte public school system.

Family First is presented by Novant Health