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Make a date in your diary to catch the final lecture in a fascinating series organised by the Constance Howard Resource Centre in Textiles in association with Selvedge. Environmental sculptor Janet Echelman (Selvedge, issue 12) will discuss the relationship between textiles, architecture and her own innovative practice. Her sculptures respond to forces such as wind and water. Recent commissions include the 1.6 million dollar waterfront wind sculpture in Porto Portigal. Goldsmiths College, London, SE14, Tickets, £10, students £3, Selvedge readers £8, T: 020 7717 2210, www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/constance-howard, Sat 16 June.

Baba Issaka, a Master Fante Asafo Flag maker from Ghana was Artist-inResidence at Greenwich College during March. Born in Swedru in 1967 Baba was apprenticed to his father, also a flag maker, at the age of ten to continue the family tradition. Sadly his arrival in London seems to have been treated as something of a state secret by Greenwich council and news of his open studios made available to only a select few. On a brighter note a reminder of his rare visit remains in London, in the form of commemorative flags created by Baba to mark the bi-centenary of the abolition of slavery and the 50th anniversary of Ghanaian independance.

Fante Flags, Horniman Museum, T: 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk

My Wonderwool

There is a lot of talk these days about the need to help the planet by buying local food and cutting down on air miles. It seemed obvious to Lesley Wickham that we should also encourage people to return to local natural fibres. In the UK, this means wool and so serious was Lesley about the issue, that the former spinner began rearing her own sheep. She now has a farm in the Welsh mountains where her own coloured flocks roam and she produces hand and machine knitting yarn, throws, jumpers, hats and chunky peg-loom rugs from their fleece; she will be exhibiting at Wonderwool Wales this Spring, as part of a packed programme of workshops and demonstrations from textile makers and producers all celebrating the creative and imaginative uses of Welsh wool. Wonderwool Wales 2007, Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, Powys, Wales, www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk, 19-20 May, Sat 9-6, Sun 9-5.30.

selvedge.org

Richard Nicholson