Beautiful handwoven textiles from Sardinia's true handweavers — and more!
Welcome to the world of Sardinian Arts!
Explore the indescribable beauty of handwoven Sardinian textiles, see the loving and painstaking artistry of their creation, meet the tessitrici artigianali — the unique women who maintain the tradition of a nearly-lost art— and glimpse just a bit of Sardinia’s majesty.
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The textiles you find here are museum-quality works of art made with love and care by women who have dedicated their lives to the nearly-lost art of traditional handweaving: the tessitrici artigianali of Sardinia.
Woven one at a time, on looms powered entirely by hand and foot, these unique textiles are technically precise, astonishingly beautiful, and possess an unquantifiable essence that serves as a portal to something we seek yet may not be able to describe.
This indescribable quality is invisible in a photo, yet the essence and true beauty of a handwoven textile becomes tangible when you hold the weaving in your hands—and even when you see the textile across a room. You feel the anima, the spirit of the weaver, present in every article she weaves.
Yes, the anima of art, the artist, the culture is present in all art. And that the weavers and textiles featured here are Sardinian is a crucial element of the incommunicable essence of their quiet splendor.
Sardinia is an ancient and powerful land, as overlooked and understated as her handweavers. The spirit, the strength, the wisdom, the nature, the beauty, and the history of the island are beyond words. This ineffable anima of Sardinia is present in the the food, the ancient buildings, the stories, the art, the weavings— and every moment and every act of Sardinia’s people.
Sardinian Arts and this website seek to bring this to you.
Read more on the page The Magic of Handweaving and Sardinia.
Traditional Sardinian handwoven textiles are uniquely beautiful in their design and creation. The artistry and the intrinsic quality of the handmade are apparent. Your appreciation grows when you understand how the weavings are created.
Handweaving is demanding and time-intensive. It requires patience, engineering skill, and physical strength. Weaving involves many steps, and progress is slow. The weavings are made with care, attention, and respect for the old ways. The results — rugs, wall hangings, tablecloths, bedspreads, pillow shams, bags, and more — are unparalleled.
See the page The Art of Handweaving to learn how these amazing textiles are created.
See the page Meet the Artists to meet the tessitrici artigianali, the women handweavers who continue this nearly-lost art.
In Sardinia, handweaving is an ancient and revered art, one so complex and magical that legends say the Jana (fairies) taught Sardinian women how to construct looms and weave.
The tessitrici artigianali — the women weavers who work by hand in the old ways — are truly extraordinary, and rare. Only a handful remain working as professionals on the island.
Learn more about these unique, independent, and wonderful women on the page Meet the Artists, which is a portal to their work and contact information.
Sardinia, handweaving, the tessitrici artigianali, how they weave, Sardinia’s people, and more — there’s so much to explore.
While there’s a wealth of information on the main pages of this website, check the News and Events section for more, including definitions, tour information, articles, and regular updates. Also see the following pages.
Speaking and Teaching Engagements
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© Kelly Manjula Koza unless otherwise noted.