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ONE of the kingdom’s oldest clubs is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year and, to mark the occasion, is inviting handcrafted textile postcards from all over the world.
Bahrain Garden Club (BGC) has reached out to patchwork and quilting artists from Bahrain and beyond to participate by sending one or more creations, 15cm x 10cm in size, and plans to display the collection in an exhibition next year.
The event is being staged under the theme ‘Find solace in the beauty of the garden’.
A postcard has a photograph or illustration on one side with space for a message on the other and can be sent through post without an envelope. Fabric postcards are sewn to resemble the paper cards and can feature vibrant designs, from embroidery to patchwork, beads and more.
“It’s the club’s 60th anniversary and it would feel like people are congratulating us and gifting us cards,” club executive board member and gardening enthusiast Irina Averinos told the GulfWeekly.
The Russian expatriate and artist, who has called Bahrain her home for 24 years, is the mind behind the initiative and practices the style as well.
“Textile postcards are trending globally and people like to make them for birthdays, Christmas and different festivals and gift them, or frame them. Not everyone prefers to do big patchworks so, this is an ideal size and takes less time,” Ms Averinos, who has volunteered at the club for over a decade, added.
“Some even stitch fabric stamps and sew the lines you see on postcards where you write the message, making them look realistic. It’s a nice way to recycle old material too as you can use leftover fabrics for this style like pieces of ribbon.”
The club has contacted several artists worldwide and is expecting submissions from countries, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Russia, Poland, and Germany.
“We have even approached the Japanese Embassy in Bahrain to help as Japanese style of fabrics and embroidery is different,” the Jurdaab resident revealed.
Established in 1965, BGC works to raise awareness and interest in gardening. It also aims to improve existing gardening methods, and provide a platform for exchanging information and experiences, through educational programmes and workshops for all ages, including the popular annual Bahrain International Garden Show.
“The 60th anniversary is definitely a milestone and opportunity to celebrate the club’s accomplishments over the decades,” club president Zahra Malik, who has volunteered for the last 40 years, said.
“Reflecting on my personal journey with the club over the last four decades, I marvel at the evolution from a college graduate and new mother to my current role as the chairperson for the last 16 years,” the Gulf region’s first woman horticulturist added.
BGC will host its annual luncheon on Tuesday (November 5) at Wyndham Grand Manama and tickets are now on sale. There will be programmes in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy and an exciting raffle.
Those who would like to send in postcards can follow @bahrain.garden.club on Instagram for more details.
