The 238 Textile Collective began as a dream of artist and teacher, Eva Camacho-Sanchez. In the fall of 2019, she invited a group of artists into her studio, Room 238 of the historic Eastworks building in Easthampton, MA. They gathered monthly to study textile arts. Eva shared her process, philosophy, and techniques, inspiring the group to go out in their own directions.

As COVID moved up the East Coast from NYC to MA, Eva encouraged the group to meet even more frequently through the use of online technology. This forced the group to re-think ideas of community, commitment, and art making as the world spun out of control. Eva was the thread that kept the group from unraveling.  In this virtual way, the group established agreements for learning from each other, sharing techniques, and offering support to encourage one another to carry on. The group became a collective in action before deciding to formally name themselves one. 

The 238 Textile Collective is committed to stepping into a larger sphere of the textile art world where there are opportunities to share more broadly, to encourage, and to create a hub for support. The Collective recognizes their art as expressiom, and as a form of collaboration as. They have created a fellowship that enriches, encourages, and inspires.

We are guided by this Korean proverb:

“Even a sheet of paper is lighter when two people lift it.”