CONTENTS: 1. SAORI Worcester Partnership Sites 2. USA-Canada Network 3. World SAORI Networking 4. Articles, Videos, other Media 5. Other "Friends of SAORI"

     Current Members of the SAORI Worcester Partnership Site Program

(see documents page for program details)

1. Alternatives is a Central MA agency that builds "community life for people with disabilities." They have launched a 4-loom Saori studio that offers regular public mini-courses for people with and without disabilities, taught by volunteer Katie Stark. For more info contact Alternatives administrator Tom Saupé
2. L'Amitient is a residential therapeutic farm (with an active weaving studio) in Québec, Canada, serving adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Contact: Site Coach Shelley Mathews
3. Assabet Valley Collaborative is a non-profit educational entity comprising nine school districts representing thirteen towns, that obtains and provides high quality, cost-effective services to students with special needs. SAORI programs are in place at two of their programs: REACH Program serves students who have severe and profound, multiple disabilities within four host school sites located within public schools. Evolution serves students who have completed their content requirements but have not or will not receive a high school diploma and thus remain eligible for special education beyond their 12th grade year. For more info, contact on-site SAORI coach Karen Laskey.

4. Boys & Girls Club of Worcester has an after-school SAORI program open to all interested youth, supported by volunteer Saori Worcester Studio Member Joan Kariko and students from the College of the Holy Cross. Email Shauree Allotey (Cultural Arts Director) for more info.

5. College of the Holy Cross Chaplain's Office uses SAORI weaving during spiritual retreats, as well as on campus to allow students to cultivate a reflective, creative, and meditative mood, and in preparing students for community service (See Boys and Girls Club Partnership Site above) For more info contact Chaplain MaryBeth Kearns-Barrett.
6. Cranston ARC  in Cranston, RI is a non-profit human services organization "established in 1965 to provide children and adults with developmental disabilities the means to lead full and productive lives." SAORI is now a resource within their Supported Employment program, guided by on-site coach Kristina Skog-Pelland
7. Devereux Massachusetts is a residential learning center in Rutland, MA for young people with emotional and behavioral challenges, part of a larger network of such centers in the USA. For info contact Education Director Sherri Lynn Macneil
8. Dismas Family Farm complements the other Dismas programs serving former prisoners.. Designed to be self-supporting, this working farm produces crops, animals, and finished wood products, as well as jams, granola, and candles produced for winter revenues. Goods are marketed through a variety of venues, with residents assisting in managing production, crafts (including SAORI), and sales. Residents maintain the farmhouse in Dismas tradition, and are additionally trained in crop production, animal husbandry, barn management, woodshop skills, production of finished farm goods, and marketing strategies and approaches. For more info, contact Farm Steward Ward Holloway
9. Highland Grace House, a residential program for adolescent girls in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and abuse, is part of Community Healthlink, a comprehensive human services agency in Worcester, MA. For more info, email program director Melanie Amir
10. Krempels Brain Injury Foundation SteppingStones Program is a community-based day program for people living with brain injury from trauma, tumor or stroke. The program emphasizes health, wellness, & empowering members toward occupation or meaning after injury. Members improve skills, build friendships, receive support, link up with community resources, & explore life interests. Contact Program Co-ordinators and Saori Coaches Carol Davis and Barb Kresge.
11. Lokelani'Ohana is an intentional community on Maui, HI, dedicated to education and community building with children, youth, and adults who have developmental disabilities. It is inspired by the Camphill Community movement guided by the ideas of Rudolf Steiner.  For more info, email Director Christina Chang or Partnership Site Coach Dana Allen.
12. The Rugby School at Woodfield, near Wall, NJ, works with special education students, and uses SAORI for therapeutic and artistic development. Contact Nancy Atlas for more info.
13. St. Francis House is a homeless shelter off Boston Common that uses SAORI within their expressive therapy program and their women's counseling program. For more info, email art therapist & SAORI coach Linda Dolph
14. SCARC, in Sussex County, NJ, serves people of all ages with developmental disabilities, and includes SAORI weaving among its recreation and self-expression offerings at a variety of county locations.
15. Seven Hills Foundation is a pioneering human service organization with programs in locations throughout Central MA. "Seven Hills Foundation works to advance and sponsor rehabilitative, housing, educational, healthcare, social, and related services on behalf of person with physical, developmental, emotional, or other life challenges."  SAORI programs are being integrated into 5 Programs: Therapeutic Work Options, Devens Day Habilitation, Worcester Day Habilitation, Adult Day Health, and People Exploring Possibilities. For more info on these programs, email Assistant V.-P. Maribeth Fisher
16. South Community High School, a Worcester Public School, teaches SAORI using table looms already owned by the school system. At the moment, SAORI is part of the Art program for Special Education students, but is expected to become part of the regular Art program as well, and to be a vehicle for Arts Integration into other academic disciplines. Site Coach: SPED teacher Deb Tyborowski
17. Walnut Street Center   in Somerville, MA, provides comprehensive support services for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Email Barbara Provest to learn more about her SAORI explorations with people there.
18. Willow Hill School in Sudbury, MA is an independent school that "provides a supportive and individualized educational program for middle and high school students who are capable of advancing along a strong academic curriculum and have experienced frustration in earlier school settings." For more info contact Art teacher Racheal Mars-Bailey
19. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)'s Student Development and Counseling Center uses SAORIi in its relaxroom to help students cope with stress & discover new aspects of themselves. More info: contact Site Coach Debbie Bordage

USA-Canada SAORI Network

THIS LIST HAS BEEN RE-ARRANGED TO CORRESPOND TO CATEGORIES USED AT SAORIGLOBAL.COM

Studios (in addition to SAORI Worcester) that are Registered with SAORI no Mori / Sakaiseikisangyo in Japan, which licenses international use of the SAORI trademark and manufactures SAORI looms.

• Peg Kimple of Highland Mills, NY works with seniors, youths facing challenges, and people with various disabilities. She offers SAORI classes at her home.to the general public.
• The Art League of Alexandria, VA offers SAORI courses led by Raquel Rosa. From the League's website: "The Art League, Inc., founded in 1954, is a multifaceted, nonprofit visual arts organization based in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. The Art League seeks to stimulate and encourage artists by operating a gallery with many opportunities for members, including monthly juried shows of members work, other chances for exhibition of work and many educational possibilities. The Art League also operates a school with more than 2000 students per term and a supply store for the purchase of art supplies by students and members. The Art League currently has approximately 1000 members."
• Falmouth Art Center (Cape Cod, MA) will soon be offering SAORI classes to the public. Contact Director Suzy Bergmann for more info.
• L'atelier D'artisanat du Centre-Ville in Montreal, Quebec, CANADA  holds SAORI classes for people with various disabilities.

WORLD SAORI NETWORKING

• saoriexplorers is a worldwide English-language Yahoo free networking group. It’s independent of any Saori studio or organization. To be accepted as a member, you only have to express some interest in Saori so we know you are not a computer! Join by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saoriexplorers/ The group Files section includes a database that can help you find others interested in Saori near you; there are also many terrific photos!
  You can send and receive messages with your own email program (individual messages, or a daily digest, or just special notices) so you don't need to go online for that.

• SAORI on Facebook: Once you've created your Facebook account, try typing in "Saori" in the search box! You should come across the general interest group Saori Weaving, our business page for Saori Worcester, and the "beliefs and causes" group for Saori Worcester's Saori Bridges of Elm Park project. Please let us know about other Saori Facebook groups you may find!

• saorifilature is a francophone Yahoo email network modeled after saoriexplorers. The brainchild of Louise Prieur of Québec and Souleymane Ndiaye of Sénégal (now living in NYC), the group is being moderated by Sémérit Strachan who lives in Michigan. Email her in French to request an invitation, or see if you can enroll directly from the home page at http://fr.groups.yahoo.com/group/saorifilature/

• SAORI Japan website's English-language section & more SAORI links, including links to SAORI in Australia, Belgium, Canada. Hong Kong, Phillipines, Mongolia, and Saudi Arabia!

• SAORI NO MORI (SAORI FOREST), where SAORI looms are designed and manufactured, has developed a SAORI weaving workshop space as well. This link is to their English -Language Site, which includes the complete catalogue of looms with photos and product descriptions.

• Japanese language SAORI site - has some great photos even if you don't read Japanese!
• The Healing Family Foundation in Thailand uses SAORI to ease the emotional trauma of tsunami victims in affected nations.
• The Maya Gotami Foundation is an occupational therapy center supporting tsunami victims in Southern Thailand.

ARTICLES, REVIEWS, PHOTOS, & VIDEOS about SAORI Worcester & SAORI in the USA:

Sheep to Shawl, Llama to Pajama Oct. 2010 VIDEO (2 min.) created by David Niles of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette! "starring" our own Nat Needle!

BLOG by 2010 summer intern (from College of the Atlantic) Grace Cherubino

Article by Claire Moynahan , about SAORI at the College of the Holy Cross (a Saori Worcester Partnership Site), and their students' volunteer work at the Worcester Boys and Girls Club, (another Saori Worcester Partnership Site).

Finding self through saori article in the Sept/Oct 2008 issue of Worcester Living magazine!

Boston Globe article about SAORI Studio opening in May 2006 at St.Francis House (see link to St. Francis above)

Worcester Telegram & Gazette article about SAORI Worcester demonstration at May 2006 at VSA Arts of Massachusetts (see link below) Festival at Broad Meadow Brook Audubon Sanctuary in Worcester.

Worcester Magazine Oct. 2005 interview with Mihoko

SAORI Book Review in  Sept.-Oct. 2005 issue of Handwoven Magazine

Review by the late Leon Nigrosh in May 2004 PULSE magazine - with photos!  

Nathaniel Needle's  My Saori Experience: Touching Spirit through the Art of "No Mistakes"

OTHER "Friends of SAORI"

VSA Arts   (formerly Very Special Arts) Organization founded by Jean Kennedy Smith (JFK's sister). Encourages artists with various disabilities. Creates arts opportunities for people with disabilities, especially children. Affiiliates in all 50 states, and 63 affiliates worldwide.

VSA Arts Maine has sent Program Coordinator Rachel Spatz for training at SAORI Worcester. Also, our studio demonstrated SAORI at the 2005 Festival of Cultural Exchange at their invitation.

VSA Massachusetts is our close partner in efforts to bring people with and without disabilities together through the arts.

VSA Japan  Coordinated by SAORI in Osaka.

Woodmont Weavers has a SAORI loom for use by developmentally disabled adults in Arlington, VA

Bonnie Tarses, a nationally-known fiber artist, has lately been exploring her growing sense of kinship with the SAORI spirit.

Jane Pasquill is using SAORI looms at her Threads of Time studio and gallery in Cornwall, England

Souleymane Ndiaye is a Senegalese artist and teacher who trained at SAORI Worcester in June 2004 and who now lives in NYC.

Marta Giovannini  has information about SAORI in Italy (English okay)

Monica Gavin weaves SAORI in Hawaii to nurture her unique artistic vision in other media. Visit www.emelgi.com

Website CREDITS

Photographs and text for this site are provided and updated by Mihoko Wakabayashi and Nathaniel Needle.

Photos on the "SAORI for Everyone" page courtesy of SAORI Hiroba, Osaka, Japan.

Website design by Joshua Nannen.

Hosting and consulting for this site provided by Sherwood Hosting  Will Sherwood offers personal, creative, affordable, and devoted services that we heartily recommend.