Tapestry Talking: Understanding the Language of Handwoven Art with 326 works from around the world, Micala Sidore, 2026, Schiffer Publishing

We tapestry weavers are always happy when a new book comes out promoting what we do. Ours is a field that is often misunderstood (it is not embroidery!) or relegated to the realm of craft, thought of as lesser than painting or sculpture. So it is a pleasure to see this weighty tome illustrating numerous beautiful examples of textile works of art and offering explanations about their themes, intent and techniques.

The book is divided into thirteen chapters with four-letter titles, such as yarn, line and size, each focusing on an aspect of what tapestry is about and how it is constructed. Micala says this is a ‘why’ book, rather than a ‘how-to’ book, setting out the possibilities inherent in the medium for the delectation of both weavers and non-weavers. She has sensibly used a broad definition of tapestry to include all textile art that makes use of interlacing and/or textile materials, allowing a gamut of work. 326 works by 286 international artists are illustrated.

She often includes her personal responses to the textiles but has also wisely minimised the amount to text to allow the pieces to mainly speak for themselves.

Micala herself is a practitioner of weaving, having trained at the famous Gobelins in Paris, as well as a prolific author of books and articles on the subject. Her first book on the topic was The Art is the Cloth, published in 2020 by Schiffer, reviewed here: https://joannesoroka.co.uk/the-art-is-the-cloth/. She has always been a booster for this under-represented medium.

The quality of the reproductions in Tapestry Talking is excellent, making it easy to engage with the textiles and start to understand why we work in this time-consuming medium. The possibilities are endless, and this is illustrated with the huge range of techniques, use of materials and scales.

I am thrilled that my work has been included in this sumptuous book. Whether you are a tapestry weaver who wants to broaden your horizons or an art lover interested in the amazing possibilities of textiles, this book is for you.

Micala’s Sidore’s website: https://hawleystreet.com/