RISD Students Learn to Document Lived Experience through Indigenous Weaving Projects

Students in a Theory and History of Art and Design (THAD) course are simultaneously cultivating a working knowledge of Navajo weaving techniques and developing a diverse set of writing tools for documenting lived experience. Taught by faculty member Michelle Charest—an anthropologist, textile designer, and naturalist who specializes in traditional Indigenous and historic fiber arts—the course blends hands-on making with critical observation, asking students not only to create but to record and communicate their process in detail.

Throughout the course, each student focuses on one main project. They submit fragments of notes and documentation throughout the semester, but the full scope of their work is not revealed until the end. The finished tapestry is not the end goal; the documentation is. 

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“We learn by doing and by observing,” Charest says. “Students are learning to convey their process so that someone coming from the outside would be able to understand and, to a certain degree, replicate it.”

Students are using indigenous materials and practices beginning with raw wool. They spin it, dye it—often using natural, locally sourced materials like osage and walnut—and then construct their own looms before weaving a finished tapestry. There are no specific requirements regarding format or quantity for their final project, as long as they have effectively documented their process.

On a mid-semester Friday morning, the group practiced knots and weaving techniques on the personal, portable wooden looms they built. “You are working on spiraling,” Charest explained to the class as she gave a demo before walking around the class to help students individually. “The next step is inserting the shed sticks. Remember how we tied the yarn on at the top? Untie them one at a time and tie the end of the warp thread onto the dowel. Triple knot it to be safe. Same thing on the other side.” 

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The group will also add in heddles, which are cords, wires, or steel strips with a center eye that holds individual warp threads, allowing them to be lifted or lowered to create an opening for the weft thread to pass through. Charest reminds them to document the process as they work.

The final projects reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the class. In past years, students have produced animations with narration, short films, websites, handmade books with woven covers, posters, and photo essays. This openness encourages students to think critically about how they communicate ideas, a core principle of the THAD curriculum. “I really want to leave it open,” Charest says. “That’s very RISD.” 

Kaylee Pugliese
May 12, 2026