Woven Together: Creative Matters Hosts Art Day in Nepal

Mutual respect and a direct exchange between designers and makers are essential to a fair and vibrant handmade carpet industry. Ali McMurter, Managing Partner of STEP Partner Creative Matters, put these notions into practice through a collaborative Art Day with their weavers in Nepal—showing how creativity flows in all directions when hands and minds come together. Read on for the complete story by Heidi Ruggier and Lina Zhao, with photography by Narendra Shrestha.

Woven Together: A Visual Chronicle of Art Day in Nepal

In March 2025, Creative Matters’ Managing Partner, Ali McMurter, returned to Nepal to nurture new projects in development and deepen our connection with the artisan weavers at our partner mill. A standout moment from the visit was a hands-on Art Day. Ali led artisans through a yarn wrapping exercise intended to bridge the worlds of design and craftsmanship.

How Art Day Connects Designers and Nepalese Weavers

During an Art Day experience, time slows and intention deepens. It fosters meaningful dialogue between design execution, vision and craft. In Nepal, the artisans who bring our designs to life were invited to step away from their looms and into the conceptual space where ideas begin – crossing over from making to imagining. 

Using surplus yarns from the mill, we explored colour in its rawest form – by wrapping yarns to create compositions that mirror the early stages of our design process. 

“While planning and production can often feel very separated, they are intimately connected when a rug comes to life,” Ali shares. “We wanted the artisans to experience the conceptual process behind the colours and materials they work with so skillfully.” 

To preserve this intimate art experience, we worked with Nepal-based photojournalist Narendra Shrestha, who captured the nuances of quiet focus, thoughtful colour parings and the joy of creativity. From yarn skeins to colour-wrapped cards, the images showcase the power of a shared creative process that lives on beyond the studio, where hands at work also become minds at play. 

Ali McMurter shared her reflections on moments captured. To witness the beauty of this exchange, we invite you to explore the gallery below.

“Every yarn card is a glimpse into how each weaver thinks about colour, texture and balance. It is a reminder that design can happen in the hands of the people who work directly with the materials daily.”

“Yarn wrapping is a way of translating ideas into tangible palettes. It offers insight into how we approach colour, balance and intention in design. By bridging the gap between concept and craft, this activity helps make the connection from design to production visible.” 

“Working with familiar materials created a natural flow and it was wonderful to witness the weavers enjoying the process. The atmosphere was filled with thoughtful exploration. I was especially moved by those who kept working on their yarn cards long after the session ended. They were completely absorbed in their imaginations and handiwork. Moments like that make my heart sing.”

Through Art Day, weavers and designers found a common ground. The shared experience created a stronger connection rooted in creative exploration and respect for one another. It is a reminder that rug making is not a linear process but rather a true collaboration. 

This article was originally published on the Creative Matters blog. Republished here with permission. You can explore more stories on their website.