Silver and Silk: Textiles and Jewelry of Guizhou, China: Selections from the Collection of Mingei In

Excerpt from Foreword: One of the unexpected joys of being an art museum director is meeting and coming to know members of one's community who share similar passions. It is particularly uplifting when that passion is for Mingei International's mission - furthering understanding of art of all cultures of the world. Our Museum is blessed with many exceptional individuals who devote their time and resources to fulfilling the vision of Mingei International. One of these extraordinary people is Phila McDaniel, considered to be the first person to escort a study group from America into the relatively unknown Chinese province of Guizhou. Since that 1984 trip to the place she calls "Land of the Silk Dragon," her passion to learn more has prompted her to return again and again - 27 of her 50 trips to China have been extended study tours to Guizhou. An art historian, with a Master of Fine Arts degree in Asian art and philosophy, and a teacher and lecturer for many years, Phila is well qualified to perceive similarities and distinctions among the many nationalities of Guizhou's 30,000,000 population. Her love of the people and their culture are expressed in her researching, documenting and collecting the art of the people of Guizhou. Her professional skill in photographing the land and the people heightens her capacity to share the unsurpassed beauty of this Asian culture. Hardcover: 216 pages, 122 large colour photographs. ISBN: 0-914155-15-6