Artist Spotlight: Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite
SOMA Celebrates Women and Female Artists for Women’s History Month
Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite — Fiber & Textile Artist. Creative Director. Felter. Quilter. Teacher.
Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite Poses with one of Her Shawls
Northeast Feltmakers Guild Exhibit at the JCC MetroWest (The Gaelen Galleries) in West Orange.
Handcrafted Felt Shawl by Josie’s Colourful Journey
Northeast Feltmakers Guild Exhibit
Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite, also known as Josie Dakers, is a fiber artist/quilter. Descendant from a long line of seamstresses and tailors, including her mother and grandmothers, Josephine learned to sew at a young age and made clothes for herself and family members. Josie was also inspired by her father, a stone mason who was very creative in his field.
After completing a degree in Fashion at The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City, Josephine’s focus was in global sourcing for over 25 years. Josephine worked with design teams, fabric mills and factories around the world to develop and secure production for apparel.
Yearning for more creativity, Josephine began quilting in 2004. Her natural ability for needlework led to a new pastime and an increased love for experimenting with colors and patterns. In 2014, Josephine created her own label, Josie’s Colourful Journey, to showcase and market her quilts, fiber art, cloth art dolls and needlework.
“Creating colorful one-of-a-kind wearables is my favorite. It’s so rewarding when a recipient comments on the quality and beauty!”
Closeup of Beautiful Nuno Scarves by Jose’s Colourful Journey
Josephine approaches her craft with both the precision and professionalism of a seasoned expert and the inspiring enthusiasm of a dynamic artist. She draws her inspiration from a variety of sources including nature, colors, and other elements of everyday life. Josephine’s skillset as an artist encapsulates both learning and excelling in new art forms and teaching others through comprehensive workshops. Her work has been displayed in felting art and quilt shows, and most recently in the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts.
Josephine’s scarves are beautifully vibrant and texturally dimensional. In and of them selves, each piece is a unique masterpiece to love, display, gift and wear.
A Happy Returning Customer at Lincoln Center posing with Josie
“I enjoy felting for its tactile properties. It is very rewarding to take fiber from sheep and mold it into wearable and non wearable items.”
“Gorgeous scarf, the colors are magnificent, the wool so soft, the craftmanship first rate!!! Thank you for sharing your amazing talent!!!”
Josie’s Colour Journey Scarf Assortment
Tutti Fruitti Scarf by Josie’s Colourful Journey
Felted Bookmarks from Josie’s Colourful Journey
Felted Bags and Bangles from Josie’s Colourful Journey
Josie is currently working on a mixed media collection titled ‘See Me As I Am’. She also teaches needle sculpting and fiber arts to children at several after-school enrichment programs, and hosts her own felting workshops remotely. Due to Covid-19 the after-school programs are on hold.
Today, Josephine’s main focus is hand-felted wearables and accessories. Working with sheep fiber, she enjoys combining texture and color to create one-of-a-kind art scarves and small accessories. Her wearable art collection can be found on Etsy.com.
Felted Animals Workshop with Kids
“A life in true colour is void of gray areas!”
“My style is colourful as I love color. In quilting I tend to work with color and black and white. In felting I use a wet felting technique; for needle felting I focus on working with kids in the after school programs.”
“WOW .... talk about AMAZING. I just received my customized cellphone holder. This is a masterpiece. Josie is an incredible artist with an eye for details, colors, imagination and textures. I looked at over 8000 smartphone holders and every time I kept coming back to Josie’s creations. It is extremely well crafted. Josie made. It took my breath away. I received my order within a week and Josie constructed it so I can wear it three different ways. Thank you, Josie.”
Josephine actively participates in local quilt shows and art fairs, including CraftNewYork, a juried craft show at Lincoln Center. She is also a member of the North Jersey Modern Quilt Guild, Northeast Feltmakers Guild (U.S.), International Felt Association (U.K.), Surface Design Association, Quilt Alliance, and Studio Art Quilt Associates.
Josie is also a member of ‘The Teacups’, a local sisterhood of women who share a love of quilting and creativity, with weekly meetings and an annual retreat. Since the pandemic, meetings have been monthly to check in and share creative joy.
Josie’s stitch work is detailed and elaborate. As part of an amazing community of global stitchers from 48 states and 30 countries, Josie participated in 25 Million Stitches with her piece ‘Peace Hope Humanity’ totaling 45,000 stitches on a 15” by 35” panel.
‘Peace Hope Humanity’ by Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite, 45,000 Stitches on a 15” X 35” Panel
Submission for 25 Million Stitches Solidarity and Support Project for Refugees, 2019
The 25 Million Stitches project is an art installation with striking fiber arts display with a dazzling tapestry of each stitcher’s personal expression of solidarity and support for refugees which launched in May 2019. Upcoming installations will be hosted by: Verge Center for the Arts in Sacramento, The Fuller Craft Museum in Massachusetts, and Texas Technical University in Lubbock, Texas.
Josie has lived and worked in Maplewood for more than 25 years. She loves the diversity of the Maplewood community as well as the parks and gardens. During the spring and summer she enjoys walking around the neighborhood admiring gardens, as well as taking photos for color inspiration.
Select items from Josie’s Colourful Journey are currently on display through the end of March 2021 at West Village Clothing located at 410 Ridgewood Road in Maplewood NJ as part of the Windows For Women Initiative.
In honor of Women’s History Month, Women Lifting Women is the goal of WINDOWS FOR WOMEN, where Women business owners in SOMA business districts will showcase the Works of local Women artists. WINDOWS FOR WOMEN is a Wonderful Way for residents and guests to enjoy community-wide Window galleries featuring female visual artists, while at the same time support SOMA merchants. In addition, both artists and merchants will cross-promote on social media for a Win-Win for everyone. #WindowsforWomen
Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite in Her Studio
Promotional Image and Quote created by Troy Brathwaite, Josie’s Brother-in-Law
Contact Links:
http://www.josiescolourfuljourney.com
https://www.facebook.com/josephine.dakersbrathwaite.7
http://www.instagram.com/josiescolourfuljourney/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/JosiesColourfulArt
Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite is a member of SOMA Arts Registry, a free online hub serving Maplewood, South Orange and neighboring towns. It focuses on artists, arts professionals and arts organizations, with the goal to extend their local, regional and national market reach. SOMA Arts Registry was created by the Township of Maplewood and Maplewood Division of Arts & Culture to support the local arts community. #SOMACelebratesWomen
Getting to Know Josie
Josie’s Colourful Art Doll Assembly
Josie’s Colouful Journey