College of the Desert Art Exhibition; Handwork: The Material Intelligence of Touch
Marks Art Center Presents:
Handwork: The Material Intelligence of Touch
A Textile Arts LA exhibition in collaboration Craft in America’s Handwork 2026
Exhibition Dates: February 10, 2026 – March 19, 2026
Venue: College of the Desert Walter N. Marks Center for the Arts Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
Opening Reception: Thursday, February 19, 2026, 4:00-7:00pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Textile Arts LA presents Handwork: The Material Intelligence of Touch, an exhibition that honors the human hand as both a tool and a form of thought. Featuring work by Los Angeles fiber artists and makers from Textile Arts LA, the exhibition is presented in collaboration with Craft in America’s Handwork 2026 initiative.
Inspired by artist Ann Hamilton’s idea that “My first hand is a sewing hand,” the exhibition explores how textile practices—weaving, basketry, stitching, felting, and surface design processes—reveal a deep intelligence of touch. Each artist reflects on the relationship between body, material, and method, uncovering the ways handwork sustains knowledge, memory, and presence.
“The hand is our first language. Every gesture in textile work—pulling thread, weaving cloth, tying knots—holds a kind of thinking. Inspired by Ann Hamilton’s idea of the ‘sewing hand,’ this exhibition invites us to see how making by hand is an act of attention and connection. The artists of Textile Arts LA remind us that the handmade is not a relic of the past but a living dialogue between body, material, and community.”
— [Carrie Burckle], Curator, Handwork: The Material Intelligence of Touch
Handwork: The Material Intelligence of Touch invites audiences to rediscover the quiet radicalism of the handmade—where gesture becomes language, and touch becomes knowing.
About Textile Arts LA
Textile Arts LA is a non-profit and member-based arts organization dedicated to fostering dialogue and community among artists, designers, and makers working with fiber and textiles throughout Southern California. www.textileartsla.org
About Craft in America: Handwork 2026
Handwork 2026 is a nationwide initiative by Craft in America celebrating craft, the handmade—its histories, practices, and enduring cultural resonance. For more information about Handwork 2026 Handwork 2026
About Carrie Burckle
Carrie Burckle is a visual artist, educator, and curator based in Los Angeles. She earned her MFA in Fibers from California State University Long Beach, where she taught in the Fiber Program for more than twenty years. She is the founder and director of the nonprofit arts organization Textile Arts LA. A lifelong learner devoted to teaching and mentorship, Burckle is grateful to continue the legacy of her own influential teachers. This exhibition marks her fourth curatorial endeavor.
Press Images Available
High-resolution images and captions available upon request.
