Egyptian textiles from the Pharaonic, Coptic, and Early Islamic Periods have been the focus of my research, writing, and creative weaving since 1974. I have examined the collections of Egyptian fabrics in over fifty museums in Egypt, France, England, Italy, Portugal, Canada, Australia, and the United States. The rare patterned weaves found in the tomb of Tutankhamun are especially intriguing. My handwoven textiles range from ‘experimental replications’ of Tutankhamun weaves and ancient weaving techniques to fanciful interpretations of iconic figures encountered while on my quest. Playing with color, pattern, and structure, I reinterpreted golden, bejeweled mummy case portraits and patterns from the past -- paradoxically, weaving on a complex, computer-assisted loom what the ancient artisans wove with a few sticks and string. Hoskins’ art fabrics have been in solo, group, and invitational exhibits in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Hoskins, a former college weaving instructor, is the author of The Coptic Tapestry Albums and the Archaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet; Universal Stitches for Weaving, Embroidery, and Other Fiber Arts; Weft-Faced Pattern Weaves: Tabby to Taqueté; numerous articles; and has contributed chapters about Egyptian textiles to four other books. She has presented lectures and workshops for national and international guilds and conferences. In 2009 and in 2010 she was the guest host for The Textiles of Egypt Tours that traveled from Alexandria to Aswan to examine Egypt’s textile history in their cultural context.
Hoskins has a Master's Degree in Fine Arts/Weaving, Art Education, and Art History from the University of Oregon; a Bachelor of Arts 'With Distinction' in Elementary Education from Long Beach State College; and attended the University of Washington for two years as a Nellie Martin Carmen Scholar. She has studied embroidery and weaving with several distinguished teachers and artists from England, Scotland, Canada, France, Australia, and America.
HONORS
2010 TEXTILES OF EGYPT TOUR LEADER
2009 TEXTILES OF EGYPT – TOUR LEADER
2008 AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY GRANT AS VISITING ACADEMIC 2008
2006 HANCOCK LECTURER FOR THE VICTORIAN TAPESTRY WORKSHOP 2006
2006 LECTURER FOR THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA 2006
2005 JUROR FOR THE OKLAHOMA FIBERS EXHIBIT 2005
2004 COPTIC BOOK SELECTED BY TEXTILE SOCIETY of AMERICA AS ONE OF 2004'S BEST
2003 AZIZ S. AND LOLA ATIYA FUND FOR COPTIC STUDIES GRANT 2003
2001 KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR THE ONTARIO WEAVER'S CONFERENCE 2001
1997 KEYNOTE SPEAKER FOR THE MICHIGAN HANDWEAVER'S CONFERENCE 1997
1995 OREGON COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES GRANT FOR COPTIC RESEARCH IN FRANCE 1995
1994 JUROR FOR SMALL EXPRESSIONS CONVERGENCE 1994
PUBLICATIONS
1962-2011 Books and selected titles from over 50 articles published in professional journals
2011 “Bedouin Weaving.” HALI. Issue 168. Summer 2011. p. 149 Book Review
2010 “Pharaoh’s Gala Robe.” HALI. Issue 166. Winter. p. 21.
2009 “Clothing as Culture.” Hali. Spring 09. Book Review. p. 131.
2008 “Embroidered Textiles: A World View of Traditional Patterns. TSA Newsletter. Fall 08. Book Review
2007 “Textiles in Situ and Their Find Sports in Egypt.” Hali, Spring 07. Book Review
2007 “Central Asian Textiles and Their Contexts in the Early Middle Ages.” Hali, Spring 07. Review
2004 The Coptic Tapestry Albums and the Archaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet. Seattle and London: Skein Publications in association with the University of Washington Press.
2004 "Coptic Textiles." (Contributing Author) Steele, Valerie, ed. The Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Detroit: Charles Scribner's.
2003 “A Green Riding Coat Fragment in the Henry Art Gallery, Seattle.” (Contributing Author) Cluck, Cäcilia and Gillian Vogelsand-Eastwood. eds. Riding Costume in Egypt. The Netherlands: Brill.
2003 "Coptic Fabrics, the Fauves, and a Few Other Artists." International Tapestry Journal. Sept ,
2003 "Medieval Egypto-Islamic Textiles". Handwoven. March/April pp.68-71
2002 "The Textiles." Fustat Finds. (Contributing Author ) Jere Bacharach, ed. Cairo: American University in Cairo Press.
2000 "Coptic Curiosities." Archaeology
1998 "Weaving." Antinoe Cent' Anni Dopo: Catalogo della mostra Firenze Palazzo Medici Riccardi. (Contributing Author ) Loretta Del Francia Barocas, ed. Firenze: Museo du Louvre Archeologica della Toscana,
1998 "Tissu Collé: Collage with Coptic Cloth." International Tapestry Journal
1998 "Linen Bands from Tutankhamun's Tunic." Weaver's
1997 "The Influence of Pattern Weaving on Coptic Tapestry." International Tapestry Journal1995 "A Coptic Tapestry Technique." Handwoven
1986 "The Tapestries of Coptic Egypt." Ars Textrina
