Krista West: The Sacred Art of the Vestment
Broadcast date: May 14, 2021
Krista West began sewing at the age of 4 and has never stopped. Over the years her early forays blossomed into a love of embroidery, and then specifically into making vestments for use in the Church’s worship. In 1997 she pioneered the first ecclesiastical tailoring site on the Internet, with Krista West Vestments. She quickly became known for the remarkable quality of her work, attention to detail, attention to beauty. She shows us something that ought to be obvious, and that is that textiles, fabrics, sewing, embroidery, certainly take their place among the sacred arts.
A consummate practitioner and artist, Krista has also done groundbreaking research into the origins and aesthetics of Orthodox Christian vestments in Greece and in Crete. She brought her thinking into an important book– the first of its kind in English, The Garments of Salvation: Orthodox Christian Liturgical Vesture, published with SVS Press.
Krista speaks with precision, and a combination of seriousness and joy, about her work. It’s not surprising that she also gives talks and leads retreats, as well as hosting a podcast on Ancient Faith Radio, with the evocative title, The Opionated Tailor.
Our conversation goes into many interesting places, including Krista’s relatively recent diagnosis placing her on the autism spectrum, and how that has affected her work and her self-understanding. I sense that our encounter will inspire many listeners.
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