Founder: Mandisa Smith

“I am an art-based workshop leader, community educator, and the founder and former co-owner of Detroit Fiber Works, a fiber art studio in Detroit. From 2013 to 2019, alongside co-owner Najma Ma’at, I provided opportunities for Detroit artists to exhibit and sell their work, often for the first time. AKOMA continues this tradition of uplifting local artists.

My artwork has been featured at venues such as the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Scarab Club, Collected Detroit Gallery, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art (Grand Rapids), Detroit Artists Market, Norwest Gallery, Harper Galleries of Art & Interiors, WCCCD Brown and Juanita C. Ford Art Gallery, Woman Made Gallery (Chicago), and other galleries both locally and nationally. Specializing in felting, I use my hands as tools to transform wool fibers into works of art that are decorative, functional, or wearable.

I am deeply fascinated by the process of turning wisps of wool into art that reflects my personal experiences, cultural heritage, and the current state of society. Fiber is a language that communicates through touch and symbolism. Although I am not a quilter, I come from a long line of quilters, and working with fiber makes me feel connected to my ancestry. It’s a practice that resonates with what my grandmothers and great aunts did—turning fabric into art. While they repurposed fabric that would have been considered waste, I create felt without producing any waste. Every piece of fiber is used, with nothing discarded. Through my practice, I feel I am honoring my ancestors and contributing to a more sustainable world by ensuring that no material is wasted.”