THIS winter, Nature in Art are delighted to be hosting a selection of tapestries from the world renowned Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre in Cairo, when more than 40 tapestries ranging in size from 40cm to up to 2 metres will be spread around the galleries for visitors to enjoy.

The Wissa Wassef Art Centre is the life work of its founder, Ramses Wissa Wassef (1911-1974), who was dedicated to releasing the innate creativity of young Egyptian villagers, freed from the constraints of a formal education.

Through his life Ramses became increasingly interested in periods of history when craftsmen were prosperous and respected members of society. This led him to think that the conventional distinction between the ‘artist’ who creates and the ‘craftsman’ who merely executes had the effect of stifling creativity. His perception was that although every child is moved to express him or herself in drawing from the earliest age, this urge is almost always smothered once formal education begins.

As a result, Ramses set up the Wissa Wassef Art Centre project. Purchasing land on the edge of the village of Harrania, near Cairo and having built a workshop, he installed some primitive looms. He then invited, with the consent of parents, any child to come once a week to learn to weave. Protected from external aesthetic influences, adult criticism and interference, the children were given the benefit of having the time in which to develop their skills and individuality.

It quickly became clear that child was able to create works of astonishing beauty. In the 62 years since weaving began in Harrania, it has also become clear that this innate creativity can grow with the child into adolescence and adulthood. Nine of the original group of children who began working around the age of twelve, many of them now grandparents, are still weaving under the guidance of Sophia Wissa Wassef (Ramses widow).

The artistic products of the centre are not its only contribution to Egypt and the world. The project has transformed the lives of poor and illiterate villagers by bringing education, improved health, prosperity, fulfilment and self-respect to all who were and are still involved today.

The Wissa Wassef Tapestries are on display at Nature in Art, Wallsworth Hall, Twigworth, until December 21. Admission charges apply. Please visit

November 18th - December 21st www.nature-in-art.org.uk for further details.