Phulkari Workshop

Phulkari: The Art of Embroidery

ARTIST BIO:

Instructor: Rafia Shafiq,  Dhaga Art

I am a diaspora artist, textile educator, and founder of Dhaga Art, a practice dedicated to preserving and reimagining the South Asian embroidery tradition of Phulkari. Meaning "flower work," Phulkari is more than an embroidery technique, it is a language of storytelling through which histories, memories, identities, and cultural traditions are passed from one generation to the next. Every textile carries its own voice, and through my practice, I use thread as a medium to connect people to heritage, community, and personal narrative. Originally from Pakistan and now based in Oakville in the Greater Toronto Area, I learned Phulkari from women artisans in Northern Pakistan. Over the past seven years, I have been committed to sharing this living tradition through workshops, exhibitions, and community-based programming that bridge traditional knowledge with contemporary practice. Through Dhaga Art (dhaga meaning "thread"), I revive…