Crafting traditions can be found across the world. No matter where you live there is sure to be a tradition of creating and Crafting. Creativity and art have the ability to bring people together and inspire harmony. This very tradition was the driving force behind the upcoming collection, Around the World in 80 Artists.

This collection of projects from international Artists and designers was compiled by Mahe Zehra Husain of the Creative Art Academy as a way to celebrate diversity in art as well as raise money for the Malala Fund to educate girls around the world. This book contains 80 projects from 80 artists from 22 different countries across the world. This project highlights a love for creativity as something that holds us together. To help fun this project, check out the kickstarter fund here.

Tell us a bit about your project (Around the World in 80 Artists) and what inspired you to create it.

I was so tired of seeing sad stories in my Facebook news feed, it seemed as if the world was falling apart over small differences in color, religion and lifestyle. The crafting community was so different in comparison. There was such a feeling of friendship and appreciation among the artists I knew, I felt it was super important to highlight that positive and show the world that creativity can hold us together.

Your book focuses on projects from around the world. What crafting traditions inspire you?

I am influenced by my South Asian heritage. I love bright colors and mixed media and am known to incorporate a lot of bright fabrics in my work.

Out of the 80 projects in your book, which projects are your favorites?

That’s a hard question! I am super into watercolors and coloring pages and so I really like the tutorial I am sharing with you and I also love the coloring pages included in the book.

Can you tell us a bit about your process for this project? What sort of challenges did you face?

It was hard to get 80 artists together but Facebook helped me a lot there. I set up a group and invited a few artists I knew and then they started inviting others they admired and so slowly we made our way to 80 artists from 22 countries.

If you could only craft with 3 materials for the rest of your life, what three would you choose?

Paper, Glue and Scissors

What country or region do you take crafting inspiration from?

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