Time is running out to see a slice of Tibet, visiting the Percy Thompson gallery this month. The exhibition, 'tales from Tibet,' showcases a number of carpets created by Tibetan refugees living in India and Nepal.
The exhibition, which opened on August 3, closes this Friday.
The carpets are for sale and are selling fast. Carpet weaving has proved to be an important source of income for the refugees, with a medium sized carpet providing work for a month and enough income to support a family.
The carpets are created in India using locally grown wool, while those woven in Nepal are created using wool imported from New Zealand and carried over the border from Tibet on donkey trains.
The carpets are hand knotted, on a vertical loom, and the design is then trimmed with a pair of scissors, so that it stands out in relief.