My exploration of textile craft as an expression of cultural innovation has led me to work with artisans in Tunisia, Peru, Mali, and Niger. My primary interest is the role of the artisan in the production of visual culture. As skilled makers, artisans do not follow a strict instruction manual, rather they adapt and evolve their art according to market demand or individual inspiration. I see a craft object as containing many layers of cultural history and identity. First and foremost, it represents an economic resource for the artisan; a way to make a living. Second, craft speaks a visual language to members of the community who are tuned into that cultural frequency and understand its symbols, colors, and represented histories. Third, craft serves to increase cultural visibility when it is bought by an international audience. In my own work, and in collaborations with artists and artisans, I have explored the potential to use the visual language of textile design and textile craft to spread new messages and information, such as action steps for health. My work in West Africa revolves around the historical use of wax print textiles to promote political campaigns or national holidays. While modern wax print ‘commemorative cloths’ often focus solely on holiday or political logos and slogans, my work explores using the motifs of the textile design to create a visual narrative that can be shared easily by healthcare providers in the communities they serve. When community leaders wear what we call ?talking textiles,? they have a new communication tool for explaining health concepts, actions, or services to populations that may have low literacy levels. To further the collaborative aspect of this work, I co-founded the social enterprise ZTwist Design with writer and health advocate Julia Shivers in 2018. Our company name is inspired by the textile term for spinning multiple strands of fiber into thread: similarly, the ZTwist team brings together filaments of existing cultural communication with the expertise of international artists and artisans to create outreach tools that link communities to accurate information for their health and well-being. In 2019, we launched a project in Niamey, Niger in partnership with the artisan collective “Batik Without Borders”, a Nigerien organization that provides artisan training and employment opportunities to women. While the majority of ZTwist’s work is communication design for health and development initiatives, we are also launching a product line made in collaboration with Batik Without Borders. As the designer, I work closely with artisans to explore new techniques together, which can sometimes take the form of workshops to try out a new technique in combination with their traditional ways of making. Our goal with our product line is to promote textile traditions by creating modern garments and accessories using fabrics, or embroidery and dyeing techniques, that have a strong cultural heritage in West Africa. By creating this collaboration, our mission is to continue to provide economic opportunities for the artisan collective and increase appreciation for these traditions among a broader audience.