Philanthropy: The Janice Lynn Memorial

At Mirrix Looms we are committed to spreading the joy of weaving. Inspired by the late Janice Lynn, whose loom was donated by her sister upon her death to be rehomed, we have started the Janice Lynn Memorial. We will periodically donate a Mirrix Loom in her honor to a worthy recipient (person or organization).

Mirrix Looms were meant to last a lifetime, which is why Janice Lynn's family contacted us after she passed away. Janice Lynn's loom was donated to the Isla Women's Beading Collective in Isla Mujeres Mexico.

Janice Lynn

Janice Lynn was born on July 4, 1932, in Glenview, Illinois, and passed away on February 18, 2011, in Los Angeles, California.   

At age 27, she moved to Detroit where she worked in human services as a clinical psychologist for almost 30 years.   In 1988, she moved to Los Angeles and did social work until she retired in 1994.

Janice was an activist in the civil rights movement and demonstrated against the Vietnam War.   She always strongly supported organized women’s causes, as well as counseled individual women and girls who were making career and personal choices, urging them to be self-sufficient and value their independence.

Throughout her life, Janice enjoyed working with her hands and her craft work graces the homes and persons of her wide circle of family and friends.  In 2004 she wrote: “As soon as I was old enough to hold a needle, I always had a hand-work project going:  sewing, knitting, crocheting or needlework. When I retired, I began my love affair with seed beads.”  (This was a love affair that continued for the rest of her life.)  Her sister remembers that when Janice was getting ready to travel to visit friends and family in the Midwest or on the east coast, a critical part of her packing included deciding what projects she would be working on and gathering and organizing all the material she needed to work on those projects while she was away from home.

Janice sold her bead work at the VIVA Gallery in Los Angeles and at the Tucson Art Museum Craft Market.

At Janice’s memorial gatherings in both Los Angeles and Detroit, her family set up a table display of many of the necklaces she had made.  On the table a sign said:  “Janice made all of these beautiful things.  We, her family, would be delighted if you would take one and wear it (or share it) in memory of her.”

Janice is survived by her son, David Zev Rosenfeld of Des Moines, Iowa, and her daughter, Tamar Rosenfeld of New York City, her sister, Susan Sackett of Los Angeles, and brothers Judd Lynn of Murrieta, California, and John Lynn of Champaign, Illinois.

The Isla Women's Beading Collective

The Isla Women's Beading Collective (visit their web site here) in Isle Mujeres, Mexico were the first recipients of the Janice Lynn Memorial. They received Janice's actual loom. We thank everyone who helped make this possible!

For some of the women in the Isla Women's Beading Collective, beading is a means for survival. 

Lately, tourism has been down. High season has been more like low season and low season is fairly dead. Many people early less than $5 a day and prices on goods are rising.

In Mexico, finding beads is difficult and prices are exceptionally high. (For example: 25 4mm cube beads - not crystals - just plain cubes, cost about $2.50 USD and the seed beads are not good quality)

How to help:

If anyone is vacationing in the area of Isla Mujeres (off the coast of Cancun), please come by. Visit, teach a class, shop, etc. It's a very fulfilling experience and the island is a little slice of paradise.

Donate!

Please elena@mirrixlooms.com if you'd like to donate beads or beading supplies to the collective.