“Saime” opens an exhibition and celebrates its anniversary

On Friday, 8 February, the “Saime” day centre celebrated its 20th anniversary with an exhibition at the Tukums Weavers’ Workshop and a ceremonial event at the Tukums Cultural Centre. On this day, the centre’s people not only received many congratulations and good wishes, but also delighted others with their performances and creative works.

At the weavers’ workshop exhibition, almost every day-centre participant has contributed a piece—a reflector, a blanket, the ever-so-useful shopping bag, brightly coloured rag rugs, embroidered cushions, jewellery, gloves and socks, scarves and shawls, birdhouses, painted stones and even a cake sewn from small pieces of fabric. Like the white rug made from twisted strips of fabric and an ordinary fence mesh, it immediately attracts attention. Fortunately, while the authors are nearby, the works can be touched and visitors can ask how they were made. The creators themselves feel that everything came together simply and almost as a joke, but in reality their works represent many hours of hard work—sometimes days, sometimes months, and occasionally even a year… Precision, they say, is the most important thing, so achieving a good result often means resewing, unpicking the work several times and making it anew. However, as social worker Edgars Pūpols says, although there are no specific rules governing what a work should look like, and it often turns out simply as it does, it is valuable precisely because it was made by the person themselves.

The “Saime” centre’s 20 years of work could be recalled at the event in the cultural centre by looking at photographs capturing the centre’s daily life, participation in art plein-air workshops and competitions, anniversary celebrations and visits to friends. Meanwhile, in the hall, one after another, friends from Dobele and Saldus, the “Rīti” centre in Slampe, organisations from Tukums and many others who had become friends over the 20 years congratulated the guests of honour. Many brought useful household items or flowers as gifts, but—to Karlsson’s great delight—there were also plenty of treats to enjoy long after the anniversary. Among the delicacies was a ring-shaped sweet bread given by Ina Balgalve, head of the Tukums Municipality Social Service. She told the story of a boy in a wheelchair who gradually learned to see the colours in the world and notice every change in nature. Similarly, the people at “Saime” have learned many skills that have made their everyday lives much more interesting, creative and enriching.