ARTISANS, DESIGNERS & COLLABORATORS
CREATE placed artisans at the centre of the learning process. Students learned directly from craftspeople who continue to practice, teach, and preserve traditional knowledge.
Issa Kharoufeh
A master artisan and the director of the Piccirillo Handicraft Center in Bethlehem, a community-based workshop established by the John Paul II Foundation and the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land. Under his leadership, the center trains youth, women, and people with disabilities in traditional Palestinian crafts including mother of pearl, olive wood carving, and ceramics. Issa’s work emphasizes community empowerment through cultural production, and his commitment to sustaining and evolving the mother of pearl tradition has made him a key figure in Palestinian artisanal heritage.
George Al Ama
A Palestinian historian, academic, and one of the leading private collectors of mother of pearl artifacts in the region. With a background in cultural heritage and preservation, Al Ama’s academic work focuses on the socio-political history of Palestinian crafts, with a particular emphasis on their symbolic value and colonial entanglements. He owns an extensive collection of historic mother of pearl pieces and religious artifacts, many dating back to the 19th century. His talk highlights the historical trajectory of the craft, including its religious export roots, stylistic evolutions, and the impact of political and economic shifts on production.
Hossam Zaqout
A Palestinian Majdalawi weaver from Gaza, and one of the last living practitioners of this centuries-old textile tradition originating in al-Majdal (modern-day Ashkelon). Trained by his father, he has committed his life to preserving the authentic handloom techniques and rich cultural significance of Majdalawi weaving. Due to the 2024 war in Gaza, Hossam and his family relocated to Cairo, where he is now rebuilding his workshop and continuing efforts to archive and sustain this endangered craft.
Abu Tareq Fakhouri
Abu Tareq Fakhouri and his family own Al-Fakhouri Factory for Pottery Production in Hebron. He is a member of the Palestinian Council for Crafts and Local Industries and an experienced trainer who has delivered numerous workshops and lectures on pottery production and clay in Palestine and internationally.
Areej Ashhab and Raghad Saqfalhait
Areej and Raghad are designer- researchers exploring the historical, political, and ecological histories of Palestinian materials. Their collaborative research “Between lime and clay” questions the existing relationships with earth materials, revisits lost narratives, while reviving local knowledge and practices around them. Located between the intersections of heritage, craft, and design, her practice bridges the old and the new through research and innovation.
Mohammad Twam
(Abu Marwan)
Friendly, attentive, and always ready to help, our customer service manager ensures every interaction is a positive one. They keep communication clear, timely, and human.
Nawal Amer
Nawal Amer is a Palestinian artist and designer based between Jerusalem and Ramallah. A 2024 honours graduate of the Ceramics and Glass Design Department at Bezalel Academy, her practice brings together realism, abstraction, and expressionism to explore themes of identity, memory, culture, and politics through glass and large-scale installations.
Al-Samou' Charitable Association
Al-Samou’ Charitable Association, founded in 1975 in the Hebron district, supports women’s economic empowerment through the revival and preservation of traditional carpet weaving practices unique to southern Palestine. The association provides training and home-based employment for local women, enabling them to generate income while sustaining intergenerational craft knowledge. It also markets handmade carpets and accessories through its gift shop, serving as an important community hub that connects economic opportunity, cultural heritage, and craft preservation.
Talleh Center
Talleh was founded in Jerusalem in 2016 with the aim of preserving Palestine’s artistic heritage while empowering women artisans through craft. What began as a small initiative has grown into a community of more than 80 artisans producing handcrafted pottery, embroidery, weaving, and jewellery. Through its work, Talleh connects traditional Palestinian craftsmanship with contemporary audiences and markets, creating opportunities for women to sustain and develop their practices while keeping cultural knowledge alive. Each piece reflects a story of heritage, identity, resilience, and the enduring continuity of Palestinian craft.