Tanana Madagascar x Proud Mary
- CPALI
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
From Wild Silk to Fine Art: A Collaboration with Proud Mary
What happens when rare Malagasy wild silks meet the imagination of the local artisan team behind Tanana Madagascar regenerative textiles? A new collection of five original textile artworks created by Tanana Madagascar in collaboration with Proud Mary offers one beautiful answer.
"The vibrant colors, abstract imagery, radiant silk and sense of movement immediately captivate. When local artisans are given freedom to create, the results shine."
-Rachel Kramer, CPALI Executive Director
Image: Proud Mary
Drawing inspiration from the extraordinary biodiversity and cultural heritage of northeastern Madagascar, Tanana artisans transformed sustainably collected wild silk cocoons, raffia, and ethical mulberry silk into vibrant, contemporary works of art. Each piece reflects the artisans’ deep connection to the natural world—from the plants growing in the workshop garden to the unique textures and luminous colors of Madagascar’s rainforest, freshwater systems, and seascape.
Image: Proud Mary
The collection represents an exciting evolution for Tanana Madagascar: from craft to collectible art, while keeping conservation and economic opportunity at our core. Our wild silk cocoons are sustainably sourced from local farmers trained in the CPALI sericulture method. The method, honed over two decades in northeastern Madagascar, uses techniques that preserve each silkworm’s life cycle, making the resulting textiles Fair Trade and Certified Wildlife Friendly. Traditional Betsimisaraka natural dyes, dyes from Maine that safely set with vinegar and salt, and learned tablet weaving skills are integrated into the organic design of these collages.
"Wild silk in person does something an image can’t quite capture. The surface is luminous and matte at the same time… crackled, almost alive. It’s like those paintings where the closer you get, the more there is. A whole world that keeps revealing itself the longer you stand in front of it."
-Harper Poe, Founder, Creative Director, Proud Mary
Image: Tanana Madagascar
Proud Mary, a fine art and limited-edition print studio dedicated to elevating artisan work, recognized the extraordinary artistic potential of Tanana’s materials and makers. Rather than prescribing a design, Proud Mary gave our artisans creative freedom to interpret their surroundings—and the results are deeply personal, vibrant, and entirely their own.
Image: Tanana Madagascar
For CPALI, collaborations like this demonstrate the power of nature-based enterprise to create new pathways for both people and biodiversity. When farmers and artisans can earn income from regenerating forests and native species like wild silk moths, conservation becomes part of a locally led economic future.
The five original artworks are currently being presented as part of Proud Mary’s The Art of Craft exhibition in Charleston, South Carolina. Limited-edition prints inspired by the collection will be available from Proud Mary in Fall 2026 to help carry our artisans’ creativity and the story of Madagascar’s remarkable wild silks to new audiences.
Tanana Madagascar is the shared social enterprise of Conservation through Poverty Alleviation International (CPALI) and the association of wild silk producers, Sehatry ny Mpamokatra Landy Ifotony (SEPALI Madagascar). Each wild silk textile in the Tanana Madagascar x Proud Mary collection is proudly Fair Trade and Certified Wildlife Friendly. 100% of sales go to locally run programs that uplift farmers and artisans and regenerate nature in one of the world's foremost biodiversity hotspots.
