Giving myself permission to make what I want
It’s all happening.
Dear Reader,
Natural dyeing
A number of years ago I exclusively dyed my fabrics with plant dyes that I foraged, using only water from our rain barrel. Natural dyeing feels a bit like alchemy, but it's a laborious process, involving many steps, and also not as visually rewarding as using procion dyes or paints. Not to mention the fact, that sometimes after going through the extensive process what you achieve may indeed be nothing, as you watch the dye completely wash away. I had experiences with mulberries and poke berries that started out vibrant and ended up very beige. The process was physically and sometimes emotionally exhausting, and creatively, I was definitely ready to move on to something else. But something was holding me back. I was worried that I would disappoint, or possibly lose customers if I stopped the natural dyeing and went in a different direction. Of course, deep down I knew that if I continued on the same path and denied my need to move on I would be unhappy, and this would definitely be reflected in my work. So finally, when we had to get rid of our rain barrel because, not only did it have a crack, but it took up too much room in our small urban yard, I took this as a sign, and I stopped using natural dyes. Stepping away from this gave me a sense of freedom that I hadn't felt in years.
Painting
After I stopped dyeing with plants, I spent some time playing with the procion dyes, but I knew that what I really wanted to do was paint. No steps involved at all-just get your fabric out and go for it. And, when you're finished just heat set and stick your fabric in the washer. It's so freeing to make abstract painting on fabric, and I love to mix and match these painted pieces in my patchwork designs.
Continuing to follow my heart where it leads me
That one small act, of following my heart and doing what I wanted to do creatively has continued to lead me in different directions. While I primarily consider myself to be a fiber artist, recently, I also started working with recycled plastic, paper, and found objects in my jewelry designs. Next step for 2025 is to submit some fiber art to various shows, which I've been meaning to do for years.
I don't hesitate now when I want to try something new, because it's how I grow as an artist and a human. If I lose customers just because I want to follow my creative intuition, that's not important, because I love my job.
xo,
Christa
Thanks for reading-I’m glad you’re here.