I gaze into the dye pot and silently repeat my mantra “molecules in motion” as pigment is being extracted from plants, bugs, or mud, and dissolve in water. The water starts out cool, clear, and clean. The cloth (cotton, wool or silk; shiny or matte; sheer or opaque) has been bound so that some areas will absorb pigment, while other sections will be untouched. Heat is applied. Complex color develops in the water and over time transfers to the cloth. Binding cloth takes kinesthetic strength. Dyeing bound cloth results in patterns. My designs are inspired by the meandering curves of the ever changing river bank and the invisible paths leaves take as they fall to the ground, influenced by wind currents.
As I unbind and view the cloth, the subtle beauty and immense strength of natural materials opens my heart. And only from my open heart position am I able to live into my concern for future generations as I grieve, watching our planet respond to the stresses of industrialization.