Eco Printed Textile on Horse Barn circa early 1900s.
One of my favorite places to do dye work is at our farm in the country. With our closest neighbor being a mile away, we are surrounded with only the sound of birdsong and the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze. Our farm is located on a vast prairie and the breeze is almost constant and so pleasant on hot Summer afternoons.
I walk along deer trails gathering wildflowers, weeds and leaves for my copper cauldron that I use for dyeing over a wood fire. The smell of the wood smoke and fragrant leaves from the cauldron as it simmers is a pure delight. It's earthy and beckons of days long gone when women used to dye clothing for their families.
I often sit nearby and do handwork while I tend the fire and monitor the water level which is a must when using a wood fire heat source. If the fire gets too hot and begins to boil, color can be lost and water levels drop quickly.
Detail of Frond Eco Print Panel 60" x 60"
Copper Cauldron with native plant mixture simmering over wood fire.
This panel has shades of brown, sage green, and a hint of blue/gray.