AOW Insider: A Master of Color Shares His Inspiration
As in all things human, the similarities among the stories I explore always outweigh the differences.
"Most natural dyers are linked to the cycle of nature, to the earth, so there’s a respect and a sense of care that infuses their practices. Their expertise though, usually grounded in tradition, often gives rise to an adventuresome exploration of the frontiers of their discipline. How can a specific shade of, say, blue-green, which they saw once in a museum, be rediscovered in their workshop? How can an invasive plant doing damage to the local environment be harvested and turned into color? How can food, flower or plant waste be transformed into beautiful dyestuffs? As with all really good artists, the questions of what next beautiful thing to make, and what next intriguing story to tell, are being asked. And answered!"
-- Keith Recker