SDA Confluence Runway Show, 2011

Textile Center Display at MN State Fair, 2012

TAA Runway Show, Cleveland Museum of Art, 2011

Juried Members Show, Minnetonka Center for Arts, 2012

Top: Hand dyed silk. Skirt: Hand dyed silk with shibori trim. Coat: Hand dyed silk, nuno felted on front and back. Obi: hand dyed cotton, sashiko hand-stitching, felted tie belt.

Modeled at Surface Design Runway Show. Photo by Ellen Dahl. 

http://www.surfacedesign.org/subpage/fashion-show-images-confluence-2011

Award: Most Innovative Use of Materials, 'Inside Out', June 2010, Textile Center, MN.

Dress and Underdress: Hand dye-painted on silk crepe de chine, finished with hand-dyed silk ribbon. Lace Tunic: Hand made thread lace using free-form embroidery on water soluble fabric, silk threads and ribbon.

Model photo at 'Hot Art Cool Jazz', Textile Center, 2010. Photography by Steve Bye. 

Wool/Rayon/Silk blend dyed with 7 Hibiscus blossoms, purple petunias, orange dahlias, and blue clematis using ecoprinting. 

Textile Center Member Show, 2015

'Art of the Garden', Minnetonka Center for the Arts, 2015

MN State Fair Fine Arts, 2016, Textile Center Award of Excellence and Innovation

'World of Threads', Ontario, Canada, 2016

SOLD

SDA Confluence Runway Show, 2011

Dress: Hand dyed and painted silk. Nuno felted belt of silk and merino wool with metallic fibers.

Model photo at SDA Runway Show. Photo by Ellen Dahl. 

http://www.surfacedesign.org/subpage/fashion-show-images-confluence-2011

Vest: Nuno felted hand dyed silk with merino wool. Center Blouse: Nuno felted hand dyed silk organza and gauze, hand embroidered, beaded, reversible. Kimono Blouse: Nuno felted hand dyed silk habotai, belt of hand dyed silk organza.

Photo by Petronella Ytsma

This silk/wool/rayon blend was ecoprinted with several hibiscus blossoms as well as clematis, marigolds, eucalyptus, dahlias, and globeflowers. It is 6' x 6', and hung on a fired hardened bamboo rod.

Minnetonka Center for the Arts, Juried Member's Show, 2016

'Naturally', Textile Center Invitational, 2016

Silk wallhanging, created with ecoprinting (hibiscus flowers, dahlias, eucalyptus), arashi shibori, and logwood natural dye.

Textile Center MN Member's Show, 2016

Minnetonka Center for the Arts, 'Art of the Garden', 2016

'World of Threads', Ontario, Canada, 2016

'Fabricate', International SDA Runway Show, TX, 2013

'Textile Art Alliance Runway Show', Cleveland Museum of Art, OH, 2013

100% Wool ecoprinted with daisies and other flowers and leaves.

Model photos courtesy of Surface Design Association.

http://issuu.com/surfacedesignorg/docs/interface_fabricate_12_10_13?e=4975750/5960769

'Fabricate', International SDA Runway Show, TX, 2013

Textile Art Alliance Runway Show, Cleveland Museum of Art, OH, 2013

Coat and Tunic ecoprinted with hibiscus flowers and other plant materials. Pants, collar, and choker digitally printed with manipulated image of hibiscus ecoprint. Vintage buttons.

Model photos courtesy of Surface Design Association.

http://issuu.com/surfacedesignorg/docs/interface_fabricate_12_10_13?e=4975750/5960769

'Threading the Journey', Textile Center, 2010

Dress: Hand dyed silk crepe de chine embellished with free form lace incorporating hand dyed silk hankies/threads, hand and machine embroidered. Jacket: Hand dyed and painted sandwashed silk and silk gauze; collar hand sashiko stitched. Belt: Nuno felted over devore velvet with hand embroidery.

Textile Center Members Show, 2013

Textile Center Member Diversity Display, MN State Fair, 2013

Upcycled silk slip ecoprinted with various flowers and leaves, trimmed with indigo dyed silk.

Dress: Hand dye-painted silk/linen ribbed blend, accented with machine embroidered silk cord. Shawl: Nuno felted of silk noil and merino wool.

This unlined casual 100% wool topper was created by ecoprinting white wool with clematis, dahlias, leaves, and logwood natural dye. The selvages were used for center front and neckline, minimizing waste. Sleeve, hem, collar edges hand-finished with blanket stitch. 

Cleveland Museum of Art's 2015 Runway Show, October 17, 2015.

Model photos by Jenn Simmons.

This fun little wool/cashmere poncho was created by ecoprinting the raw fabric with autumn leaves and leaving the hemline edges raw and slightly fringed to minimize waste. The knit cotton/hemp skirt was sewn with cotton thread and then garment-dyed in indigo.

Cleveland Museum of Art's Runway Show, October 17, 2015.

Model photos by Jenn Simmons.

Silk Organza Kimono, and Wool Jersey Dress, ecoprinted with flowers and leaves.

Minnetonka Center for the Arts, 'Art of the Garden', 2016

Deans' Award for Emotional Connection, 'Redefining, Redesigning Fashion', Goldstein Museum, U of MN, 2013

Clothing can be a way of creating community, connecting the compassionate words and images of loved ones to a person with serious illness. While doing this, it can also connect innovation and technology with craft and tradition…all within the healing power of beauty.

The exterior of this wool/silk shawl was dyed with the tradition of rolling up flowers and leaves from nature into a piece of cloth and dyeing it naturally. Images of sacred healing significance to the recipient were hand-painted on the cloth. The lining of the shawl was digitally printed on silk with guestbook entries and images from the recipient’s CaringBridge site. 

When wearing the shawl, the community of loving caring words is literally next to her skin, so she can feel others’ love and prayers, promoting healing.

Marilyn's was the first of 7 shawls/blankets I've made for loved ones with CaringBridge sites. Each piece has custom exterior with CaringBridge guestbook digitally printed lining. 

If there's a special someone in your life who you'd like to wrap in love with a custom-made CaringBridge shawl or blanket, please contact me using the information on my Contact page. 

You may find more information on the wonderful work of CaringBridge at:

http://www.caringbridge.org

Please visit my Shop page which will take you to my collection of scarves, shawls, and home goods. My current collection is hand-dyed ecoprints. I use flowers and leaves from my gardens to dye them naturally, with simply the dye from the plants. 

Each is a one-of-a-kind miniature work of art. 

Since I started creating wearable art in 2009, each day I've worn something I've made. It's a crucial part of my process. It's part of becoming whole, so that my inside evolution as an artist is also revealed to the world on the outside. It helps to create connection by generating conversation with those who ask about what I'm wearing.

What I've noticed is that some days I'll wear a special jacket or coat I've made, but most days I'll dash out the door with jeans and a top...and a scarf. It's the easiest way to keep my promise to myself. And I don't think I'm alone. Enhancing an existing wardrobe with a scarf is not only an easy and versatile way to dress (you can style a scarf so many ways!), it's also a much more sustainable practice than buying new major wardrobe pieces regularly. 

Plus I love making these pieces. I believe the joy I feel making them is passed along to the recipient. Like the joy is woven into the cloth.

So please join me in the joyful self-expression of enhancing your existing wardrobe with a miniature work of art.