Ellen Spring

Colorful dyed and block printed scarves and clothing

 

 I hand dye and construct garments and scarves in silk, cotton, rayon and merino wool using a variety of techniques including resist and immersion dyeing, block printing and felting.

 

My hope is to add some beauty to our troubled world. I make wearable art because garments wrap us in beauty. Beauty gives us pause. In that moment we can experience our connection to the world more deeply. Whether hand felting a richly textured silk and wool shawl or dyeing a chiffon kimono with leaves and flowers collected from the forest and gardens around my home I hold this hope: that what I create will bring a little light to the world.

 

As I work I keep in mind my desire to reveal beauty and also to walk lightly on our earth. Toward that end I source my materials from fair trade and ecologically minded distributors. I use plants from my own garden for dyes as well as low impact acid dyes.

 

I find great joy in the process of making each of my wearable art pieces. I believe that joy is held in the finished work and touches the wearer and that the creation and sharing of beauty, in some small way, balances the discord in our world.