This week’s FEEDBACK FRIDAY was with quilt artist Kim Eichler-Messmer. Kim has been hand-dyeing fabric for nearly 20 years. In 2015 she made the decision to switch from using synthetic dyes to natural dyes and began a journey of learning and discovery, guided by experts in the field such as Catharine Ellis and Michel Garcia. Kim shared her beautiful work, talked about how the learning process influences her, and discussed how her work has evolved since making the switch to natural dyes.
Watch the video recording here:
Kim’s favorite things on our site:
“I think Botanical Colors has an amazing selection of books, I love that you sell seeds, and the fabric you sell looks really beautiful and different from what other suppliers are selling. For info, obviously FEEDBACK FRIDAY is such a wealth of information.”
Bio:
Kim Eichler-Messmer is an Associate Professor of Fiber at the Kansas City Art Institute, where she has taught since 2008. Kim received an MFA in Textiles from the University of Kansas and a BFA in Studio Art from Iowa State University. Her hand-dyed, one of a kind quilts have been exhibited nationally and internationally. She has collaborated with West Elm and Pottery Barn and has designed three commercial fabric lines inspired by her own hand-dyed textiles. She is the author of “Modern Color: An Illustrated Guide to Dyeing Fabric for Modern Quilts” and teaches workshops on quilting and natural dyeing regularly around the country.
Check out Kim’s website here.
Her instagram page is here.
NEXT WEEK…join us June 4th, 9am Pacific, 12pm Eastern for a live Zoom FEEDBACK FRIDAY with Mixed Color Founder Christi Johnson.
Christi’s textile studio is based in the foothills of the Catskills in New York. The studio provides functional pieces that are thoughtfully made, as well as serves as a platform to teach skills in sewing, embroidery, and natural dyeing so that others may do so themselves. Her upcoming book, Mystical Stitches (Storey Press, 2021), explores embroidery as a tool for personal empowerment and magical embellishment. Her online workshops explore stitching, clothing, and fibers as an opportunity for creative expansion and expression.
RSVP here.
FEEDBACK FRIDAY
If you are not familiar with FEEDBACK FRIDAY, every week, we speak with dyers, artists, scientists and scholars about our favorite topic, natural dyeing and color. Curated by Amy DuFault, Botanical Colors’ Sustainability Director and presented by Botanical Colors’ Founder Kathy Hattori.
We even have our own theme song thanks to musician Jimmie Snider!