Artist Statement
River's Edge Fiber Arts is a studio overlooking the Grand River, an idyllic nature preserve to inspire me throughout the year. While autumn continues to be my favorite time of the year, each season brings something special, whether it be the new wildlife birthed in the spring, to the tennis ball walnuts hanging from the trees and being thrown from the mowers landing everywhere under the sun, waiting for the squirrels to furiously dig holes and bury them for their winter stores.
Dyeing fibers and yarns is one facet of River's Edge Fiber Arts. Both are dyed in small non-repeatable batches, creating signature one-of-a-kind offerings where the client doesn't see themselves coming and going. The majority of yarns and fibers are custom processed at several mills both nationally and internationally to my specifications. Many times, even the blends are one-time unique offerings. This is part of what sets River's Edge apart from all the others.
The majority of the woven textiles produced use traditional equipment powered by foot and hand, each step carefully crafted to produce the perfect product envisioned long before the fibers were sheared, washed and dyed. Many consider my work as a dyer's dyer. There is a strong overtone of how the dye chemicals interact with each type of fiber, along with the skills and techniques learned from forty plus years of experimenting and practicing. And, the final piece is the dedicated micro-manufacturing part of the studio, with a full set of industrial and specialty sewing machines, allowing me the opportunity to create wonderful couture garments and accessories.
For me, creating textiles crosses all disciplines; kinesiology, drafting, spatial relations, mathematics, history, chemistry, physics, environmental and ecological impact, social, psychological and preservation. For all of these reasons and more, my art is an endless offering of possibilities.
Whenever I am exposed to a new area of textiles, it becomes an all inclusive process, learning the rules to successfully break them, pushing the techniques to the limits, and creating stunning one of a kind textiles for the ultimate consumer seeking the finest of art to wear, decorate with, and enjoy.
Thank you, please note this and all other aspects of this website will be updated over the next few months as I rebuild my online presence. Love, Carol & Louie
