Textiles are my language. There are endless possibilities and endless surprises. Materials, colours, patterns, techniques - their characteristics have a big impact on my work. It takes time and practice to train the eyes and develop sensitivity in the fingertips.
As a former architect, I am deeply interested in the environments we live in. Instead of creating new environments, I create from and within the environment I find myself in. I started to work with plant dyes to explore this collaborative process. I collect my materials by hand in my immediate surrounding and process them into dye baths and pigments. I use dyed yarns and painted fabrics to weave with.
I find weaving very similar to architecture. Slowly and carefully constructed plan, a vision implemented with mathematical precision. What distinguishes one from the other is a concern for error. Mistakes are not acceptable in architecture. In weaving, mistakes become an invitation to let the act of creation unfold freely. Each piece becomes a transcript of my mood and imagination that I am safe to investigate within a rigid structure of warp.
I draw from the ancestral traditions to learn about the past, record the present and create a sense of continuity for the future. The slowness and stillness of my work allow me to look for the essence of being in the moment. My textile practice takes me on a journey of discovery within and without.
My textiles are created carefully, slowly, and with intention. I believe in conscious creativity
Slow, natural, and local, my textiles are made with high-quality natural fibres from European suppliers. Hand-spun yarns from local spinners and re-loved fibers, I dye the yarns myself, with botanical dyes. When I work with fabric, I choose recycled or GOTS-certified fibres. My goal is to create beautiful, unique, and conscious textiles; one-of-a-kind pieces that tell a story. You can find my products at www.kaliko.co