My eco-conscious artistic creations are primarily shaped by my family heritage as a third generation fiber artist-crafter and my formal training in Ecology and Anthropology. I was born and raised in North Carolina and taught the traditional fiber arts like spinning, weaving, dyeing, embroidery, and quilting by my mother and grandmother. Learning how to forage for wild dye plants in the ditches of Chapel Hill and stomping through my neighbor’s 40+ acres of woods began my life long fascination with flora and fauna. Collecting pokeberries and coreopsis for dying wool, making baskets from honeysuckle, making sculptures of mysterious rusty stuff abandoned in the woods, and shaping red clay from creek banks into pinch pots created my fascination with how people use and impact their ecosystems.  When I came of age, I set off to seek formal training in Ecology and Anthropology in college (Wellesley College) and graduate school (UC Davis).

My artistic creations finally clicked when I discovered the ecoprints of India Flint, the rust and found-art creations of Alice Fox and the hand-stitched designs of Claire Wellesley-Smith. Creating art with weeds, yard waste, found objects, thrifted items, and lower impact fibers has become a passion of mine. While the ecological benefits of this philosophy cannot be denied, this philosophical guide produces a special sort of art. The uneven texture of wild gathered silk gives my work a sort of lived-in comfort, like the worn edges of the cover of your favorite book. Prints from leaves, flowers and roots create patterns and colors that shift subtly as the light changes throughout the day and the natural colors always seem to harmonize. Found treasures and stitching add texture to create subtle interest and focus. Overall, this combination often ends up being wonderfully dynamic, welcoming, and calm. I hope you enjoy my creations!

Botanical based dyes can fade over time.  I’ve used all the tricks of the trade to make my art as color fast as possible, but for best results don’t place my artwork in bright light for extended periods of time.  I also encourage folk to embrace the dynamic nature of art made with plants.  All art need not be archival, it can be fun to see how a piece ages like fine wine.

Currently, my work can be found at the Art Barn in Granville, OH and frequently at Art@43023 (Granville, OH).   There is a more complete list below of shows and events my work has been shown in the past.  I  frequently update my Instagram feed under mammuti_dyes and would love to see you there!

• Art Barn (Granville, OH) April 2018-Present
• Art @43023 (Granville, OH) April-May 2018, October 2107, September 2016, Christmas 2016, 2017
• “The River” Parkersburg Art Center (Parkersburg, WV) July 2018-August 2018
• OH +5 Dairy Barn Art Center (Athens, OH) Jan-March 2018
• Hit the Hop for Studios on High (Columbus, OH) Fall 2016, Spring 2018
• Bryn Du Art Show (Granville, OH) April 2018
• Mansfield Art Center (Mansfield, OH) Christmas Fair 2016, 2017
• Ohio Art Market (Westerville, OH) May 2017-March 2018
• Art Access (Bexley, OH) August 2017-January 2018
• Terra Gallery (Dublin, OH) October 2016-July 2017
• Hayley Gallery (New Albany, OH) May 2016-March 2017
• FAM Fest (Newark, OH) 2016, 2017

If you are interested: Mammuti is the Finnish word for Mammoth, and my husband is of Finnish heritage.  My son is a mammoth enthusiast.  Bones have been found here locally in Licking County, Ohio.  So, Mammuti connects me to my family and locality.