"My husband, Patricio, and I create my handwoven hand-dyed clothing in my studio.  It is constructed of black fabric, which I weave, by hand using many textural cotton, rayon and silk yarns.  After weaving, I use a variety of surface design techniques, which involves removing the black from certain areas by discharging and then imparting colors back into these discharged areas by immersion dyeing (placing the fabric directly into a dye bath) or hand-painting.  The pre-determined surface designs are specific to the final garment.

The three main techniques I use are: painting with a discharge solution directly on the fabric using different textural painting tools: placing a hand-cut stencil or a variety of “found” objects on the fabric which create “masked” areas that resist the discharge that is sprayed on; pleating the fabric using different “shibori” fabric pleating techniques and using the pleats to resist the sprayed discharge.  After a series of washing and rinsing, all of the areas, which are discharged, are exposed to dyes.  Each garment is hand-dyed in up to four different color baths of hand-painted.

It is a lengthy and complicated process resulting in garments of different styles…most are limited editions or one-of-a-kind.  The inspiration for the motif and colors used comes from various sources…Bohemian, gypsy themes, Moroccan delicacies, autumn meadows and exotic animals.

I also, create the styles and make the patterns.  My husband does the finishing and sewing.  We are a team of two who are continually exploring new shapes, colors and inspirations."