ART + LIFE: Laura Dillon Rogers

ART+LIFE

by: Meredith Coe

drifting ledge Fiber Artist: Laura Dillon Rogers

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Laura Dillon Rogers is an emerging fiber artist residing in the countryside of Charlottesville, Virginia. Her work is composed of silk, wool, cotton and other found objects to create woven soft sculptures. Her interests are highly interconnected to her work style – recycling scraps of wool from vintage clothing and silk from a local textile designer, using authentic and ancient weaving techniques, and incorporating nature into all works.

Gathering inspiration from daily occurrences, her daughter Tallulah, quiet moments, ever-changing landscapes, expressive style, and living in the present, she is able to keep calm attention to detail in each of her weavings.

Laura’s pieces reflect a relaxed, yet modern proposition and are a rare addition to any art collection.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR STARTING THE JOURNEY OF WEAVING? In 2012 I started an artist collective space with three other creative friends. At this point I was helping to run the gallery shop and became very influenced by the various art and artists that I found myself meeting and working with. I was ready to find a new creative outlet to call my own. I was inspired by the recent rebirth of traditional weaving techniques and wall hangings, I made myself a frame loom, began weaving onto sticks, and went on to create large mural-like wall hangings with fabric scraps. One day the kindest elderly woman came into the gallery and noticed my weavings. She mentioned she had an old loom of her daughter’s for sale. The following day I found a note stuck under the gallery door, with a photo of the loom and her phone number.

I called, and my brother and I immediately went to her home to pick up my first floor loom the rest is history. Finding the courage to accept this passion and turn it into an art form for myself has been the biggest inspiration on this path.

HOW DO YOU START DESIGNING A PROJECT? Things usually start very organically, I tend to choose a color combination and go from there. In a few circumstances I draw the layout of the weaving and where I’ll dip the finished product in a dye bath, but the plan tends to fade as I continue on with the piece.

WOW. NATURAL PLANT DYES! IS THIS A RECENT ADDITION? W My interest in plant dyeing started about 3 years ago when I was working closely with a

"Always make what your heart desires, not what others hearts have already captured..."„

friend who owns a gorgeous hand dyed silk clothing line called Willow Knows; she also became interested in using natural versus synthetic dyes and so she started experimenting. Watching the outcomes of the plant’s color on her silk clothing was absolutely stun-

ning. I didn’t actually delve into and start learning the process myself until this summer, collecting roadside plants to experiment with and even using various expired kitchen spices. You never get the result that you intend or envision you will, which makes this

nature dyeing process all the more magical.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE TIME OF DAY OR LOCATION YOU WOULD RATHER WEAVE? Fresh morning air and light is the best time of day for me, whether I get to my loom or

not; these quiet moments get me through the day. Any place with plenty of natural light, some incense burning, and a Neil Young playlist blasting in the background makes for the ideal scenario – these things just speak to me.

EXPLAIN ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING ASPECTS OF YOUR WORK? I’d say the most interesting aspect of each unique weaving is that they are indeed always

one of a kind. Even if I recreate an identical weaving for an order, no two are identical. Creating is just more fun this way.

IS THERE A CERTAIN MATERIAL OR TEXTILE YOU ENJOY WEAVING? Primarily wool yarn and silk fabric scraps. I love any natural fiber I can get my hands on – organic cotton yarn, bamboo and silk threads, sheep wool roving and even goat’s fur. I also use feathers, sticks, bark & fresh or dried plants.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF BEING AN ARTIST? Being an individual thinker and finding an aesthetic unlike any other creative. Whether they work with the exact same media as you, or completely opposite. Always make what your heart desires, not what other’s hearts have already captured. Find your own imagery, inspiration & intent. This will undoubtedly help any aspiring artist create their most noble art.

Do Tell...

Breakfast or Dinner?

No doubt, breakfast

Textile of choice: Hands down, perfectly soft cotton or linen for wearing... and silk in the summertime, wool for Autumn.

I collect...

Buttons, old wooden thread spools, vintage fabrics, boxes, plants, rocks... sometimes it seems like these special things just come out of nowhere and show up piling all over my window sills.

Favorite color: Green What should change...

The way this world works(well, for the most part) What should stay the same...

The love for the earth that many have and many more need.

Daydreaming...

Beautiful timber frame homes with huge windows.

Freetime...

Long strolls with my daughter and husband.

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Organic Pink Cotton

Turmeric Dyed Silk

Tea + Pokeberry Dyed Wool

Local Goat Hair

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Alpaca Wool Roving

Bamboo and Silk

Indigo Dyed Cotton Muslin

Goldenrod Dyed Wool

''It is the marriage of the soul with nature that makes the intellect fruitful, that gives birth to imagination'' -Henry David Thoreau