About the Artist

Crafted by hand in my home at the base of Mount Mansfield, each piece is created using pigments from nature to honor the earth and capture the fleeting rhythms of the seasons on fiber. My interest in natural dyeing began with a lifelong love of the environment and a spark of curiosity after meeting a vendor at the Common Ground Fair in Maine who was selling naturally dyed textiles. Since then, it has grown into a deep passion and an integral part of my everyday life.

Immersing myself in the world of natural dyeing has encouraged me to be present within each season while also eagerly anticipating the next. It’s allowed me to be grounded in the act of making, yet always curious and wondering what colors various plants might yield.

I feel strongly that adults do not engage in artistic expression nearly enough. We place too much pressure on ourselves to be “good” at everything, often losing touch with our carefree inner child. I believe that bringing people together to create art in a pressure and judgment-free environment can spark a kind of joy and whimsy that holds the power to change the world! Your support, whether bringing a piece home, sharing my work, or simply pausing to admire the colors and prints, makes it possible for me to continue creating, learning, teaching, and supporting my family.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
— Carolyn Sommer

@colorsofsommer

The Process

I do my best to choose materials that honor the planet: organic, sustainable, and ethically sourced as much as possible. I believe that quality fibers are the foundation of long-lasting, meaningful clothing. The intention woven into them sets the stage to transform these blank fibers into living art.

Before any fabric meets a dye bath or the imprint of a leaf, it goes through a slow, multi-step pre-treatment ritual (often 2–4 hours or more). This methodical preparation helps each piece hold its color as faithfully as possible to resist fading, shifting, or washing away. I intentionally select dyes that are more resistant to these changes, however, natural dyes are often referred to as “living color” because, over time, colors can change. In my experience, when natural dyes fade, they do so subtly and beautifully.

Each final product is reflective of an interwoven story:

  • the fibers themselves

  • the season in time

  • the materials used to prepare them

  • the dye source (including the labor of growing the dye plants with my own two hands)

  • the many hours spent guiding them from raw cloth to finished work

The final textiles you see are one-of-a-kind pieces of art shaped by sunlight, soil, and patience. Enjoy them and appreciate knowing that each piece is impossible to reproduce.

Care instructions for naturally dyed pieces, including hand washing in cold water with pH neutral detergent, hanging out of direct sunlight, ironing with steam or on a gentle setting, and storing out of sunlight.
A young girl with curly hair hanging laundry on a clothesline outdoors in a wooded area, sunlight filtering through the trees.
Woman with curly hair, wearing an orange patterned dress, standing outdoors with trees in the background, arranging greenery on a white table.
Person holding a sprig of green fern with one hand, which has a tattoo on the arm and wears rings on the fingers.