Nancy Engstad

I added working with textiles to my practice as a fine artist in 1989. In those early days without the internet, artists wanting to discover the joys of putting color on cloth had to be resourceful in finding ways to learn and the supplies needed.

Dharma Trading was there back then and is there today to provide the same fantastic level of products and assistance. I continue to use their catalog as a source of knowledge and inspiration after twenty plus years. As a beginner, their pages of "recipes" and methods were just the thing to point the way to years of learning to create beautiful scarves, garments, yardage, and more. Responding to the interest of those who wanted my designs I eventually started a textile business, as have many of Dharma's customers.

One of the very first designs was this hand-painted silk crepe de chine scarf, inspired by Japanese brush painting. I used black Jacquard fabric paint and fabric markers. As a one-of-a kind scarf it remains a favorite and I've kept it in my own collection as a wearable work of art. It is as beautiful today as when first created.

Textiles continue to be an important part of my work both as surface design and fine art. My blog, "Webs And Threads", gives a look at the wonderful "thread" that cloth and color continue to play in my work.

Nancy Engstad
San Francisco, California