various sizes with patch prints of the original artwork for Laurie’s embroidery work

about the maker

Laurie Fairbanks lives in Walla Walla with her 10 year old, one dog, four cats, wild plants, critters and creeks. She is grateful to have a large network of family and close friends who support her work.

The body of work in this space is cotton/linen/woven fabrics sourced from scrap bins and dyed using rusted metal. The chemistry works by wrapping wet material around the metal and accelerating oxidation with vinegar water, then arresting the process with a salt bath. Next the fabric is washed and stretched on frames built to fit each piece much, as a canvas is stretched on a frame. Then the process of visualizing and embroidery begins. Each work of heart has taken years to complete.

“I am fascinated with the intersection between natural and ethereal worlds. Common threads are hybridizing forms into formless, more-than-humans; listening to muse in the unseen realms; and the specific regional link of plants and animals who silently cradle us in their realms, evolving together through mutually beneficial relation.”