Natasha Nargis

After moving from New York City to San Francisco in the 1970s, I decided that I wanted to learn to weave. I knew nothing about weaving, but soon found a wonderful teacher, Kay Sekimachi. 

My mother made clothing, so textiles had always been a [art of my life — and I love fashion. I wanted to create my own textiles. I love linen and silk. Each fiber has its own way of absorbing color, so the possibilities are endless.

In 1974 I moved to Santa Fe, where I live and work. I’ve explored different techniques. Ikat is one of my favorites. I wrap the fivers to form a resist, and then immerse them in dye baths to create a wide range of colors. Recently I became enamored with shibori, a Japanese technique that dates back to the eighth century. I wrap, clip, sew and twist the fabric to create a resist before immersing it in the dyes. I began with commercial fabrics, but then experimented with shibori on my woven pieces.