A Love Story

 

Hello, my name is Susanna.

Always drawing and making things from as far back as I can remember, I went to art college first in England, where I grew up, then transferring to San Francisco to finish my degree (it's a long love story). I ended up falling sideways into animation - my first job was with DreamWorks Animation, where I worked for six years as a trainee and eventually a special effects assistant animator. Between that and my current life was lots of wandering, throwing around ideas and starting things and moving. Eventually I wound up in Portland, Oregon, a place i loved very much and lived in for 20 years.

There, I started a small floral design company in a 1965 caravan called Amelie that my then partner and I turned into a little flower cart. There, I was focused not only on beauty but also on causing the least harm in the building of my business as possible, and used as much seasonal, local produce as I could find. I especially loved making large scale installations, on site and with whatever was to hand. This one was made by tensioning fallen branches from the trees between two trunks and then winding them together.

One day, frustrated at the quality, sustainability and colours of ribbons available locally, I decided to make some of my own and stumbled upon the art of natural dyeing on silk. Magic happened! Discovering that such beautiful colour could come from things already in my kitchen, or from plants and soil and wood pulp, was like stumbling across a kind of alchemy. Of course there is a long history of such work, across many cultures, but to me, it was brand new and fascinating.

I experimented for a long time, using my training as a painter as I learned how to mix and layer dyes rather like watercolours. One day a friend suggested that I might try selling some and before too long I was making so much ribbon that the floral design business, to my surprise and delight, became a ribbon company.

Today I continue to play and experiment with colour every chance I get; always thrilled with each new magical discovery.

I’m so very grateful that I’m able to make my living this way.

After over 23,000 sales and thousands of five star reviews on Etsy (and, let's face it, one or two less than five stars, but hey, you can't please everyone) my business continues to grow here in its own little online home.