About Mother Earth Studios & Hilary Rice

... the weaver, spinner, dyer and stitcher:

When I was young, I dreamed of being able to make everything I would need... Not as a career, but in my free time. Decades before there was such a thing as "The Slow Movement", I made things at a snail's pace. After a lifetime of learning, I am delighted to spend my days creating beautiful things & sharing the results. I take pride in my work & I strive for excellence. 

I currently have three looms that I weave on regularly: a 36" Schacht 8-shaft Baby Wolf. I have recently added a 60" Amish handmade 8-shaft Countermarche loom and an 8-shaft 22" Macomber loom to my studio.

My sewing machine is an Elna 7200 and I use a variety of thread brands, including Madeira and Canadian made Wonderfil

My preference is always to make something 'from scratch'... So rather than using a commercially produced fabric, I will dye or paint a natural cotton, linen or silk. I have almost 2 decades of experience colouring fabric. 

The resulting pieces are truly unique! 

NOTE:  Items made at a 'slower pace' (hand dyed or made using handspun yarns), making the article even more of a One-of-a-kind piece, are marked beside the title using three asterisks  (***).

 

Hilary Rice, the Artist:

As a spiritual being, I grow through grappling with difficult questions. As a visual artist, the questions settle in my soul, and I let go and listen. My artwork may reveal connections to the natural world, but they are simply a way of expressing what I hear and feel deep inside. More often, my response is an emotional one of colour, movement and light.

Applying my creative imagination to the external world, I view simple objects as symbols; a tree becomes a dynamic flow of energy and light; so the intricate details of the surrounding world, as well as the reality of living life, are all gathered into one by my creative mind which I then express in my art.

I am not sure I would call myself a Theosophist (teaching about the Creator and creation, based on mystical insight) however, I do find myself seeking to understand the mysteries of the universe, and the bonds that unite the universe, humanity and the divine. I do find myself discovering all things visible and invisible, examining both divinity and nature in the smallest detail. In the creating of my artwork, I find myself exploring and discovering the beauty in being lost in the journey.