One of the most satisfying parts of our job: finding story ideas that yield yet more story ideas. Case in point: Recently, we wrote about landscape designer Molly Sedlacek’s Small but Mighty Cork House in Los Angeles. Inside, Molly has just one piece of wall art in her entire home: a textile hanging by Swiss-American Lucie Timonier-Collie. Intrigued, we decided to do a little digging into the artist.
Lucie hails from a long line of artists: “There are many artists in my family: painters, photographers, weavers,” she tells us. “My mother was also a gallerist, which offered exposure to a full range of visual languages. ” Lucie’s own chosen medium is textiles.
Inspired by the landscape of the American West, her screen-printed and hand-painted work is graphic but soft, modern but rooted in craftsmanship. But what really sets it apart is her commitment to using only natural dyes (mostly made from pomegranate, saxon, madder, logwood , cutch, and walnut). Frustrated by “how polluting an industry it can be,” Lucie, who currently lives in Ojai, CA, vowed to find a better way to create textile art. “That’s when I started shifting my attention to natural dyes. I remember vividly how daunting and intimidating it seemed to me: a mix of chemistry and creativity! In many ways, I still find it challenging, but the endless possibilities have allowed me to be an eternal student and continually play and experiment.”
Here’s a peek at Lucie’s works, as seen on her Instagram account @bamboo.drift and website. Contact her for pricing.
Photography by Lucie Timonier-Collie, unless otherwise noted.
Above: Pieces from her 2023 So I Want To Live In A Wooden House series in her former Silverlake studio. “Translating a screen-printing practice into the natural dye world is not common. Traditionally, natural dyers work with immersion dying or weaving, while I have taken on a much more graphic approach which is uncommon within the community,” she explains. Above: A detail shot of a work titled “Green Fields” from the So I Want To Live In A Wooden House series. This piece was dyed with chlorophyllin and rust. “Natural dyes are very temperamental, so you need to stick to your formulas. It’s quite difficult to repeat something twice, which is something I cherish and welcome.” Above: In a recent group show in April, Lucie’s “Moment in Time” piece hangs next to Brad Golden’s sculptural work titled “Cerca de Ti.” She says: “Natural dyes are renowned for their vibrant colors, from bright reds to bright yellows, but you’ll notice that my palette does not necessarily showcase those attributes. My world tends to be monochromatic, soft and soothing. The work is minimal, organized and heavily rooted in research with a focus on color-play and harmony.” Above: A detail shot of her work titled “Dylan” from her 2021 Exploration Of Stillness series. This piece was dyed with pomegranate and hand0painted with non-toxic ink. “I start by choosing a white natural fiber textile. I prep and mordant it so it’s ready to receive and keep the dyes. Then I either immerse dye or screen-print first—it depends on the wanted outcome. I repeat the dyeing process and printing process multiple times within the same piece. The works are generally extremely layered. The possibilities are endless, so it varies every time.” Above: Lucie in her Ojai studio, working on her most recent project: The Cube Series. On her influences: “The strictness and graphic nature in my work is a direct influence from my Swiss upbringing. Yet, there is also a heavy western and open road scenery influence from my American life and heritage.”
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