Salt Textiles
Kayla Powers, of Salt Textiles, creates handwoven works of art using locally sourced yarns, colored with foraged natural materials that she collects in and around her home in Detroit.
Established: 2018
Owner: Kayla Powers
Location: Detroit, MI
Distance: 0 miles from Detroit!
Website: www.salttextilestudios.com
Tell us about you, your business, and where you do your work.
My name is Kayla Powers and I’m a weaver, natural dyer and place-based artist. My business is called Salt Textile Studios and I work from my home on the East Side of Detroit.
How long have you been an artist/maker/designer and when did you start your current business?
I have been weaving for 10 years and dyeing for about 6. And I started my business just about 3 years ago.
How did you get your start and how has your business/work evolved?
My very first experience with weaving was on a tiny frame loom while I was working on a Biodynamic farm in New York. We were weaving with the wool from the sheep on the farm, so I had a full-circle understanding of the practice right away.
I began weaving utilitarian goods at first. Scarves, blankets, rugs, etc. I realized that I loved weaving and was basically selling my work to buy myself more yarn. I always had a part time job on the side up until maybe 2 years ago. It was a big commitment to make this work my full-time pursuit, and ultimately I feel much more connected to my art now that I’m giving it all of my attention.
Where did you first learn about natural dyes/using local materials? What intrigued you to use them in your work?
I learned about natural dyes at WildCraft Studio School in Portland, OR. They offer a 6 month textile internship and I had the opportunity to go foraging for plants and to weave a pair of tapestries from the dyed yarn. I learned so much during my time at WildCraft and when I moved to Detroit, I set out to continue practicing what I had learned.
What materials do you use to make your work, where are they sourced from, and why have you made these choices?
I only work with natural materials. I love to work with farmers and growers that are producing plant and animal fibers in a wholesome way. Even better if I can source the materials locally. That isn’t possible with cotton or linen but we have access to wool and alpaca in Michigan. I don’t want to produce more waste by making art. I don’t want to do more harm than good.
What are your favorite materials to use, do you have a favorite fiber or natural color?
My preference for materials changes with the season. We are coming into wool and alpaca season, now! And as for winter dye plants, I love to work with spruce cones, oak galls, acorns. I just made a bath with the roots from a cedar tree and the color is such a lovely mauve.
What inspires your work?
Textiles are such a familiar and approachable art form. They are foundational to the human experience. They are our first form of shelter. They communicate stories and reflect our values. I feel inspired to carry on these traditions that have been practiced for centuries by people all over the world. I am inspired to make work with my hands. I am inspired by the plants that grow up through the cracks of the sidewalks and by the pheasants and foxes and coyotes and rabbits that make their homes in the wild spaces in the city.
What challenges have you faced in creating and/or marketing your work?
One major challenge with this kind of work is the cost of the goods. Why would someone choose to spend $300 on a blanket when they can buy one for $50? I mean, we know why. But sometimes it feels that our society is more interested in quantity than quality. So that can be a challenge when it comes to pricing naturally dyed, handwoven goods.
What projects are you working on now?
I am starting a new public art piece right now! I’m very excited about it. It’s called Common Ground and I will be holding an open call for natural dyers all over the country to participate. I will mail them a skein of yarn, they will dye it with a plant local to them and then mail it back to me. I will weave it into a square tapestry. There will be 50 of them (I hope!) and I will hang them up in an empty lot near my home. The idea is that they look a little bit like flags. And land ownership is a very hot topic in Detroit and all over the world, I suppose. I am hoping to bring up ideas of land ownership, colonization, social justice, and more.
How do you envision your work and your business evolving in the future?
Well, my work has been taking a turn away from making “products” and towards making art. Specifically, public art. I just love to see the juxtaposition between soft and gentle textiles in our urban environment with metal and bricks everywhere.
What are your favorite resources?
Some of my favorite resources are old weaving and natural dyeing books. I love the feeling of being immersed in the world of West African Cloth, for example. Or Hopi and Navajo Natural Dyeing. I find that the farther back you go, the idea of “place-based art” becomes a given. We were only able to create with what our immediate environment could provide.
What interests you most about Fibershed?
Fibershed is so exciting to me because in a way it is a return to a time where our art was defined by our location. It puts some limitations on our material choices, which is so helpful and can be very freeing! I also think it is a beautiful way to illustrate and celebrate how connected everything is and how impactful our choices are.
How can our Fibershed community support you?
I appreciate your suggestions for local fiber mills to work with for my next project. Resources and information are key! I can imagine someday offering grants to artists/makers who want to work with local materials because it can be cost prohibitive. So if there was a way to create bridges for fiber artists who want to make ethical choices but can’t afford to, that would be really positive.