Hand Painted • Hand Dyed Art Apparel                                                                     

by Pamela Gatens

From the artist: As a textile artist, I have been able to mix my graphic and fine art background with a hand dyeing process that is unique to my work. It is a method and process which I have developed over the past five years that results in one-of-a-kind, beautifully dyed art apparel. My approach results in each item of art apparel being like an individual painting. I use some fifty-plus colors of quality procion dye as I hand paint each piece. Together with the appropriate chemicals the dyes work their magic much like watercolor blending on paper producing interesting and abstract patterns that most often resemble flowers and leaves. My artistic inspiration has always been all about color - the interesting combinations and arrangements that make a piece so appealing and make people say, "I've never seen anything like this before!" It gives me great joy to create beautiful garments that really make the passer-by take notice.